You haven't tried installing linux recently have you? As another poster pointed out, the CD the story submitter is talking about is one that you just pop in the drive, turn your computer on, and in a minute or two you get a full GUI environment with internet access, some games, and a full office suite - all running on the CD with no user intervention to "install" it. Of course, if you actually did want to install a distro on the hard drive, there are plenty of modern distros (Mandrake for example) that have a graphical installation to get you into your graphical environment. Sure, you may have to make a choice or two during installation, but even Windows makes you do that... but at least with linux you don't have to reboot a few times to complete an installation like you do with Windows.
I just tried increasing the font size on firefox on the main page (slashdot.org) and I didn't see any problems. I went just about as big as I could get the fonts. I didn't notice any links overlapping standard text, or text hanging over other sections no matter what size I went to.
compiling the latest kernel release (I use Gentoo).
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to post a Gentoo-related comment to this story. I don't know about anyone else, but I think it's getting a little old. You can compile the latest kernel release on any distro, not just Gentoo, and it would probably take just as long if not longer. What does a kernel compilation have to do with Gentoo? You don't even have to compile everything on Gentoo. Besides, this has nothing to do with this story about Firefox anyway.
If you want to be able to use Firefox wherever you go, without having to install it on every machine, check out Portable Firefox here (linked from mozdev.org. It is a version of Firefox 1.0 that you install on a USB key drive (or flash card, CD, ZIP disk, etc) to take with you. You could probably also set up Windows' autorun feature so when you plug the drive in, Firefox starts automatically.
I see there are already 5 replies agreeing with your post about firefox having problems rendering in firefox. I just have to say, I have never had a rendering problem with slashdot in firefox 0.9.x or 1.0. Is this just a problem if you have a specific resolution or something? I have installed three different versions of firefox, and the only extensions I've installed are All-In-One Gestures and Adblock. I really haven't noticed any rendering differences on slashdot between Firefox and IE.
The only (small) difficulty I have with slashdot is the posting formats. Seems I either have to post in HTML format (to get working hyperlinks) or post in plain text (to get paragraph formatting without typing code.) There doesn't seem to be an in between.
Again, they could care less about the browser wars.
Sorry, a bit off-topic, but I had to respond. Why does it seem everyone says that people "could care less"? If they could care less, then that implies they care. Shouldn't it be "couldn't care less"?
I think I'll hammer a nail through two boards and patent it. Then if anyone tries to build a house or other building using my invention, they will have to pay me royalties. You say there's prior art? People have been nailing boards together for years? Well, as the parent said, python uses the concept of "isnot" but puts a space between the s and the n.
Yeah, I don't understand how an end user could be sued for using a patent infringing product, especially if said user cannot examine the contents of the product. If I were to buy a can of PepSco soda, which unknown to me uses key elements of Pepsi's secret formulas in its product, should I be sued if I drink it? No, the creators of it could be sued.
Exactly. I'm not a hunter myself, but I used to be. I just hope this guy doesn't also let people hunt live on his land, or go out there himself. Even if he doesn't, there could be problems if someone trespasses on his land during a hunt. Since the user is operating a live firearm through a network connection, I can see problems happening if there is any lag in the connection. How can you be sure that the video you are watching is really real-time?
I guess I should have used the preview button. Is there a post format so you can use the "Allowed HTML" and still insert line breaks into a post by just hitting 'enter'?
The same could be done with any distrobution (although as far as i know only gentoo and debian derivatives have emerge/apt-get type capabilities)
From my experience, mandrake's urpmi is a pretty good package management system. 'urpmi.update -a -c;urpmi --update --auto-select' is similar to 'emerge sync;emerge -u world' Both systems do dependency checking and urpmi can be set to pull from multiple mirrors. Never tried multiple mirrors with emerge though, but I'm sure it would work.
I was thinking the same thing with Mandrake. I log onto my mandrake server at least a few times a week and update the entire system through urpmi. Urpmi returns a list of packages it wants to update and I can say yes or no. I always just blindly say yes and I have never had a problem. Well I can't say "never". I recently pointed my urpmi database (mdk 9.2 server) to a 10.0 official mirror and ran the update. Urpmi updated everything fine, but then upon reboot, I had no X server. I had to do some configuring and reinstall video drivers, etc. I think that's to be expected though for updating to a new major version (9.x to 10.x). I could probably add this to/etc/cron.weekly without a problem.
Thanks for the info. I just got done updating my mandrake system in this way. So far, the only problem I've come across is X will not start. After running 'urpmi --media 10_0 --auto-select', running startx returned an error similar to 'execve failed to start./etc/X11/X file not found. Can't remember the exact text. Turns out I had to reinstall the actual XFree driver for my graphics card 'urpmi XFree86-Mach64' but then it gave me another error about a missing keyword or something in/etc/X11/XF86Config.
I ran xf86config to reconfigure it, but that didn't help. Interestingly enough, I can open an X session (KDE) through a vnc viewer. I just can't open an X session locally.
I have 2 monitors set up on my workstation. Maybe this would double the effects. Although I did just go through an eye exam and only have a slight astigmatism. Other than that, my eyes are healthy and I've been using computers my whole life practically.
I installed SP2 on my brother-in-law's XP Home system a while back and I haven't heard any complaints from him. He's not what you'd call computer savvy, but he hasn't mentioned anything failing on him. Actually, I did have to reinstall the whole system (and put SP2 back on it), but that was because of some nasty spyware that just didn't want to go away. Not really the fault (probably) of SP2.
How well does this work in Mandrake between major versions? (e.g., from 9.2 to current)? I've always reinstalled Mandrake from the CD when a new release came out, until I moved to Gentoo at home. Still use mandrake on a server at work.
For the users reluctant to change, Firefox could be introduced to them as the next version of IE. "uninstall IE", install firefox, use the IE icons, IE skin, rename the Firefox links to "Internet Explorer" The users will just think they are running IE (if they even know what that is) and problem solved.
What benefit would one have for upgrading to Firefox 1.0 from 0.9.3? I just upgraded and I haven't noticed much of a difference, other than the fact that some of the extensions I use (e.g., All-in-One Gestures) no longer work in 1.0.
My brother-in-law has a Dell desktop PC (I forget which model). When he got it, it came complete with all the extra Dell OEM crap software, media players, "free stuff", etc. etc. The PC came with the restore CDs, as the parent poster mentioned, but all the extra software was on a separate CD. When I reinstalled his system, I booted off the main CD, XP Setup partitioned and formatted the hard drive, and installed XP Home (no other software). I had to use additional CDs to install various drivers (video, sound, etc) but I didn't bother to use the additional CDs that have the worthless OEM software.
I'm not sure if all Dell systems are this way, but at least with this one, it was certainly easy to reinstall the system without the extra *fluff*.
Slashdot Mirror
You haven't tried installing linux recently have you? As another poster pointed out, the CD the story submitter is talking about is one that you just pop in the drive, turn your computer on, and in a minute or two you get a full GUI environment with internet access, some games, and a full office suite - all running on the CD with no user intervention to "install" it. Of course, if you actually did want to install a distro on the hard drive, there are plenty of modern distros (Mandrake for example) that have a graphical installation to get you into your graphical environment. Sure, you may have to make a choice or two during installation, but even Windows makes you do that... but at least with linux you don't have to reboot a few times to complete an installation like you do with Windows.
I just tried increasing the font size on firefox on the main page (slashdot.org) and I didn't see any problems. I went just about as big as I could get the fonts. I didn't notice any links overlapping standard text, or text hanging over other sections no matter what size I went to.
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to post a Gentoo-related comment to this story. I don't know about anyone else, but I think it's getting a little old. You can compile the latest kernel release on any distro, not just Gentoo, and it would probably take just as long if not longer. What does a kernel compilation have to do with Gentoo? You don't even have to compile everything on Gentoo. Besides, this has nothing to do with this story about Firefox anyway.
Disclaimer: I use Gentoo too, but also Mandrake.
If you want to be able to use Firefox wherever you go, without having to install it on every machine, check out Portable Firefox here (linked from mozdev.org. It is a version of Firefox 1.0 that you install on a USB key drive (or flash card, CD, ZIP disk, etc) to take with you. You could probably also set up Windows' autorun feature so when you plug the drive in, Firefox starts automatically.
I see there are already 5 replies agreeing with your post about firefox having problems rendering in firefox. I just have to say, I have never had a rendering problem with slashdot in firefox 0.9.x or 1.0. Is this just a problem if you have a specific resolution or something? I have installed three different versions of firefox, and the only extensions I've installed are All-In-One Gestures and Adblock. I really haven't noticed any rendering differences on slashdot between Firefox and IE.
The only (small) difficulty I have with slashdot is the posting formats. Seems I either have to post in HTML format (to get working hyperlinks) or post in plain text (to get paragraph formatting without typing code.) There doesn't seem to be an in between.
I always make an effort to say "couldn't" and sometimes people look at me as if I have 2 extra heads or something.
Sorry, a bit off-topic, but I had to respond. Why does it seem everyone says that people "could care less"? If they could care less, then that implies they care. Shouldn't it be "couldn't care less"?
I think I'll hammer a nail through two boards and patent it. Then if anyone tries to build a house or other building using my invention, they will have to pay me royalties. You say there's prior art? People have been nailing boards together for years? Well, as the parent said, python uses the concept of "isnot" but puts a space between the s and the n.
Yeah, I don't understand how an end user could be sued for using a patent infringing product, especially if said user cannot examine the contents of the product. If I were to buy a can of PepSco soda, which unknown to me uses key elements of Pepsi's secret formulas in its product, should I be sued if I drink it? No, the creators of it could be sued.
"Quarters of dollars"
"She paid 400 quarters of dollars"
Exactly. I'm not a hunter myself, but I used to be. I just hope this guy doesn't also let people hunt live on his land, or go out there himself. Even if he doesn't, there could be problems if someone trespasses on his land during a hunt. Since the user is operating a live firearm through a network connection, I can see problems happening if there is any lag in the connection. How can you be sure that the video you are watching is really real-time?
make: Don't know how to make fire. Stop.
why? no match.
Gentoo:
Shouldn't have to edit any config files in either case. Although with Gentoo, you may have to do something with etc-update.
I guess I should have used the preview button. Is there a post format so you can use the "Allowed HTML" and still insert line breaks into a post by just hitting 'enter'?
From my experience, mandrake's urpmi is a pretty good package management system. 'urpmi.update -a -c;urpmi --update --auto-select' is similar to 'emerge sync;emerge -u world' Both systems do dependency checking and urpmi can be set to pull from multiple mirrors. Never tried multiple mirrors with emerge though, but I'm sure it would work.
I was thinking the same thing with Mandrake. I log onto my mandrake server at least a few times a week and update the entire system through urpmi. Urpmi returns a list of packages it wants to update and I can say yes or no. I always just blindly say yes and I have never had a problem. Well I can't say "never". I recently pointed my urpmi database (mdk 9.2 server) to a 10.0 official mirror and ran the update. Urpmi updated everything fine, but then upon reboot, I had no X server. I had to do some configuring and reinstall video drivers, etc. I think that's to be expected though for updating to a new major version (9.x to 10.x). I could probably add this to /etc/cron.weekly without a problem.
Thanks for the info. I just got done updating my mandrake system in this way. So far, the only problem I've come across is X will not start. After running 'urpmi --media 10_0 --auto-select', running startx returned an error similar to 'execve failed to start. /etc/X11/X file not found. Can't remember the exact text. Turns out I had to reinstall the actual XFree driver for my graphics card 'urpmi XFree86-Mach64' but then it gave me another error about a missing keyword or something in /etc/X11/XF86Config.
I ran xf86config to reconfigure it, but that didn't help. Interestingly enough, I can open an X session (KDE) through a vnc viewer. I just can't open an X session locally.
I have 2 monitors set up on my workstation. Maybe this would double the effects. Although I did just go through an eye exam and only have a slight astigmatism. Other than that, my eyes are healthy and I've been using computers my whole life practically.
Why not just boot the system off KNOPPIX, then do
/dev/hda1 /mnt/windows /mnt/windows
:-)
su -
mount
rm -rf
shutdown, reboot, and enjoy. If you receive any errors on reboot, reinsert the KNOPPIX CD to have a complete working system.
I installed SP2 on my brother-in-law's XP Home system a while back and I haven't heard any complaints from him. He's not what you'd call computer savvy, but he hasn't mentioned anything failing on him. Actually, I did have to reinstall the whole system (and put SP2 back on it), but that was because of some nasty spyware that just didn't want to go away. Not really the fault (probably) of SP2.
How well does this work in Mandrake between major versions? (e.g., from 9.2 to current)? I've always reinstalled Mandrake from the CD when a new release came out, until I moved to Gentoo at home. Still use mandrake on a server at work.
I see dumb people. They click the "Internet Explorer" icon on their screen like everyone else, and they don't even know they're dumb.
For the users reluctant to change, Firefox could be introduced to them as the next version of IE. "uninstall IE", install firefox, use the IE icons, IE skin, rename the Firefox links to "Internet Explorer" The users will just think they are running IE (if they even know what that is) and problem solved.
What benefit would one have for upgrading to Firefox 1.0 from 0.9.3? I just upgraded and I haven't noticed much of a difference, other than the fact that some of the extensions I use (e.g., All-in-One Gestures) no longer work in 1.0.
I'm not sure if all Dell systems are this way, but at least with this one, it was certainly easy to reinstall the system without the extra *fluff*.