Ubuntu's designers can change this, right? I don't suppose the logo is hard-coded into GNOME (and even if it were, it's open source).
I've actually seen different themes in Ubuntu that change the footprint (I run Warty 4.10, Hoary 5.04 didn't sit well with my machine).
However, changing the logo itself vs. whether the footprint is part-and-parcel with the Applications menu (i.e. clickable as one) is a completly different thing. I understand he's talking about consistency. However, that would deviate from every other distribution's Gnome desktop -- which would be an even bigger usability problem than having the Applications menu active along with the icon.
Maybe a bug should be submitted to the Gnome team suggesting a computer icon and a folder icon be put next to the respective System and Places menus. This is something that would definitely need to come from upstream.
Incorrect menu item capitalization is found throughout the top-level menus: "Four-in-a-row", "XSane Image scanning program", "Recording level monitor", "Volume monitor", "Run as different user", and "Shared folders".
I think this guy is a little over the top. With the exception of XSane, the capitalization is correct. At least it is in my writing styleguide.
He should also check a dictionary. That alert has a button which misspells "Shut Down" as "Shutdown". Shutdown is correct.
It's also unfortunate that he's not differentiating between a package standard (that would appear in most distributions) and a specific choice made by the Ubuntu team. For example, he's picking on the Gnome footprint logo by the Applications menu.
From other/. posters have commented so far, it looks like this guy is simply trolling.
Okay, then your scenario applies to one of the "PDF is acceptable" cases I mentioned -- no editing required. So we agree.
> Besides, MS Word, apart from not presenting a > consistent document (page breaks and tables > different on different machine)
And since when did a contract need to be so formatting specific? It's a plain text document, not a fancy dog-and-pony-show report being delivered to an executive.
About OASIS: like I said, that's the ideal. I know where it stands right now. -- nowhere near reality at this point.
About OpenOffice: it is gaining populairity. It can read and write MS Word. If I'm correct, 2.0 can also manage WordPerfect quite well. It's already being used in government, schools and other places that can't afford Microsoft's fees.
Truth be told, I ran WordPerfect (Academic edition) when I was a student and I'd never pay the ludicrous prices Microsoft is asking for Office (even if my computer was still running Windows).
In your particular example, a PDF of a text document is sent. The recipient is asked to: - review - make changes if necessary* - print
* In the Windows world, the only way to do this is to own a copy of Adobe Acrobat. Not exactly a common item on the desktop.
If you were downloading a contract or manual specifically to print without modifying, okay.
If you were reviewing creative art from an odd-format like Quark Xpress, okay.
If you were filling out a web-based e-form that spits out a printable document when you were done, okay (the Ontario government has a fantastic system incorporating PDF and web forms).
However, in the "daily example" (your words, not mine) using a text document, where the recipient might need to make changes, it's just too darn awkward. There are other options:
Ideally: OASIS -- the open document format that several word-processing platforms have adopted. The popularity of this format is increasing over time. Editing, reviewing and printing is much easier.
Realistically: MS Word or Rich Text Format -- as above. Most word-processors (including OpenOffice.org) can read and write the.doc format fairly well as long as you're not using macros (which, if you were saving to PDF, you wouldn't be doing anyway).
I guess the banks would have to make the source available. Does releasing the source code include all of the bank-specific information such branded graphics, etc? Would releasing the source pose a risk?
This could trigger a new wave of phishing scams. For example:
Igor sends out his own version of the XXBankLinux live CD via post, or simply drops it in some mailboxes. The CD boots and automagically connects the unsuspecting user to a server in Russia instead of the bank's. Let your imagination run from there.
In this case, the phishermen spoof the entire OS, instead of the webpage alone. With the right coding, you can have the user completly duped.
I never said that people *didn't* read PDF on screen, I said they should *avoid it at all costs*.
My comment reflected Adobe's wanting to replace PDF as the standard format for any type of document. Instead of reading from a webpage, they'd rather have you read from a PDF. It just doesn't make any sense at all.
A great example of this is an online auto brochure that I saw once (either for Jaguar or Nissan.. I forgot): it was in PDF embedded with flash and some other nonsense that could just as easily been built as a webpage. The joke is, the page size was so odd, and all of the content was buried in the flash -- so it couldn't even be printed out!
Adobe has been pushing for PDF as a de-facto standard for any document (print or on screen) for quite a while now. I've been to one of their brainwashing sessions -- it's quite impressive, until you realize that they're trying to push PDF beyond its useful means.
And I'm sure many corporations would as well -- as long as there's some form of security behind it.
Adding a calendar (and maybe tasks) to Gmail would put it over the top as a replacement service alternative to in-house exchange servers. However, the service would also need to: - sync with a PDA - export groups of messages to a common format for archiving (I could fill a gigabyte of mail in three months at work) - allow some sort of calendar sharing based on personal and group-set permissions -- so I would know whether my boss would be available for that 8:00 a.m. meeting.
Of course, if we had RTFA before posting, wewouldn't have needed to make this point.
I couldn't imagine one of the biggest banks in the U.S. not having at least one alternative data centre that's constantly backing things up.
I should have thought of that myself -- considering I work for an FI myself.
And don't they require their vendors to pass certain information security audit requirements?
"Where's the server room?" "Over there." "But that's the utility closet for the cleaners. I saw someone take vacuum cleaner out of there five minutes ago." "But they did use a key."
They shipped this via a commercial airline, not by a company that specializes in moving sensitive documents and other media?
I wouldn't trust an airline company with checked luggage -- forget sensitive data! Why didn't they send a few armed guards in black suits and handcuffed briefcases on a private jet?
Hospitals too? Sheesh:
"we're sorry Mr. Smith, your new heart was accidentally shipped to Moosejaw."
You have a really good point. Where does the OS line stop and the application line start?
Many people may hold the opinion of the kernel being the OS, while KDE is a desktop environment for a tailored group of applications. Hence, to run a KDE-based application in another environment (such as Gnome), you'd still need the underlying libraries of KDE on your computer.
Can you pull the desktop environment out of Windows nowadays (which, I guess, is an extension of my earlier question)?
This is a funny debate. There are obviously some shared elements between Windows Explorer and Internet Explod^Hrer.
Now the file manager for KDE is Konqurer -- which also happens to be a web browser. Will KDE break if you pull out Konqurer? What functionality would you lose?
Although in KDE's case, the desktop manager is independent of the underlying OS.
My employer now has a policy on linking from its internet and intranet site. This includes getting written permission from the destination site and a complex pile of forms.
The policy gets more complex if the destination site offers a product or service.
I thought it was ridiculous until I saw this post. There really are people out there that will try to sue you for linking to their website!
Why can't I direct a URL to any given piece of information that is freely available on the Internet (i.e. without a username and password)?
It's like handing someone a map to Wal-Mart, including directions to the bathroom -- and then being sued for showing them past the front door.
I officially pulled the plug on tech support for my parents computer years ago. I was re-installing the OS at least every six months. After the fourth or fifth re-imaging I laid down the law:
If I'm going to be fixing things, I'd need to cripple the desktop so it's harder to break. Any new applications would need my approval.
This worked for about a week -- so I walked away. No matter how serious the problem is (and my dad is a big P2P user so you can imagine) I won't touch their computer. I leave it to my brother who has the time and patience.
For free tech support for family, that's become my blanket policy. My in-laws have been pretty good with things. I've installed Firefox, Thunderbird etc. and they don't download anything at all. But in a Windows environment, there's only so much I can do.
Who let this post through? What's there to ask here -- this is just a chance to plug one of a thousand ISPs. There are tons of forums dedicated to this. Why waste the space on/.?
When it comes to choosing an ISP for business hosting there are way too many factors to consider:
1. How complex will your website be?
2. Will you be using a local or web-based e-mail client?
3. What other services are you looking for (site metrics, content management, spam filtering, etc.)
4. What's the service agreement for technical support (from general services to downtime)?
5. do you want stability, like your local telephone or cable carrier or, are you willing to risk things wiht Joe Hosting?
Heck, the list goes on for ages. If you're a technophile, you'll need less than someone who needs his or her hand held the entire way.
Seriously, you get what you pay for. Don't cheap out, but don't get drawn in by the bells and whistles either.
Ubuntu is very well supported and has great repositories.
Best hardware support outside of Knoppix (the SimplyMEPIS live CD has some mouse-problems on my T40).
It's already there (if it ain't broke..) and my wife would flip if I change the OS again.
For SimplyMEPIS
SimplyMEPIShas more toys working out of the box which Ubuntu leaves out for philisophical reasons (e.g. flash, ability to play MP3s and other closed source video types).
SimplyMEPIS has a very neat (read easy to use) networking tool which I've already used in an emergency (much easier to use than Knoppix).
and see how many of your favorite websites are usable with Lynx. I remember the good 'ol days when designing websites for text-based browsers was still the number one priority. After all, those Digital VT-200's could only do so much!
Wouldn't it be easier to watch a ticker on your keyboard?
I'm sure the next 'big mod' will be putting a full-sized LCD against that big window in your case. No.. wait.. that's a Mac.
Slashdot Mirror
You're absolutely right.
Gnome footprint logo
Ubuntu's designers can change this, right? I don't suppose the logo is hard-coded into GNOME (and even if it were, it's open source).
I've actually seen different themes in Ubuntu that change the footprint (I run Warty 4.10, Hoary 5.04 didn't sit well with my machine).
However, changing the logo itself vs. whether the footprint is part-and-parcel with the Applications menu (i.e. clickable as one) is a completly different thing. I understand he's talking about consistency. However, that would deviate from every other distribution's Gnome desktop -- which would be an even bigger usability problem than having the Applications menu active along with the icon.
Maybe a bug should be submitted to the Gnome team suggesting a computer icon and a folder icon be put next to the respective System and Places menus. This is something that would definitely need to come from upstream.
Incorrect menu item capitalization is found throughout the top-level menus: "Four-in-a-row", "XSane Image scanning program", "Recording level monitor", "Volume monitor", "Run as different user", and "Shared folders".
/. posters have commented so far, it looks like this guy is simply trolling.
I think this guy is a little over the top. With the exception of XSane, the capitalization is correct. At least it is in my writing styleguide.
He should also check a dictionary.
That alert has a button which misspells "Shut Down" as "Shutdown".
Shutdown is correct.
It's also unfortunate that he's not differentiating between a package standard (that would appear in most distributions) and a specific choice made by the Ubuntu team. For example, he's picking on the Gnome footprint logo by the Applications menu.
From other
I thought they were going with AssHat Linux.
Okay, then your scenario applies to one of the "PDF is acceptable" cases I mentioned -- no editing required. So we agree.
> Besides, MS Word, apart from not presenting a
> consistent document (page breaks and tables
> different on different machine)
And since when did a contract need to be so formatting specific? It's a plain text document, not a fancy dog-and-pony-show report being delivered to an executive.
About OASIS: like I said, that's the ideal. I know where it stands right now. -- nowhere near reality at this point.
About OpenOffice: it is gaining populairity. It can read and write MS Word. If I'm correct, 2.0 can also manage WordPerfect quite well. It's already being used in government, schools and other places that can't afford Microsoft's fees.
Truth be told, I ran WordPerfect (Academic edition) when I was a student and I'd never pay the ludicrous prices Microsoft is asking for Office (even if my computer was still running Windows).
Why?
.doc format fairly well as long as you're not using macros (which, if you were saving to PDF, you wouldn't be doing anyway).
In your particular example, a PDF of a text document is sent. The recipient is asked to:
- review
- make changes if necessary*
- print
* In the Windows world, the only way to do this is to own a copy of Adobe Acrobat. Not exactly a common item on the desktop.
If you were downloading a contract or manual specifically to print without modifying, okay.
If you were reviewing creative art from an odd-format like Quark Xpress, okay.
If you were filling out a web-based e-form that spits out a printable document when you were done, okay (the Ontario government has a fantastic system incorporating PDF and web forms).
However, in the "daily example" (your words, not mine) using a text document, where the recipient might need to make changes, it's just too darn awkward. There are other options:
Ideally: OASIS -- the open document format that several word-processing platforms have adopted. The popularity of this format is increasing over time. Editing, reviewing and printing is much easier.
Realistically: MS Word or Rich Text Format -- as above. Most word-processors (including OpenOffice.org) can read and write the
I guess the banks would have to make the source available. Does releasing the source code include all of the bank-specific information such branded graphics, etc? Would releasing the source pose a risk?
This could trigger a new wave of phishing scams. For example:
Igor sends out his own version of the XXBankLinux live CD via post, or simply drops it in some mailboxes. The CD boots and automagically connects the unsuspecting user to a server in Russia instead of the bank's. Let your imagination run from there.
In this case, the phishermen spoof the entire OS, instead of the webpage alone. With the right coding, you can have the user completly duped.
I never said that people *didn't* read PDF on screen, I said they should *avoid it at all costs*.
My comment reflected Adobe's wanting to replace PDF as the standard format for any type of document. Instead of reading from a webpage, they'd rather have you read from a PDF. It just doesn't make any sense at all.
A great example of this is an online auto brochure that I saw once (either for Jaguar or Nissan.. I forgot): it was in PDF embedded with flash and some other nonsense that could just as easily been built as a webpage. The joke is, the page size was so odd, and all of the content was buried in the flash -- so it couldn't even be printed out!
Adobe has been pushing for PDF as a de-facto standard for any document (print or on screen) for quite a while now. I've been to one of their brainwashing sessions -- it's quite impressive, until you realize that they're trying to push PDF beyond its useful means.
That's because Adobe is trying to make PDF the be-all-and-end-all of document formats -- when it's only useful as a common format for printing.
Do we really need a PDF document to display flash, sound, full motion video, and act like a webpage?
And I'm sure many corporations would as well -- as long as there's some form of security behind it.
Adding a calendar (and maybe tasks) to Gmail would put it over the top as a replacement service alternative to in-house exchange servers. However, the service would also need to:
- sync with a PDA
- export groups of messages to a common format for archiving (I could fill a gigabyte of mail in three months at work)
- allow some sort of calendar sharing based on personal and group-set permissions -- so I would know whether my boss would be available for that 8:00 a.m. meeting.
Of course, if we had RTFA before posting, wewouldn't have needed to make this point.
You're absolutely right.
I couldn't imagine one of the biggest banks in the U.S. not having at least one alternative data centre that's constantly backing things up.
I should have thought of that myself -- considering I work for an FI myself.
And don't they require their vendors to pass certain information security audit requirements?
"Where's the server room?"
"Over there."
"But that's the utility closet for the cleaners. I saw someone take vacuum cleaner out of there five minutes ago."
"But they did use a key."
Oh dear.
They shipped this via a commercial airline, not by a company that specializes in moving sensitive documents and other media?
I wouldn't trust an airline company with checked luggage -- forget sensitive data! Why didn't they send a few armed guards in black suits and handcuffed briefcases on a private jet?
Hospitals too? Sheesh:
"we're sorry Mr. Smith, your new heart was accidentally shipped to Moosejaw."
Fine, we'll create a new variable: say hello to "aINt."
You have a really good point. Where does the OS line stop and the application line start?
Many people may hold the opinion of the kernel being the OS, while KDE is a desktop environment for a tailored group of applications. Hence, to run a KDE-based application in another environment (such as Gnome), you'd still need the underlying libraries of KDE on your computer.
Can you pull the desktop environment out of Windows nowadays (which, I guess, is an extension of my earlier question)?
IANAExpert
This is a funny debate. There are obviously some shared elements between Windows Explorer and Internet Explod^Hrer.
Now the file manager for KDE is Konqurer -- which also happens to be a web browser. Will KDE break if you pull out Konqurer? What functionality would you lose?
Although in KDE's case, the desktop manager is independent of the underlying OS.
Things are starting to make sense.
My employer now has a policy on linking from its internet and intranet site. This includes getting written permission from the destination site and a complex pile of forms.
The policy gets more complex if the destination site offers a product or service.
I thought it was ridiculous until I saw this post. There really are people out there that will try to sue you for linking to their website!
Why can't I direct a URL to any given piece of information that is freely available on the Internet (i.e. without a username and password)?
It's like handing someone a map to Wal-Mart, including directions to the bathroom -- and then being sued for showing them past the front door.
I think you misplaced your tags:
<body>
<rant>
three screens of text
</rant>
</body>
I officially pulled the plug on tech support for my parents computer years ago. I was re-installing the OS at least every six months. After the fourth or fifth re-imaging I laid down the law:
If I'm going to be fixing things, I'd need to cripple the desktop so it's harder to break. Any new applications would need my approval.
This worked for about a week -- so I walked away. No matter how serious the problem is (and my dad is a big P2P user so you can imagine) I won't touch their computer. I leave it to my brother who has the time and patience.
For free tech support for family, that's become my blanket policy. My in-laws have been pretty good with things. I've installed Firefox, Thunderbird etc. and they don't download anything at all. But in a Windows environment, there's only so much I can do.
Aparently, you can save your beer from Gene's gullet by going to http://sub500.com/ (http://sub300.com/ after the Canadian Dollar exchange ;)
Previously mentioned in Slashdot, they're now offering to upgrade your computer to Linspire for free. No beer required.
(and their car washes are top-notch)
Who let this post through? What's there to ask here -- this is just a chance to plug one of a thousand ISPs. There are tons of forums dedicated to this. Why waste the space on /.?
When it comes to choosing an ISP for business hosting there are way too many factors to consider:
1. How complex will your website be?
2. Will you be using a local or web-based e-mail client?
3. What other services are you looking for (site metrics, content management, spam filtering, etc.)
4. What's the service agreement for technical support (from general services to downtime)?
5. do you want stability, like your local telephone or cable carrier or, are you willing to risk things wiht Joe Hosting?
Heck, the list goes on for ages. If you're a technophile, you'll need less than someone who needs his or her hand held the entire way.
Seriously, you get what you pay for. Don't cheap out, but don't get drawn in by the bells and whistles either.
For Ubuntu:
- I prefer Gnome's interface to KDE's.
- Ubuntu is very well supported and has great repositories.
- Best hardware support outside of Knoppix (the SimplyMEPIS live CD has some mouse-problems on my T40).
- It's already there (if it ain't broke..) and my wife would flip if I change the OS again.
For SimplyMEPISOr you can still use a Windows version:
http://www.rahul.net/dkaufman/
and see how many of your favorite websites are usable with Lynx. I remember the good 'ol days when designing websites for text-based browsers was still the number one priority. After all, those Digital VT-200's could only do so much!
Why do I feel another Leonardo di Caprio / Tom Hanks movie coming on?
Like this?
Wouldn't it be easier to watch a ticker on your keyboard? I'm sure the next 'big mod' will be putting a full-sized LCD against that big window in your case. No.. wait.. that's a Mac.