Now, I love a good slam against Microsoft like the next person; heck, its right up there with religious zealots getting pointed out for hypocracy and leaders getting sick, and dying on their death bed.
With that being said, the fact remains, the vast majority of users get their machines from the Dells, Acers, HPs etc of the world; they get the dinky little restoration cd, and it is simply a matter of slip the cd in the drive and away it goes.
Regarding GNU/Linux installation, it is no harder than Windows IF everything is supported out of the box, using that particular distribution - HOWEVER, when things go wrong, the go *REALLY* wrong. When you bugger up something in Windows, it can be undone via safe mode, with Linux, its a lot harder.
There will no substantial speed improvement in relation to data transfer HOWEVER what will benefit is the seek time, thus giving the average user the apparence that their computer is running faster, when in reality, the time it takes for the machine to find the software and load it, is a lot smaller.
With that being said, I've always wondered what people fill their hard disk with, considering that even I struggle to my 160gig hard disk (and 40gig hard disk residing on my server).
True. I think the biggest, most missleading thing ever made was the whole WHQL certification - I was suckered into the same false sense of security, thinking that if it were WHQL, everything would be just groovy, thats until I actually found out what the WHQL entails.
The Windows logo programme itself is another con job - meet a minimum standard, pay a bootload and get a cute little sticker. No different to the "heart foundation tick of approval" - same thing, meet a minimum standard and pay.
True, very true, however, it was still pretty bad. I was a user since R4 came out, received a free upgrade to 4.5, and then bought 5, however, I think things started to come unstuck when they ran out of money, VCs wanted instant gratification rather than willing to support a long term project - that coupled with the *stupid* idea of internet appliances (reminds me of the 8track hype 20 years ago) sealed the death of Be.
1) There was printing capabilities, but only something like three printers were supported at the time.
2) BeOS had just moved from the old file format (IIRC AOUT) to ELF.
3) The issue of purchasing NeXT had as much to do with technology acquisition as it did with purchasing management know how (aka, Steve Jobs). Had Apple bough Be, what would be the likely hood of failure with JLG in charge? highly likely.
Apple needed someone with marketing know how and able to provide a the company with a world class reality distortion field (other companies have them, but Apples seems to have the best one). Steve put marketing into overdrive, killed off products that were uncompetitive, outside the scope of Apples core business (Apples old internet service business) and R&D that basically was going no where - that is, if R&D were to be spent, it was to be on REAL projects that could deliver *REAL* results for the company - not pie in the sky ideas.
That coupled with his show manship bought the company back from the brink - for all of Be's good points - JLB had as much charisma as a roll of wall paper.
Are you surprised about how slow Oracle is? heck, just look at benchmarks of Sybase vs Oracle and you'll see what I mean. Lord only knows why people stick with Oracle when Sybase and IBM DB2 eat Oracle for lunch.
Hmm, last time I remember, an unemployment rate of 5.x% is not considered tight. Maybe if you were an employer in NZ which has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, you *COULD* justify that statement, but the fact remains, its an employers market in the US.
Sounds like your organisation had some difficulties; personally, in that position, when unemployment is as high as it is, I would put out an ultimatium - accept the new software, learn how to use it or find a job elseware.
Sorry to sound like a dictator, but employees need to learn who works for who, who provides the pay check, and who provides the work equipment. If they don't like the environment, then they're the ones who should changes jobs, not the orgnisation to change simply to meet their "unique" needs.
Sure, I can't stand Microsoft Office, but I sure has heck aren't going to whine to management, demanding that the *WHOLE* organisation much change to something I like.
Its about employees knowing their "place" and realising that they're not the ones in charge - no matter how much they would like to convince themselves and their friends (who they boast to about doing 1/2 the work of the management - when in reality, all they do is type letters).
Thats a comment the editor added to the story - it has NO direct relationship with the core message; the core message is "rumour has it that Tiger will be released on April 15th". Thats what *SHOULD* be getting discussed, not the little tit bit added by the author.
Well, I'm on the other side of the fence, I am in a female dominated job (no, get your minds out of the gutter), and quite frankly, although some guys have this thing about, "ooo, I can't do that job, thats a chicks job" or that they see their job as some sort of "extension" of their "inner being", for me, I meet people, bring home the dollars, and thats all that concerns me.
What I think people suffer from is this complex of "oh, what does this job say about me" - my response, who cares?
Their inkjets block more times than I could shake a stick at. After 2 HP printers I have owned had been constantly getting clogged, I decided to ditch it and purchase an Epson, I've been a happy user since.
I repaired HP desktops and servers for a living, if there were ever a machine loaded with more weird proprietary crap, it would be HP. HPs x86 servers make Apple computers look like the perfectly example of computers based on 100% open standards.
Dell , IBM and SUN machines are a walk in the park. Standard motherboard, standard processor, standard everything. Throw something in it, and it just works, can't say the same thing for HP.
As for their services - they may claim to scream linux, but get a HP consultant into a room, and they'll start ramming Windows down your throat to the point that you end up asking for mercy.
Well, here is one thing; re-occuring revenue for the long term.
Tivo is only available in America, which is pathetic; it needs to be pushed out to be made a global service; Apple has the network setup to be able to resell it, also, it would fit into the larger Apple "digital lifestyle".
If Apple grabbed a Airport, threw a PCMCIA card into Tivo, allowed ACC syncing between computer and iPod, add a 400gig SATA drive to the tivo. You end up with not only a DVR but you also end up with a stereo replacement. Apple could team up with M-Audio, sell high end, high quality speakers, and voila, it would he a gradual but strategically important move into the appliance market which will allow them to spread their revenue stream across more markets, thus insulate themselves from the swings in the PC market.
Why purchase it from HP? I mean, honestly, what has HP have to offer apart from *really* over priced, over proprietary computer systems that are a bitch to install any operating system onto - including Windows!
Why use Linux? I mean, not to sound like a flamer, but if you so want Sybase that badly, then go out, install Solaris 10, buy a license, which is only a few hundred a year, and throw on 64bit Sybase.
Sure, it doesn't have the "Linux is cool" factor, but you're running a computer for a business, coolness shouldn't even enter the equation. Does it work? does it run on the smell of an oily rag? is it stable? is it reliable?
I can understand the stance that the Dutch took in regards to the NX issue. Ultimately, these commissions need to ensure that the information given out by companies such as AMD are as clear and accurate as possible, and I'm sorry, when they say, "advanced virus protection", after putting my end-user hat on for two minutes, what the advertisement is basically saying is this; "throw out all your anti-virus software, this new CPU can not only protect you like a normal virus protector, but does it even better!"
With that being said, however, the other flip side is how thinly do they want to slice the information; many things in IT can't be simplistically put down to a few catch words; the people to blame for this over simplification aren't the engineers, most engineers would love to give the information straight to the customer and say "here is the information, make you decision based on that", on the other side, the people who sell these products tend to have limited information technology knowledge, and not only misunderstand technology but try to break down things into simplistic language in when reality, they're complex matters now matter how much they're rephrased.
So, I guess it is more of an issue of trying to weigh up on one hand, informing customers of a product feature whilst at the same time realising that some aspects of technology are just plain well complex.
I second that. Remember technic lego, when you used to get a big bundle of stuff, and create a fork lift or a tractor, and you used things like cogs and pullies to make things work.
Regarding the compiler factor, one must remember that SUN is going to release a AMD64 version of their compiler. If it is anything like their UltraSPARC compiler, I will be a very happy camper.
Why even use Xeon? Please, I am trying to hear *ONE* valid reason for not using AMD64 for either a server or workstation. All I have heard as an excuse so far is the "Intel Factor". If you want to pay more simply for the "intel factor" then good for you, but don't expect a parade os sheeple to follow.
Nope, the fact is, a clear message needs to be sent to Microsoft, conform or find an continent full of desktops running some varient of *NIX along with OpenOffice.org
There has already been touchy-touchy, feely-feely, and everytime Microsoft has been given the option to be a good lad and stick to the rules, they do the opposit. This time they should take the proverbial cannon to kill that damn flea. Come in low and hard by ensuring that Microsoft has no way of manuvering.
This will also put pressure on EU trading partners, meaning, they TOO will demand ISO certified Office suites so they can talk to their EU friends, along with multinationals who operate in the EU will have to conform as they work with the governments, hence, the whole thing will be a domino affect. I doubt that Microsoft will be as so arrogant to ignore such a large part of their profit base.
If they did, they would have no grounds to make such a complaint. What you're claiming is that since Wine implements the win32 api, it is there for bound by the Windows license, which is patently false.
The only *risk* they have is how their programmers implement the standard; ensuyring that the "clean room" implementation is actually "clean room" not influenced by the LGPL implementation.
Then again, nothing stopping Microsoft from using the LGPL version is it would mearly be a library being used by Microsoft Office, which would still allow Microsoft to keep their product proprietary.
This would be great! the EU *SHOULD* back this move by mandating that any Office Suite that is to be sold in the EU or used by any government within the EU MUST conform to that ISO specification.
That would EXCLUDE extensions, meaning, the format, if embrassed by Microsoft would have to be 100% ISO XML compliant - No embrace and extend for you! (Microsoft)
How is it limiting. I've worked with users both over the phone and standing behind them, the majority only use one mouse button - as strange as it sounds, the majority are quite happy to go up to format, fonts and change the type.
Now sure, they *could* use the right click and navigate via the context menu, but the fact remains, the vast majority of users never use the second mouse button.
The relivance to Apple? the fact is, Apple design their systems for simplicity and the end user in mind, and their biggest problem is this; making sure the end user KNOW that they can use their Microsoft Office documents from work on their Macintosh.
Here is a good example, I have a lady friend who just so happen to have bought a PC, great little machine, and started chatting. After chatting for a while I asked why she bought a PC, she said, "because I need Microsoft Office for work", I then went on and explained to her how she could have bought a Mac and Office 2004 - her reaction? there was a great disappointment put accross her face, her body language said it all - "you mean, I could have bought a Mac AND ran Microsoft Office? why didn't I know? if only I knew, I would have bought a Mac!".
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Now, I love a good slam against Microsoft like the next person; heck, its right up there with religious zealots getting pointed out for hypocracy and leaders getting sick, and dying on their death bed.
With that being said, the fact remains, the vast majority of users get their machines from the Dells, Acers, HPs etc of the world; they get the dinky little restoration cd, and it is simply a matter of slip the cd in the drive and away it goes.
Regarding GNU/Linux installation, it is no harder than Windows IF everything is supported out of the box, using that particular distribution - HOWEVER, when things go wrong, the go *REALLY* wrong. When you bugger up something in Windows, it can be undone via safe mode, with Linux, its a lot harder.
There will no substantial speed improvement in relation to data transfer HOWEVER what will benefit is the seek time, thus giving the average user the apparence that their computer is running faster, when in reality, the time it takes for the machine to find the software and load it, is a lot smaller. With that being said, I've always wondered what people fill their hard disk with, considering that even I struggle to my 160gig hard disk (and 40gig hard disk residing on my server).
True. I think the biggest, most missleading thing ever made was the whole WHQL certification - I was suckered into the same false sense of security, thinking that if it were WHQL, everything would be just groovy, thats until I actually found out what the WHQL entails.
The Windows logo programme itself is another con job - meet a minimum standard, pay a bootload and get a cute little sticker. No different to the "heart foundation tick of approval" - same thing, meet a minimum standard and pay.
True, very true, however, it was still pretty bad. I was a user since R4 came out, received a free upgrade to 4.5, and then bought 5, however, I think things started to come unstuck when they ran out of money, VCs wanted instant gratification rather than willing to support a long term project - that coupled with the *stupid* idea of internet appliances (reminds me of the 8track hype 20 years ago) sealed the death of Be.
Hmm, just a minor correction:
1) There was printing capabilities, but only something like three printers were supported at the time.
2) BeOS had just moved from the old file format (IIRC AOUT) to ELF.
3) The issue of purchasing NeXT had as much to do with technology acquisition as it did with purchasing management know how (aka, Steve Jobs). Had Apple bough Be, what would be the likely hood of failure with JLG in charge? highly likely.
Apple needed someone with marketing know how and able to provide a the company with a world class reality distortion field (other companies have them, but Apples seems to have the best one). Steve put marketing into overdrive, killed off products that were uncompetitive, outside the scope of Apples core business (Apples old internet service business) and R&D that basically was going no where - that is, if R&D were to be spent, it was to be on REAL projects that could deliver *REAL* results for the company - not pie in the sky ideas.
That coupled with his show manship bought the company back from the brink - for all of Be's good points - JLB had as much charisma as a roll of wall paper.
Are you surprised about how slow Oracle is? heck, just look at benchmarks of Sybase vs Oracle and you'll see what I mean. Lord only knows why people stick with Oracle when Sybase and IBM DB2 eat Oracle for lunch.
Hmm, last time I remember, an unemployment rate of 5.x% is not considered tight. Maybe if you were an employer in NZ which has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, you *COULD* justify that statement, but the fact remains, its an employers market in the US.
Sounds like your organisation had some difficulties; personally, in that position, when unemployment is as high as it is, I would put out an ultimatium - accept the new software, learn how to use it or find a job elseware.
Sorry to sound like a dictator, but employees need to learn who works for who, who provides the pay check, and who provides the work equipment. If they don't like the environment, then they're the ones who should changes jobs, not the orgnisation to change simply to meet their "unique" needs.
Sure, I can't stand Microsoft Office, but I sure has heck aren't going to whine to management, demanding that the *WHOLE* organisation much change to something I like.
Its about employees knowing their "place" and realising that they're not the ones in charge - no matter how much they would like to convince themselves and their friends (who they boast to about doing 1/2 the work of the management - when in reality, all they do is type letters).
Thats a comment the editor added to the story - it has NO direct relationship with the core message; the core message is "rumour has it that Tiger will be released on April 15th". Thats what *SHOULD* be getting discussed, not the little tit bit added by the author.
Because it has no direct correlation to the story at hand.
It would be like a story about Windows then asking a question, like, "I wonder which colour tie Bill Gates likes to wear with his pin striped suit?"
Well, I'm on the other side of the fence, I am in a female dominated job (no, get your minds out of the gutter), and quite frankly, although some guys have this thing about, "ooo, I can't do that job, thats a chicks job" or that they see their job as some sort of "extension" of their "inner being", for me, I meet people, bring home the dollars, and thats all that concerns me.
What I think people suffer from is this complex of "oh, what does this job say about me" - my response, who cares?
No.
Their inkjets block more times than I could shake a stick at. After 2 HP printers I have owned had been constantly getting clogged, I decided to ditch it and purchase an Epson, I've been a happy user since.
I repaired HP desktops and servers for a living, if there were ever a machine loaded with more weird proprietary crap, it would be HP. HPs x86 servers make Apple computers look like the perfectly example of computers based on 100% open standards.
Dell , IBM and SUN machines are a walk in the park. Standard motherboard, standard processor, standard everything. Throw something in it, and it just works, can't say the same thing for HP.
As for their services - they may claim to scream linux, but get a HP consultant into a room, and they'll start ramming Windows down your throat to the point that you end up asking for mercy.
Well, here is one thing; re-occuring revenue for the long term. Tivo is only available in America, which is pathetic; it needs to be pushed out to be made a global service; Apple has the network setup to be able to resell it, also, it would fit into the larger Apple "digital lifestyle". If Apple grabbed a Airport, threw a PCMCIA card into Tivo, allowed ACC syncing between computer and iPod, add a 400gig SATA drive to the tivo. You end up with not only a DVR but you also end up with a stereo replacement. Apple could team up with M-Audio, sell high end, high quality speakers, and voila, it would he a gradual but strategically important move into the appliance market which will allow them to spread their revenue stream across more markets, thus insulate themselves from the swings in the PC market.
Why purchase it from HP? I mean, honestly, what has HP have to offer apart from *really* over priced, over proprietary computer systems that are a bitch to install any operating system onto - including Windows!
Why use Linux? I mean, not to sound like a flamer, but if you so want Sybase that badly, then go out, install Solaris 10, buy a license, which is only a few hundred a year, and throw on 64bit Sybase.
Sure, it doesn't have the "Linux is cool" factor, but you're running a computer for a business, coolness shouldn't even enter the equation. Does it work? does it run on the smell of an oily rag? is it stable? is it reliable?
Not to slice to thinly, but the fact remains, you aren't stopping a virus. IIRC, I don't think a buffer overflow can be considered a virus.
I can understand the stance that the Dutch took in regards to the NX issue. Ultimately, these commissions need to ensure that the information given out by companies such as AMD are as clear and accurate as possible, and I'm sorry, when they say, "advanced virus protection", after putting my end-user hat on for two minutes, what the advertisement is basically saying is this; "throw out all your anti-virus software, this new CPU can not only protect you like a normal virus protector, but does it even better!"
With that being said, however, the other flip side is how thinly do they want to slice the information; many things in IT can't be simplistically put down to a few catch words; the people to blame for this over simplification aren't the engineers, most engineers would love to give the information straight to the customer and say "here is the information, make you decision based on that", on the other side, the people who sell these products tend to have limited information technology knowledge, and not only misunderstand technology but try to break down things into simplistic language in when reality, they're complex matters now matter how much they're rephrased.
So, I guess it is more of an issue of trying to weigh up on one hand, informing customers of a product feature whilst at the same time realising that some aspects of technology are just plain well complex.
Pulease! grab a sexy Opteron server from SUN, grab the SUN Enterprise System Software; includes everything you need for night of fun and excitement.
Voila, for $100 per employee, you'll have a app server, web server, directory server, messenging, collaboration and mail server.
I second that. Remember technic lego, when you used to get a big bundle of stuff, and create a fork lift or a tractor, and you used things like cogs and pullies to make things work.
:)
Ah, the good old days
Regarding the compiler factor, one must remember that SUN is going to release a AMD64 version of their compiler. If it is anything like their UltraSPARC compiler, I will be a very happy camper.
Why even use Xeon? Please, I am trying to hear *ONE* valid reason for not using AMD64 for either a server or workstation. All I have heard as an excuse so far is the "Intel Factor". If you want to pay more simply for the "intel factor" then good for you, but don't expect a parade os sheeple to follow.
Nope, the fact is, a clear message needs to be sent to Microsoft, conform or find an continent full of desktops running some varient of *NIX along with OpenOffice.org
There has already been touchy-touchy, feely-feely, and everytime Microsoft has been given the option to be a good lad and stick to the rules, they do the opposit. This time they should take the proverbial cannon to kill that damn flea. Come in low and hard by ensuring that Microsoft has no way of manuvering.
This will also put pressure on EU trading partners, meaning, they TOO will demand ISO certified Office suites so they can talk to their EU friends, along with multinationals who operate in the EU will have to conform as they work with the governments, hence, the whole thing will be a domino affect. I doubt that Microsoft will be as so arrogant to ignore such a large part of their profit base.
If they did, they would have no grounds to make such a complaint. What you're claiming is that since Wine implements the win32 api, it is there for bound by the Windows license, which is patently false.
The only *risk* they have is how their programmers implement the standard; ensuyring that the "clean room" implementation is actually "clean room" not influenced by the LGPL implementation.
Then again, nothing stopping Microsoft from using the LGPL version is it would mearly be a library being used by Microsoft Office, which would still allow Microsoft to keep their product proprietary.
This would be great! the EU *SHOULD* back this move by mandating that any Office Suite that is to be sold in the EU or used by any government within the EU MUST conform to that ISO specification.
That would EXCLUDE extensions, meaning, the format, if embrassed by Microsoft would have to be 100% ISO XML compliant - No embrace and extend for you! (Microsoft)
How is it limiting. I've worked with users both over the phone and standing behind them, the majority only use one mouse button - as strange as it sounds, the majority are quite happy to go up to format, fonts and change the type.
Now sure, they *could* use the right click and navigate via the context menu, but the fact remains, the vast majority of users never use the second mouse button.
The relivance to Apple? the fact is, Apple design their systems for simplicity and the end user in mind, and their biggest problem is this; making sure the end user KNOW that they can use their Microsoft Office documents from work on their Macintosh.
Here is a good example, I have a lady friend who just so happen to have bought a PC, great little machine, and started chatting. After chatting for a while I asked why she bought a PC, she said, "because I need Microsoft Office for work", I then went on and explained to her how she could have bought a Mac and Office 2004 - her reaction? there was a great disappointment put accross her face, her body language said it all - "you mean, I could have bought a Mac AND ran Microsoft Office? why didn't I know? if only I knew, I would have bought a Mac!".