Why not just download Staroffice? It converts perfectly as far as I can see and the download costs nothing. You just setup the MIME association and you're off. I- BTW paid for the CD to encourage them to keep developing it.
Plugins are PITA in my opinion. They encourage proprietary extensions and seldom take advantage of similar functionality already on the system. It's an abomination of the one tool, one job functionality. You'll end up having plugins all over the place which you need to keep up to date.
I've very glad to hear anyone who has slammed the bells for not providing adequate access to independent ISPs. I only wish there were further steps we as individuals could take to help the State take further action.
I have IDSL in my house and it's great- fantastic. When there are problems- you guessed it- Verizon is busy trying to cause problems and then blames everyone but themselves. Why they don't recognize the cable modem threat is beyond me.
In what way? Linux has a STANDARD API. Windows API changes on a regular basis. Linux has the best, most standards compliant compiler in the business (aka gcc). Linux has excellent debuggers (ddd, insight, codemedic). Linux is fully documented and provides a much larger list of available libraries. I believe Linux is the best and most affordable development platform available. Can you disagree? Please don't stoop to generalities- respond with evidence!
I teach computer science course and programming courses in particular (www.uml.edu). I DO encourage students to work together and to add to a project on sourceforge or freshmeat but find they are hesitant to do so because they are all so competitive. Even on the groups I force to exist, the students tend to work on their own and from scratch with little real cooperation like I've experienced in the workplace. I'd be interested in suggestions (which have worked) on how to get past this barrier and encourage them to form teams that work together.
I think you missed the point of my comment- I don't need Aqua. I don't even use an Acqua theme. Apple isn't such a large PC company- except in education, they are a (profitable) bit player. I wouldn't buy a Mac because I don't want to be locked in but read on...
I don't know anyone who bought a Macintosh because of the Aqua theme and I don't know what is it exactly that Apple has "the right to keep". Neither do you. There wasn't a trial here, just a large corporation bulling an individual. There's been no determination that Apple has a right to anything much less the specifics of what intellectual property Apple is protecting. My artistic talent has even less to do with the discussion.
I am merely observing that few Microsoft Windows users or computer salespeople will recommend anything other than Windows- I have never heard anyone other than a current Macintosh user or a Linux user recommend someone buy a Macintosh. I recommended my mom and my sister buy an ibook because they are trouble free not because of aqua. Granted there may be other people who buy for different reasons but...
My point is most people don't even know what Aqua looks like and if they don't see it in use- they never will. Having Linux users with the theme only increases the chance others will question Microsoft's "innovations". Only Linux users and Macintosh users are likely to recommend someone check it a Mac. I doubt there are many people trying to decide between a Macintosh and Linux. I've never even seen a Linux system running in a store. If Microsoft decided to do such a skin, sure go after them (but they wouldn't) meanwhile, relax. What have they got to lose if a first time computer buyer says "Hey I like that look" and the Linux Aqua theme users says, "Well I wouldn't recommend you use Linux just yet, but..." Apple aren't the RIAA- they can't stamp it out. Creating ill will among Linux users is not a good way to increase the number of Linux users sending people their way.
I guess Apple has not learned the lesson which resulted in their nearly single digit share of the computer market- namely that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
The more people who are familar with the Aqua theme the more people will admire it and the more people who will purchase OSX or an Apple product to run it on. The more people who see Aqua, the more people will realize how truly lame Microsoft Windows has become.
We users of Linux are not the enemy. It's our nature as evolutionists to adapt what is superior and advantageous and disgard what is not. We spread the word, we improve the breed. We also turn vicously and persistently against those who oppose this natural way. Their legal actions can't change nature, they can only create ill will.
I hope someone outside the US will take up the Aqua bandwagon and propagate the theme. It's beautiful.
If you feel the FSF, GNU or open source users are being paranoid, I urge you to check out the opposition. Such studges as MS-NBC being openly biased are "spreading the word" throughout the popular press. What do you think of Windows XP? Shouldn't the fundamental discussion be about privacy and your trust of this new operating system? It is no wonder that many people in the US are being misled and Microsoft is able to divert the Government from their mission of looking after consumer's interests. Microsoft will stop at nothing.
I don't understand why people write code that's NOT open source. Open source doesn't mean you can't make money on your work- nor does the GPL. Most proprietary software doesn't make money anyway- the business goes bust, the developers don't get paid, all the money gets consumed in advertising etc. The only difference is writers of proprietary software often have to work on stuff they don't want to do and can't tell anyone about it even it's their best work ever.
Justin
Re:Has the speed been fixed? (NO!)
on
KDE 2.2 Released
·
· Score: 1
I have to say that on my system (Athlon 600 w/256MB w/RH7.1) that 2.2 is WAY slower than the already slow 2.1. Initial startup time for the system is quicker than 2.1 but opening any application including non-KDE one's is terminally slow. Moving things on the screen results in a 2-4 sec delay before the repositioned window appears. It makes my machine feel like a 486 or maybe even a 386. Rather than reinstall 2.1, I've gone back to Windowmaker.
Next time you are in a book or magazine store, check out the latest issue of The Linux Journal. It has a very extensive discussion on the programs and practices of video and multimedia edition on Linux. You'll be suprised- Shrek, Titanic, et al owe major debts to our open source friend.
If you can't code- complain. I don't mean to mozilla.org they are working their butts off. I mean, complain to companies who's products exclude mozilla from operating on their web sites.
I could reel them off- they don't recognize mozilla and/or use javascript to restrict using it with their products. Products like livelink.
To preserve the web we MUST complain and force those companies we can to SUPPORT THE STANDARDS. If they support mozilla their code should work with IE. There's little reason anymore for products to not support mozilla, konqueror and IE. It's not tough and we deserve it.
As I have pointed out in a paper I wrote a few years ago (www.seiferth-ryan.com) the Government doesn't directly distribute ANY GPL. It must be released by a third party usually an individual since few organizations until the last few years released anything GPL'd. Federally funded software is most generally distributed without a copyright of any kind (Title 17, Section 105).
I did this with Linux 1.X- hooked a bunch of PCs up to be X terminals for our SGI. Worked swimmingly and really cut down my workload. Everything was great until some dork in Network operations found out we were using X11 across the "enterprise network". I learned something very important during the week following this revelation- X terminals are like Unix- they suffer from a bad name.
Cook up something like the SunRay- give it a funky LCD display (not included) and tie it to some proprietary server software and everyone thinks it's great. Do the same thing with X and "it's a bandwidth hog", "user's will never be able to figure it out" and on and on.
Non- Unix users don't give a damn about the power of X. They don't get why it's useful or appreciate the advantages. They like things they have to pay extra for or tie them down to a specific architecture- we in turn don't understand them or this attitude.
So, I did this in my house. My Cyrix 200MHZ became an X terminal for my kids to play tuxracer and cruise the net. Just don't tell them what's going on. Sell it at work the same way- don't say squat- just do it and spend the extra money on cool toys.
"I don't mind competition- I just don't want anyone else stealing my customers."
-- marketeer explaining to me why we should sole source to them (above market prices) for a product which they originated but others had copied.
Corporate operatives don't give s**t about you, me or anyone else except the Board of Directors and their immediate hierarchy. Remember that and try to survive. If you find yourself becoming a corporate operative you have not survived- you have succumbed.
Ah contraire mon ami. Speaking as one in the military, the military has very little to do with anything top secret. That is mainly the perogative of the Intelligence Agencies. While those of you outside the DoD bureaucracy may not be aware of these divisions, they are deep and long lived.
The military in my experience is far more concerned with operational security- meaning "I don't want to get shot today" and in that vein prefers simple, effective machinery and computer systems that operate easily now. The Intelligence Agencies on the other hand are far more concerned than the average military member with 3 sigma security concerns.
I'd suggest all of you who teach at any level to encourage your students to contribute to an on-going open source application as their class project. I do this for my web enabled database development class for UMASS and I think if nothing else it's exposed a lot students to a cooperative method of developing software.
If you take this route you'll be rewarded and they will also as their project will live on instead of being part of the academic waste heap.
I also had my eyes opened- most of my students work in the "industry" but maybe 10% of them are aware of open source or what Linux, BSD et al are all about. If nothing else, you can use your classroom to spread the good word.
I have to suffer using outlook each and every day in my USAF job. Outlook is a true and total piece of shit- from the setup to the look and feel to the architecture there is NOTHING about that makes it EVEN REMOTELY more than a piece of shit If you want to know the basis behind these opinions- please ask and I'll be glad to detail my objects but I won't subject everyone to it.
That being said, a client which allowed bits of half way decent mailers, directories and calendars to integrate would be awesome- I could pick and choose imagine that! Sharing a common LDAP directory would be a start then maybe working with the KDE and GNOME applications to implement a common IPC scheme or common set of objects for their ORBs to reference. That would be a highly worthy goal.
Please though- don't even consider another outlook.
Having just recently broken my leg I have a newly found respect for the need to maintain accessibility to public places and information. I say- do what it takes to provide access they are only asking for you to conform to simple guidelines which are good policy at any rate. Do what it takes.
For "clueless newbies" and even fairly sophisticated web authors I'd recommend StarOffice. Since it's free and runs on most platforms except for the Mac it makes a fairly acceptable choice and it's easy to learn. It doesn't handle Javascript or CSS2 very well but in many respects this is a good thing.
I use Staroffice HTML at work for EVERYTHING and suggest it to all the students in my University classes. There have been some complaints but most people find it easy to install and use- which I've found in 9/10s of the battle to keep people from using things like Frontpage.
For good, browser neutral, easily produced HTML I've found it's just the thing. As an aside it's also very good at translating MS formatted documents into HTML.
I write "distance learning" courses for a number of Massachusetts State Campuses and each and every one of them to some degree relies on MS specific tags and tools. That is not to say that any of these "enhancements" improve the educational experience or do something that couldn't be done in a platform neutral manner. It's just that the people running the educational show are familiar only with MS and don't bother to force the developers of the educational systems to accomodate other platforms or browsers.
These problems are everything from little things like javascript based upload checks that look for MSDOS file conventions to MS only ACTIVEX components and MS only file formats.
I've taken on the task of engaging in a polite manner, the system developers but constantly get the "we're a MS shop and your College is using us so p*ss off" response. They are far more subtle in delivering the message but it's loud and clear.
So, if you're a student using Distance Learning for your education PLEASE take the time to write the University and the system developers to voice your desire for cross platform capability. Say you use Linux, say you use Konqueror or whatever your desired combo is and insist that they support you!
If we don't all voice our concern each and every time we encounter limitations caused by a Microsoft focused site then those people will roll right over us and not even look in the rear view mirror to see if we're all right.
Agreed 100% on the AM radio and CB comments. These frequencies should be taken away from their current "owners" and rededicated to wireless devices. Imagine if they were made digital and the entire band dedicated to inexpensive, beyond line of sight networking. That would be far more useful than the current trucker chatter and conservative talk shows currently wasting these frequencies.
Have you ever seen yourself give a speech or even perform in everyday life? Have someone film you often enough so you forget about the camera and then review the tapes- it's very instructive.
The point being that we often have little idea about our motivations or actions until we view them with both knowledge of our own beliefs and motivations and the ability to view our implementation of those forces from the viewpoint of a 3rd party.
So, the effect of the "digital revolution" will be unapparent except in retorspect or thorough analysis. See the 1900 House- I don't think the participants had any real appreciation for the effect modern life had upon their expectations and behaviour- neither do we.
Give the "revolution" time- it will take at least a generation before we are affected and it's been less than 25 years (really). Actually, I could get along without central heating or a car easier than I could get along without my internet connection and computer. I call that an impact- even if I don't know it.
Absolutely- teach them PHP or even TCL/TK. Interpreted languages esp ones that let them put something on the Web (teach them HTML?) allow them to show off to their friends and what better motivation to continue programming can there be? My kids (5 & 8) love it.
Slashdot Mirror
We already have a global ID card. Ever check out the screens behind those booths at the INS checkin points when you present your passport?
We already have a global ID card only it's not mandatory if you never leave the CONUS- it's called your passport.
Why not just download Staroffice? It converts perfectly as far as I can see and the download costs nothing. You just setup the MIME association and you're off. I- BTW paid for the CD to encourage them to keep developing it.
Plugins are PITA in my opinion. They encourage proprietary extensions and seldom take advantage of similar functionality already on the system. It's an abomination of the one tool, one job functionality. You'll end up having plugins all over the place which you need to keep up to date.
Justin
I've very glad to hear anyone who has slammed the bells for not providing adequate access to independent ISPs. I only wish there were further steps we as individuals could take to help the State take further action.
I have IDSL in my house and it's great- fantastic. When there are problems- you guessed it- Verizon is busy trying to cause problems and then blames everyone but themselves. Why they don't recognize the cable modem threat is beyond me.
Justin
In what way? Linux has a STANDARD API. Windows API changes on a regular basis. Linux has the best, most standards compliant compiler in the business (aka gcc). Linux has excellent debuggers (ddd, insight, codemedic). Linux is fully documented and provides a much larger list of available libraries. I believe Linux is the best and most affordable development platform available. Can you disagree? Please don't stoop to generalities- respond with evidence!
I teach computer science course and programming courses in particular (www.uml.edu). I DO encourage students to work together and to add to a project on sourceforge or freshmeat but find they are hesitant to do so because they are all so competitive. Even on the groups I force to exist, the students tend to work on their own and from scratch with little real cooperation like I've experienced in the workplace. I'd be interested in suggestions (which have worked) on how to get past this barrier and encourage them to form teams that work together.
I think you missed the point of my comment- I don't need Aqua. I don't even use an Acqua theme. Apple isn't such a large PC company- except in education, they are a (profitable) bit player. I wouldn't buy a Mac because I don't want to be locked in but read on...
I don't know anyone who bought a Macintosh because of the Aqua theme and I don't know what is it exactly that Apple has "the right to keep". Neither do you. There wasn't a trial here, just a large corporation bulling an individual. There's been no determination that Apple has a right to anything much less the specifics of what intellectual property Apple is protecting. My artistic talent has even less to do with the discussion.
I am merely observing that few Microsoft Windows users or computer salespeople will recommend anything other than Windows- I have never heard anyone other than a current Macintosh user or a Linux user recommend someone buy a Macintosh. I recommended my mom and my sister buy an ibook because they are trouble free not because of aqua. Granted there may be other people who buy for different reasons but...
My point is most people don't even know what Aqua looks like and if they don't see it in use- they never will. Having Linux users with the theme only increases the chance others will question Microsoft's "innovations". Only Linux users and Macintosh users are likely to recommend someone check it a Mac. I doubt there are many people trying to decide between a Macintosh and Linux. I've never even seen a Linux system running in a store. If Microsoft decided to do such a skin, sure go after them (but they wouldn't) meanwhile, relax. What have they got to lose if a first time computer buyer says "Hey I like that look" and the Linux Aqua theme users says, "Well I wouldn't recommend you use Linux just yet, but..." Apple aren't the RIAA- they can't stamp it out. Creating ill will among Linux users is not a good way to increase the number of Linux users sending people their way.
I guess Apple has not learned the lesson which resulted in their nearly single digit share of the computer market- namely that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
The more people who are familar with the Aqua theme the more people will admire it and the more people who will purchase OSX or an Apple product to run it on. The more people who see Aqua, the more people will realize how truly lame Microsoft Windows has become.
We users of Linux are not the enemy. It's our nature as evolutionists to adapt what is superior and advantageous and disgard what is not. We spread the word, we improve the breed. We also turn vicously and persistently against those who oppose this natural way. Their legal actions can't change nature, they can only create ill will.
I hope someone outside the US will take up the Aqua bandwagon and propagate the theme. It's beautiful.
If you feel the FSF, GNU or open source users are being paranoid, I urge you to check out the opposition. Such studges as MS-NBC being openly biased are "spreading the word" throughout the popular press. What do you think of Windows XP? Shouldn't the fundamental discussion be about privacy and your trust of this new operating system? It is no wonder that many people in the US are being misled and Microsoft is able to divert the Government from their mission of looking after consumer's interests. Microsoft will stop at nothing.
I don't understand why people write code that's NOT open source. Open source doesn't mean you can't make money on your work- nor does the GPL. Most proprietary software doesn't make money anyway- the business goes bust, the developers don't get paid, all the money gets consumed in advertising etc. The only difference is writers of proprietary software often have to work on stuff they don't want to do and can't tell anyone about it even it's their best work ever.
Justin
I have to say that on my system (Athlon 600 w/256MB w/RH7.1) that 2.2 is WAY slower than the already slow 2.1. Initial startup time for the system is quicker than 2.1 but opening any application including non-KDE one's is terminally slow. Moving things on the screen results in a 2-4 sec delay before the repositioned window appears. It makes my machine feel like a 486 or maybe even a 386. Rather than reinstall 2.1, I've gone back to Windowmaker.
Justin
Next time you are in a book or magazine store, check out the latest issue of The Linux Journal. It has a very extensive discussion on the programs and practices of video and multimedia edition on Linux. You'll be suprised- Shrek, Titanic, et al owe major debts to our open source friend.
If you can't code- complain. I don't mean to mozilla.org they are working their butts off. I mean, complain to companies who's products exclude mozilla from operating on their web sites.
I could reel them off- they don't recognize mozilla and/or use javascript to restrict using it with their products. Products like livelink.
To preserve the web we MUST complain and force those companies we can to SUPPORT THE STANDARDS. If they support mozilla their code should work with IE. There's little reason anymore for products to not support mozilla, konqueror and IE. It's not tough and we deserve it.
As I have pointed out in a paper I wrote a few years ago (www.seiferth-ryan.com) the Government doesn't directly distribute ANY GPL. It must be released by a third party usually an individual since few organizations until the last few years released anything GPL'd. Federally funded software is most generally distributed without a copyright of any kind (Title 17, Section 105).
I did this with Linux 1.X- hooked a bunch of PCs up to be X terminals for our SGI. Worked swimmingly and really cut down my workload. Everything was great until some dork in Network operations found out we were using X11 across the "enterprise network". I learned something very important during the week following this revelation- X terminals are like Unix- they suffer from a bad name.
Cook up something like the SunRay- give it a funky LCD display (not included) and tie it to some proprietary server software and everyone thinks it's great. Do the same thing with X and "it's a bandwidth hog", "user's will never be able to figure it out" and on and on.
Non- Unix users don't give a damn about the power of X. They don't get why it's useful or appreciate the advantages. They like things they have to pay extra for or tie them down to a specific architecture- we in turn don't understand them or this attitude.
So, I did this in my house. My Cyrix 200MHZ became an X terminal for my kids to play tuxracer and cruise the net. Just don't tell them what's going on. Sell it at work the same way- don't say squat- just do it and spend the extra money on cool toys.
"I don't mind competition- I just don't want anyone else stealing my customers."
-- marketeer explaining to me why we should sole source to them (above market prices) for a product which they originated but others had copied.
Corporate operatives don't give s**t about you, me or anyone else except the Board of Directors and their immediate hierarchy. Remember that and try to survive. If you find yourself becoming a corporate operative you have not survived- you have succumbed.
Ah contraire mon ami. Speaking as one in the military, the military has very little to do with anything top secret. That is mainly the perogative of the Intelligence Agencies. While those of you outside the DoD bureaucracy may not be aware of these divisions, they are deep and long lived.
The military in my experience is far more concerned with operational security- meaning "I don't want to get shot today" and in that vein prefers simple, effective machinery and computer systems that operate easily now. The Intelligence Agencies on the other hand are far more concerned than the average military member with 3 sigma security concerns.
Justin
Check it out- the Budeswehr is running their offical site on Linux and Apache. Practicing what they preach- imagine that! Justin
I'd suggest all of you who teach at any level to encourage your students to contribute to an on-going open source application as their class project. I do this for my web enabled database development class for UMASS and I think if nothing else it's exposed a lot students to a cooperative method of developing software.
If you take this route you'll be rewarded and they will also as their project will live on instead of being part of the academic waste heap.
I also had my eyes opened- most of my students work in the "industry" but maybe 10% of them are aware of open source or what Linux, BSD et al are all about. If nothing else, you can use your classroom to spread the good word.
Justin
I have to suffer using outlook each and every day in my USAF job. Outlook is a true and total piece of shit- from the setup to the look and feel to the architecture there is NOTHING about that makes it EVEN REMOTELY more than a piece of shit If you want to know the basis behind these opinions- please ask and I'll be glad to detail my objects but I won't subject everyone to it.
That being said, a client which allowed bits of half way decent mailers, directories and calendars to integrate would be awesome- I could pick and choose imagine that! Sharing a common LDAP directory would be a start then maybe working with the KDE and GNOME applications to implement a common IPC scheme or common set of objects for their ORBs to reference. That would be a highly worthy goal.
Please though- don't even consider another outlook.
Having just recently broken my leg I have a newly found respect for the need to maintain accessibility to public places and information. I say- do what it takes to provide access they are only asking for you to conform to simple guidelines which are good policy at any rate. Do what it takes.
For "clueless newbies" and even fairly sophisticated web authors I'd recommend StarOffice. Since it's free and runs on most platforms except for the Mac it makes a fairly acceptable choice and it's easy to learn. It doesn't handle Javascript or CSS2 very well but in many respects this is a good thing.
I use Staroffice HTML at work for EVERYTHING and suggest it to all the students in my University classes. There have been some complaints but most people find it easy to install and use- which I've found in 9/10s of the battle to keep people from using things like Frontpage.
For good, browser neutral, easily produced HTML I've found it's just the thing. As an aside it's also very good at translating MS formatted documents into HTML.
Justin
I write "distance learning" courses for a number of Massachusetts State Campuses and each and every one of them to some degree relies on MS specific tags and tools. That is not to say that any of these "enhancements" improve the educational experience or do something that couldn't be done in a platform neutral manner. It's just that the people running the educational show are familiar only with MS and don't bother to force the developers of the educational systems to accomodate other platforms or browsers.
These problems are everything from little things like javascript based upload checks that look for MSDOS file conventions to MS only ACTIVEX components and MS only file formats.
I've taken on the task of engaging in a polite manner, the system developers but constantly get the "we're a MS shop and your College is using us so p*ss off" response. They are far more subtle in delivering the message but it's loud and clear.
So, if you're a student using Distance Learning for your education PLEASE take the time to write the University and the system developers to voice your desire for cross platform capability. Say you use Linux, say you use Konqueror or whatever your desired combo is and insist that they support you!
If we don't all voice our concern each and every time we encounter limitations caused by a Microsoft focused site then those people will roll right over us and not even look in the rear view mirror to see if we're all right.
Justin
Agreed 100% on the AM radio and CB comments. These frequencies should be taken away from their current "owners" and rededicated to wireless devices. Imagine if they were made digital and the entire band dedicated to inexpensive, beyond line of sight networking. That would be far more useful than the current trucker chatter and conservative talk shows currently wasting these frequencies.
Have you ever seen yourself give a speech or even perform in everyday life? Have someone film you often enough so you forget about the camera and then review the tapes- it's very instructive.
The point being that we often have little idea about our motivations or actions until we view them with both knowledge of our own beliefs and motivations and the ability to view our implementation of those forces from the viewpoint of a 3rd party.
So, the effect of the "digital revolution" will be unapparent except in retorspect or thorough analysis. See the 1900 House- I don't think the participants had any real appreciation for the effect modern life had upon their expectations and behaviour- neither do we.
Give the "revolution" time- it will take at least a generation before we are affected and it's been less than 25 years (really). Actually, I could get along without central heating or a car easier than I could get along without my internet connection and computer. I call that an impact- even if I don't know it.
Absolutely- teach them PHP or even TCL/TK. Interpreted languages esp ones that let them put something on the Web (teach them HTML?) allow them to show off to their friends and what better motivation to continue programming can there be? My kids (5 & 8) love it.