I really wish we could actually see who does the moderating, full name. I would think that would pressure whoever is moderating to put a bit more thought into what they were doing, since their name is attached for the world to see.
I know OS X is great. No question. You missed my point - it's not 1997, and Linux on the desktop, contrary to what your original post says, relects that. Just because it's not OS X doesn't mean that it's not continuing to improve.
OS X is indeed cool. But I have to say, I get kind of tired of the 1997 Linux desktop comments. Linux on the desktop has made huge improvements in the last year. It may not be as easy to set up 'out of the box', but once set up, it'srock solid.
The original was from a Director. Having known a few in my time, I can tell you that they don't know the gory details of the technology. They simply don't have enough time to dig into the technology. They know the high level specs, yes. The ins and outs, no. That's what they hire us for. And if they have any questions, I'm happy to answer. In any situation I can think of that I've been asked something, it's usually been for my opionion on a) the feasibility of something or b) if I don't think something's feasible, a suitable replacement.
This is the message I got when trying to demo the monitor using Mozilla 1.4/Linux:
We are unable to run this WebFace application. The Web Browser and/or Operating System that you are running does not support the latest Web Standards used by Vultus WebFace.
Click here for a list of supported browsers.
I have to say, the RedHat version you have is really pretty old (think Win98 equivalent).
You also don't mention what kind of hardware you're using.
True story: I recently purchased on of the new emachine wide-screen laptops (I love it, BTW). It came pre-installed with WinXP Home edition. After booting it up once in WinXP, I wiped the disk clean and installed RedHat 9 (not Pro - I downloaded the ISO images and burned to CD). RH9 did a pretty good job of detecting all the hardware, with the exception of the internal 802.11G Wifi. There's a scroll 'ribbon' that I was afraid wouldn't get recognized, but did. I had to fiddle with the XF86Config file to get the proper widesscreen resolution, but it initially worked fine with the default 800x600 resolution.
Once I finished the install, out of curiosity, I wiped the drive clean again and did a full WinXP (Pro) install - not from the OEM supplied disk, but from a full XP install disk. Let me tell you,
the install barfed all over the place. I couldn't get the display beyond 640x480 256 colors, mouse was hosed, no networking - ethernet or otherwise.
At this point, I grabbed the OEM disk and installed from that. That disk had all the correct drivers.
The point, I guess is that a full install, whether WinXP or RedHat 9 takes some work. Unfortunately, Manufacturers don't ship OEM Linux disks (yet). I truly believe that they will at some point in the future though.
If you really are interested in trying out Linux (RedHat in particular), I would recommend RH9. You have a unified desktop that you would most likely adjust to quite easily, not to mention a much more recent kernel.
You say that gaming isn't important for your system. Why even set up a dual boot machine then (assuming you are only using this for home use and don't need to interact with Windows at the office)?
Everything you are looking for is available freely (and in quantity - some less quality than others:-)) for Linux. Virus checking is not needed on Linux. For browsing you have mozilla, firebird, opera. Mail - thunderbird or mozilla. Multimedia - xmms and mplayer/gmplayer or xine. Recent Linux distros also have pretty much every type of loadable module you would need for anything connected via USB (cameras, scanners), as well as the associated apps to go with them, such as gimp.
Unless you have some specialty app that only runs under Windows, why bit just single boot to Linux? If it turns out you don't like it, you can always reload Windows.
BTW, if you do want to run some windows apps under linux I highly recommend CrossOver Office (not free, but inexpensive - under $60 USD). It flawlessly runs common win apps.
Maybe Sun is the wrong company to be pushing Linux on the desktop, but consider this:
How many of us really thought that Linux on the desktop would ever be as attractive as it is today (be honest - I know that there are those that will say 'I always knew Linux on the desktop would happen' - but deep down I'm willing to bet that's not what most of us thought). Redhat pushed the desktop further along with Bluecurve, whether you like it or not, as well as Mandrake.
If it's Sun that pushes Linux on the desktop further into business or another company doesn't really matter. The fact that it's happening is really what matters.
Almost all non-trivial java apps I've come across have required me to use Internet Explorer on Microsoft Windows running inside a VMware window to work properly
That sound to me like the programmer happened to use MS's development tools, which are most certainly NOT write-once, run anywhere, no matter how much MS tries to convince us of that.
A few months ago my boss wanted me to put up a web-based system just for the system administrators. After some searching I had found techtables. At the time, it was the only thing I could find that was postgresql friendly, and easy to set up. There are several out there that use mysql, but because we were already using postgres, that's what I focused on for my search (yeah, yeah - I could have also installed mysql, but why have two db backends when you've got a perfectly usable one already?).
As time went on, I ended up modifying it specific to our needs. It now no longer resembles techtables all that much, but has evolved into something that my dept can use quite easily.
So, at the risk of sounding preachy, find something that does 80-90 percent of what you want. Learn how it works and modify it to meet your needs. You'll end up learning a lot in the process.
By what I've seen, you are not removed. For those of us that have shell access to our mail files (/var/mail/whatever):
vi your mail file and take a look at some of the 'opt-out' links. Many, many times, they're dead, non-functioning links, that are a) not remotely related to any other link within the email or b) malformed so as to return an error. I look at my mail file this way every day and run into this pretty consistently.
Turning off your internet connection is not a technological solution. That would be a luddite solution. 'Bounce all emails to spammed addresses...' What do you mean by that? You mean I get spam at one email address and now I should bounce everything going to that address?
Yeah, you're right. You weren't even trying.
The only thing that really hasn't been mature on Linux until fairly recently is the desktop. All your compilation tools (and OS sandbox/emulator enviroments) have been quite solid and stable for some time now.
Did it take you 10 hours or less to figure out how to properly administer a W2K box? How about how to find the proper driver for that new SCSI card? When you were prompted to go to Windows' update page, did you know what you actually needed to download and install, or did you just blindly download everything (I won't even mention the total downlaod time neede for THAT)?
Proper W2K setup/administration is just as time consuming as Linux.
That's been my experience too. I have SBC for my DSL and the couple of times I've hade to call for sync problems, the phone support people were completely unresponsive. It really is like interrupting a telemarketer... they start the script from the top again:-)
The two times I really had problems, I went to dslreports.com and almost immediately got help there, from SBC's own techs, no less.
Slashdot Mirror
I really wish we could actually see who does the moderating, full name. I would think that would pressure whoever is moderating to put a bit more thought into what they were doing, since their name is attached for the world to see.
Yeah... definitely lost in the translation.
I know OS X is great. No question. You missed my point - it's not 1997, and Linux on the desktop, contrary to what your original post says, relects that. Just because it's not OS X doesn't mean that it's not continuing to improve.
OS X is indeed cool. But I have to say, I get kind of tired of the 1997 Linux desktop comments. Linux on the desktop has made huge improvements in the last year. It may not be as easy to set up 'out of the box', but once set up, it'srock solid.
The original was from a Director. Having known a few in my time, I can tell you that they don't know the gory details of the technology. They simply don't have enough time to dig into the technology. They know the high level specs, yes. The ins and outs, no. That's what they hire us for. And if they have any questions, I'm happy to answer. In any situation I can think of that I've been asked something, it's usually been for my opionion on a) the feasibility of something or b) if I don't think something's feasible, a suitable replacement.
without a kernel recompile, I might add.
This is the message I got when trying to demo the monitor using Mozilla 1.4/Linux:
s .html
We are unable to run this WebFace application. The Web Browser and/or Operating System that you are running does not support the latest Web Standards used by Vultus WebFace. Click here for a list of supported browsers.
The list of supported browsers, you ask?
http://www.vultus.com/products/supported_platform
I have to say, the RedHat version you have is really pretty old (think Win98 equivalent). You also don't mention what kind of hardware you're using.
True story: I recently purchased on of the new emachine wide-screen laptops (I love it, BTW). It came pre-installed with WinXP Home edition. After booting it up once in WinXP, I wiped the disk clean and installed RedHat 9 (not Pro - I downloaded the ISO images and burned to CD). RH9 did a pretty good job of detecting all the hardware, with the exception of the internal 802.11G Wifi. There's a scroll 'ribbon' that I was afraid wouldn't get recognized, but did. I had to fiddle with the XF86Config file to get the proper widesscreen resolution, but it initially worked fine with the default 800x600 resolution.
Once I finished the install, out of curiosity, I wiped the drive clean again and did a full WinXP (Pro) install - not from the OEM supplied disk, but from a full XP install disk. Let me tell you, the install barfed all over the place. I couldn't get the display beyond 640x480 256 colors, mouse was hosed, no networking - ethernet or otherwise.
At this point, I grabbed the OEM disk and installed from that. That disk had all the correct drivers.
The point, I guess is that a full install, whether WinXP or RedHat 9 takes some work. Unfortunately, Manufacturers don't ship OEM Linux disks (yet). I truly believe that they will at some point in the future though.
If you really are interested in trying out Linux (RedHat in particular), I would recommend RH9. You have a unified desktop that you would most likely adjust to quite easily, not to mention a much more recent kernel.
You say that gaming isn't important for your system. Why even set up a dual boot machine then (assuming you are only using this for home use and don't need to interact with Windows at the office)? Everything you are looking for is available freely (and in quantity - some less quality than others :-)) for Linux. Virus checking is not needed on Linux. For browsing you have mozilla, firebird, opera. Mail - thunderbird or mozilla. Multimedia - xmms and mplayer/gmplayer or xine. Recent Linux distros also have pretty much every type of loadable module you would need for anything connected via USB (cameras, scanners), as well as the associated apps to go with them, such as gimp.
Unless you have some specialty app that only runs under Windows, why bit just single boot to Linux? If it turns out you don't like it, you can always reload Windows.
BTW, if you do want to run some windows apps under linux I highly recommend CrossOver Office (not free, but inexpensive - under $60 USD). It flawlessly runs common win apps.
Maybe Sun is the wrong company to be pushing Linux on the desktop, but consider this:
How many of us really thought that Linux on the desktop would ever be as attractive as it is today (be honest - I know that there are those that will say 'I always knew Linux on the desktop would happen' - but deep down I'm willing to bet that's not what most of us thought). Redhat pushed the desktop further along with Bluecurve, whether you like it or not, as well as Mandrake.
If it's Sun that pushes Linux on the desktop further into business or another company doesn't really matter. The fact that it's happening is really what matters.
I've been to a few operas that actually project subtitles above the stage on a screen.
It's a good, valid question.
For that I have google, which will then happily keep track of everywhere I've visited.
A few months ago my boss wanted me to put up a web-based system just for the system administrators. After some searching I had found techtables. At the time, it was the only thing I could find that was postgresql friendly, and easy to set up. There are several out there that use mysql, but because we were already using postgres, that's what I focused on for my search (yeah, yeah - I could have also installed mysql, but why have two db backends when you've got a perfectly usable one already?). As time went on, I ended up modifying it specific to our needs. It now no longer resembles techtables all that much, but has evolved into something that my dept can use quite easily. So, at the risk of sounding preachy, find something that does 80-90 percent of what you want. Learn how it works and modify it to meet your needs. You'll end up learning a lot in the process.
By what I've seen, you are not removed. For those of us that have shell access to our mail files (/var/mail/whatever):
vi your mail file and take a look at some of the 'opt-out' links. Many, many times, they're dead, non-functioning links, that are a) not remotely related to any other link within the email or b) malformed so as to return an error. I look at my mail file this way every day and run into this pretty consistently.
spraypaint butterflies, hearts and peace signs all over downtown sidewalks. Seemed to work for IBM. Oh wait.
It is not a technological solution, as your original post suggested.
Again, not a technological solution.
Please point out where I ever said that. The only thing I pointed out was that your 'technological' solutions, were, in fact, not.
Turning off your internet connection is not a technological solution. That would be a luddite solution. 'Bounce all emails to spammed addresses...' What do you mean by that? You mean I get spam at one email address and now I should bounce everything going to that address?
Yeah, you're right. You weren't even trying.
The only thing that really hasn't been mature on Linux until fairly recently is the desktop. All your compilation tools (and OS sandbox/emulator enviroments) have been quite solid and stable for some time now.
Did it take you 10 hours or less to figure out how to properly administer a W2K box? How about how to find the proper driver for that new SCSI card? When you were prompted to go to Windows' update page, did you know what you actually needed to download and install, or did you just blindly download everything (I won't even mention the total downlaod time neede for THAT)?
Proper W2K setup/administration is just as time consuming as Linux.
That's been my experience too. I have SBC for my DSL and the couple of times I've hade to call for sync problems, the phone support people were completely unresponsive. It really is like interrupting a telemarketer... they start the script from the top again :-)
The two times I really had problems, I went to dslreports.com and almost immediately got help there, from SBC's own techs, no less.
Not only that, but the Zaurus does do some decent video with Tkcvideo, as long as you encode correctly.