It's true that the OSS community needs to beef up many area of the developpement process.
Software isn't just about the code the same way that a car isn't just about the engine.
For people to want to use it in the first place, to enjoy it once they've started using it and to stay with it, a "product" needs many qualities.
This (often) explains why an inferior design can becomes the norm.
So lets get cracking with artists, GUI/interface designers and and documentation writers!
I will anticipate the "Well, why don't you do something! Where's the patch?" posts and answer:
I'm doing what I can with the talents that I have (often amounts to writing suggestions to developpers, bug-reports, spreading the word on new stuff and donations).
My opinion on the matter has always been that for distributing stuff over the internet, the most ubiquitous format is automatically the best, so ZIP is better than RAR irrespective of technical issues, due to compatility concerns.
You do have a point, but on the other hand, everything has to start somewhere. Things have to evolve, we must move on to better things sometimes.
Just the fact that.rar is extremely popular in some circles is proof that it can work.
Otherwise we'll be using the.zip format in 2050.
br.
Personally, I'm all for having compression softwares that can handle different formats (like 7-zip which handles a bunch, or most linux distros that at least come with 3-4 (never really counted the others, I always used gzip and bzip2).
I'm sure the screenshots at Newsforge would be more impressive if the guy didn't have the ugliest desktop I've ever seen. I mean, a green background?
It should be noted that when you are trying to convince people that something is good, it helps when it also looks good.
Now, sure you can abstract the green theme (is that guy colorblind? maybe he likes red?) and see the improvements in the GIMP, but still. It just doesn't look very professional.
I think we must assume that western governments have that capability already. How do you think they would have accomplished it? At the hardware level? How do any of us really know what's inside those chips?
Your crazy theories are interesting.
It indeed would be quite an elegant way to do it - at the hardware level - but I'm not sure how it could be done so that it is exploitable. I mean, they don't know what software will run on the chip, so what kind of hardware "backdoor" would they need...? Predictable random-number generator for weaker encryption? But wouldn't that be detectable. So would something that modofies the files written on your hard-drive.
They also seem to have a knack for lowering the importance of weblogs, which seems to be a big issue with some people nowadays.
Here's a simple way to get most blogs out of your results in google or any other search engine (personally I use Gigablast as my primary):
Type search query plus "-blog"
Et voila!
Of course it can't help it if some pages are ranked high because they are linked from blogs, but I don't think that anything from the user-side can change that.
I don't think that production people use the early stable kernels anyway (especially since most distros aren't even using it yet).
That leaves people like me who use it on the desktop (and I haven't had a single problem from 2.6.0 onward) and geeks who test it on non-vital server boxen.
I didn't know about Groklaw before the whole SCO story, so I can't tell if they've been popular around other circles before, but it seems to me that the SCO case was to Groklaw what the first gulf war was to CNN.
Well, I can make an observation, can I? Don't mod me down!
Amazing thing about Gigablast is that it's a one man effort.
Yes, you can read Matt Wells' technical blog in the "about" section on the main Gigablast page.
It's also pretty impressive that he could make the project on very limited hardware (I think he has 6 Linux boxes, although he's planning on buying more hardware (if it's not already done)).
well, maybe you should read the installation instructions, before you misguide people.
As I've said in one of my previous posts, if you do the installation with the packages pre-compiled, what's the point of using a source-based distro? Why not use Slackware or Debian?
The whole (debatable) advantage of Gentoo is that you compile and optimize everything for your system. Portage is also nice, but not pretty much all distros have an equivalent (even Slackware, which I use, has a bunch of those (swaret, slapt-get, etc)).
It's still smaller than most other search engines, but it's quite fast, has good relevance and it indexes stuff in real time.
Besides, if you don't find what you are looking, you can do the same search with 5 other search engines just by clicking on links at the bottom of the results page.
But what I like with Gigablast is that it's always getting better and I feel like part of something that has potential.
Why would gentoo not be usable on that piece of old but fine hardware?
Not sure how familiar you are with Gentoo (if you are not, I recommend you head over to Gentoo.org and read a bit on it.
In short: it's a source-based distro. Meaning, you compile pretty much all the software you use from the source code.
Compiling a monolithic solid block of code such as KDE's or Open Office's can take many days on a "slow" computer.
You "fine" computer won't have trouble running the apps, it's just that all the time you'll spend compiling them (and re-compiling them when you upgrade to new versions) will make the machine less available for productive work (yes, I know, you can compile and work at the same time, but it's not always possible, especially if you want to work on the software you are compiling).
Ive been most impressed by the 'other' WMs though, the little guys. Some of the Fluxbox or icewm 'minimalist' desktops are cool.
My favourite, the one that I use at home, is XFce.
It's about as fast and small as fluxbox, but looks better and has a few features that I can't live without anymore (ie. switching between virtual desktops with the mouse wheel, from anywhere in the background.)
I really should check our Gentoo, it might just work on my crappy 5 year old Wintel machine...
I wouldn't recommend it unless you don't want to actually work on that box.
I mean, sure you could save on the compile times (good luck compiling KDE/gnome, Mozilla and Open Office on a "crappy 5 year old Wintel machine") by getting binaries, but then, why not just use Slackware or Debian...
Now it's definitely a worthy adversary of Mozilla and IE.
Maybe I'm just not aware of it and it already exists, but a windows version of Konqueror would be nice for those who want a consistent feel across their multiple OSes (like with Mozilla, Open Office, etc).
Slashdot Mirror
It's true that the OSS community needs to beef up many area of the developpement process.
Software isn't just about the code the same way that a car isn't just about the engine.
For people to want to use it in the first place, to enjoy it once they've started using it and to stay with it, a "product" needs many qualities.
This (often) explains why an inferior design can becomes the norm.
So lets get cracking with artists, GUI/interface designers and and documentation writers!
I will anticipate the "Well, why don't you do something! Where's the patch?" posts and answer:
I'm doing what I can with the talents that I have (often amounts to writing suggestions to developpers, bug-reports, spreading the word on new stuff and donations).
Human beings fall into four basic categories: the helpless, the intelligent, the bandit and the stupid
A search lead me to this page, The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity.
It's quite funny and interesting, although I'm not through reading it (it's 4 in the morning and I'm having a bit of trouble focusing on anything)...
But from what I've read, I'd be tempted to mod your sig as "insightful".
My opinion on the matter has always been that for distributing stuff over the internet, the most ubiquitous format is automatically the best, so ZIP is better than RAR irrespective of technical issues, due to compatility concerns.
.rar is extremely popular in some circles is proof that it can work.
.zip format in 2050.
You do have a point, but on the other hand, everything has to start somewhere. Things have to evolve, we must move on to better things sometimes.
Just the fact that
Otherwise we'll be using the
br. Personally, I'm all for having compression softwares that can handle different formats (like 7-zip which handles a bunch, or most linux distros that at least come with 3-4 (never really counted the others, I always used gzip and bzip2).
I'm sure the screenshots at Newsforge would be more impressive if the guy didn't have the ugliest desktop I've ever seen. I mean, a green background?
It should be noted that when you are trying to convince people that something is good, it helps when it also looks good.
Now, sure you can abstract the green theme (is that guy colorblind? maybe he likes red?) and see the improvements in the GIMP, but still. It just doesn't look very professional.
I think we must assume that western governments have that capability already. How do you think they would have accomplished it? At the hardware level? How do any of us really know what's inside those chips?
Your crazy theories are interesting.
It indeed would be quite an elegant way to do it - at the hardware level - but I'm not sure how it could be done so that it is exploitable. I mean, they don't know what software will run on the chip, so what kind of hardware "backdoor" would they need...? Predictable random-number generator for weaker encryption? But wouldn't that be detectable. So would something that modofies the files written on your hard-drive.
Care to elaborate on your theory?
http://www.nsa.gov/selinux/
...backdoors!
What are you still running on? A 486?
I will *not* answer that question!
*door slams*
This sure wouldn't fit anywhere in my house.
No that I'm big on interior decoration, but still. Ew.
It's easy to stop crime when you have an Oracle. Everybody knows that.
Wasn't that the premise of Minority Report?
I don't think it turned out too well in the end...
They also seem to have a knack for lowering the importance of weblogs, which seems to be a big issue with some people nowadays.
Here's a simple way to get most blogs out of your results in google or any other search engine (personally I use Gigablast as my primary):
Type search query plus "-blog"
Et voila!
Of course it can't help it if some pages are ranked high because they are linked from blogs, but I don't think that anything from the user-side can change that.
I don't think that production people use the early stable kernels anyway (especially since most distros aren't even using it yet).
That leaves people like me who use it on the desktop (and I haven't had a single problem from 2.6.0 onward) and geeks who test it on non-vital server boxen.
I don't think it's much of a problem, frankly.
I didn't know about Groklaw before the whole SCO story, so I can't tell if they've been popular around other circles before, but it seems to me that the SCO case was to Groklaw what the first gulf war was to CNN.
Well, I can make an observation, can I? Don't mod me down!
Amazing thing about Gigablast is that it's a one man effort.
Yes, you can read Matt Wells' technical blog in the "about" section on the main Gigablast page.
It's also pretty impressive that he could make the project on very limited hardware (I think he has 6 Linux boxes, although he's planning on buying more hardware (if it's not already done)).
well, maybe you should read the installation instructions, before you misguide people.
As I've said in one of my previous posts, if you do the installation with the packages pre-compiled, what's the point of using a source-based distro? Why not use Slackware or Debian?
The whole (debatable) advantage of Gentoo is that you compile and optimize everything for your system. Portage is also nice, but not pretty much all distros have an equivalent (even Slackware, which I use, has a bunch of those (swaret, slapt-get, etc)).
KDE does this as well. As of 3.2, anyway. I have no idea if it did before.
It didn't on the versions I tried (pre-3.2).
You could switch virtual desktop with the mouse wheel, but only if the mouse pointer was over the virtual desktops in the toolbar.
My favourite right now is GigaBlast.
It's still smaller than most other search engines, but it's quite fast, has good relevance and it indexes stuff in real time.
Besides, if you don't find what you are looking, you can do the same search with 5 other search engines just by clicking on links at the bottom of the results page.
But what I like with Gigablast is that it's always getting better and I feel like part of something that has potential.
fluxbox does this too, actually.
I just wish the big guys (KDE, gnome) would get the hint...
Why would gentoo not be usable on that piece of old but fine hardware?
Not sure how familiar you are with Gentoo (if you are not, I recommend you head over to Gentoo.org and read a bit on it.
In short: it's a source-based distro. Meaning, you compile pretty much all the software you use from the source code.
Compiling a monolithic solid block of code such as KDE's or Open Office's can take many days on a "slow" computer.
You "fine" computer won't have trouble running the apps, it's just that all the time you'll spend compiling them (and re-compiling them when you upgrade to new versions) will make the machine less available for productive work (yes, I know, you can compile and work at the same time, but it's not always possible, especially if you want to work on the software you are compiling).
Ive been most impressed by the 'other' WMs though, the little guys. Some of the Fluxbox or icewm 'minimalist' desktops are cool.
My favourite, the one that I use at home, is XFce.
It's about as fast and small as fluxbox, but looks better and has a few features that I can't live without anymore (ie. switching between virtual desktops with the mouse wheel, from anywhere in the background.)
I really should check our Gentoo, it might just work on my crappy 5 year old Wintel machine...
I wouldn't recommend it unless you don't want to actually work on that box.
I mean, sure you could save on the compile times (good luck compiling KDE/gnome, Mozilla and Open Office on a "crappy 5 year old Wintel machine") by getting binaries, but then, why not just use Slackware or Debian...
Might not be the best for most newbies - although it was my first distro - but I hope it stays strong and that Patrick will keep up the good work.
Now it's definitely a worthy adversary of Mozilla and IE.
Maybe I'm just not aware of it and it already exists, but a windows version of Konqueror would be nice for those who want a consistent feel across their multiple OSes (like with Mozilla, Open Office, etc).
If it still takes some 15 secs to startup even on high-end machines, it'll not be faster enough for me.
I prefer XFce too, but for other reasons; startup time isn't a big deal since I usually start X once every few weeks.
That is sarcasm, it really bugs me that /.ers can't tell the difference between irony and sarcasm, it's not rocket science.
irony ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-n, r-) n. pl. ironies
1. 1. The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.
2. An expression or utterance marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning.
3. A literary style employing such contrasts for humorous or rhetorical effect. See Synonyms at wit1.
Or were you just being sarcastic?