What is so difficult about getting the post popular software packages, drivers and plugins and putting them together into a functional desktop...then advertising that the particular OS will do this and that and that...?
I know that there are folks out there that are accomplishing [all] desktop functions with free software. Again, what's hard for Redhat to bundle software that such folks are using, into a fully functional desktop that will work as advertised?
From Java, to Adobe's flash it's all free software and that's what most people need. If there are licensing issues, talk to the folks that license the software. It is not impossible. I am sure companies like Adobe will be happy to have an additional distribution channel now that Microsoft is on the attack with Silverlight and Moonlight.
What Redhat are doing is to wait until some traction has been got by the desktop...then jump in! Microsoft must be happy with this news. Sad indeed.
What does this kernel mean for the desktop? Does it for example allow me to use my Hauppauge PVR-150 remote control by default, just like the present kernel does for the TV card itself ?
Under the kernel for Mythbuntu 7.10, that getting that remote control to work is next to impossible...even after tinkering with all sorts of text configuration files. To cut it short, getting the remote control to work was an exercise in frustration.
Heck I just want a phone, period! A device to make calls, store my contacts and a calendar maybe. But these days, what one sees are these bloated gadgets that have proven [to me], to be more hindering than helpful. Is it possible to buy a new cell phone without the bloat these days?
It's my thought that all this is "wasted energy." Surely, wouldn't this effort be better utilized caring for those less fortunate in these United States?
In my opinion, an easier way to counter this Microsoft OOXML standard is to urge respective governments to avoid it and not to touch it even with a 10 foot pole. That way, alternative formats will take route. Isn't this easier?
That said, it all depends on the situation. I ran a DB that uses forms that catch errors at that level. Other applications interact with the DB solely to read data.
It is better for these applications to get maximum attention from the DB engine, instead of having the engine catching errors being generated by other users.
In this situation, when upgrades are made to the interface, each user's interface is auto-magically upgraded at the next log-in.
MS Access is the archtypical "toy" database -- useful for very-small projects that don't need to go beyond one computer, or that would otherwise be done by hand using some badly written spreadsheets.
I suggest you get your facts right before posting, otherwise you make us grade you in a certain way. Access is NOT a database. It IS a front end to Microsoft's Jet Database engine.
Having said that, Access itself is fully programmable using Visual Basic. Virtually, all components of what you see on the screen and what they do or how they respond after specific events can be programmed. There is nothing in the OSS world that comes close to this.
I am still looking for a way to make OpenOffice.org's database front end enforce input masks for Canadian postal codes which are in the following format: [A-Z][1-9][A-Z][1-9][A-Z][1-9].This effort is proving almost impossible. Catching an error at form level is better and faster than waiting for the DB to flag it and return an error.
I am wondering when we shall ever have a free as is OSS, fully programmable front end to MySQL. All the free front ends available suck big time and the non free ones, though somewhat functional, are not available without some kind of restrictions.
In my opinion, the day MySQL will have a fully programmable front end...I mean one that a programmer can add business logic to, program input masks, direct functionality at widget or control level and use to generate customized reports depending on various metrics, MySQL will kick ass. Right now, all front ends to MYSQL suck big time and there does not appear to be an end in sight - sadly.
Docking of crew-less vehicles with orbital outposts was first done by the Russians a few decades ago. It's sad that my favorite space agency is only pulling off this kind of feat this late!
This is my biggest trouble with Linux. When I point my browser to http://localost:631, a page comes up with some message telling me that Firefox cannot establish a connection to the server at 127.0.0.1:631. It goes ahead to tell me that the site could be temporarily available, I should check my network connection or I should check my firewall.
Imagine telling that to my mother. Why don't Linux folks make things just work? In this case this port should have been made available because everyone knows a printer could be added. No wonder we in the Linux world are still playing catch-up.
I see KDE as a very good, highly configurable and modern desktop environment but still wonder why it is not yet the desktop environment of choice for the "major" distros. Why? Is is because it is mainly European based and all the so called major distros are American based? I hope not.
It's sad! Very sad indeed. Why? Because I thought Norway was one of the least corrupt nations on earth, and that's why it enjoyed a standard of living higher than my own country - the USA.
Why is this corruption syndrome, typical of the USA cropping up in very successful [European] countries? Why?
India is now on track to earning the respect it deserves. Good for them! But I wonder what countries like Russia have hidden from the public. I am sure they have respectable hardware. Those very deadly [nuclear] weapons and missile systems must have had their design done on some pretty cool hardware.
Some of my problems with OpenOffice.org include the following: -
It's almost archaic report authoring tools. Heck I cannot even put logic in the report itself! I mean, for example deciding what data to display and how.
It is almost impossible to design input masks to form data. This helps to for example catch errors at form level instead of waiting for the database back-end to flag the error. Think of valid zip codes like those of Canada which are in the form A9A9A9. Where A's represent letters of the alphabet and the 9's represent numbers 0 to 9.
I found it hard to define what [form] controls are activated depending on what has been selected. For example, making a control ready for "how many years one has been married" if a "married" control has been selected, and demanding that some input be supplied. This is possible but so cumbersome. More complex logic is not possible.
...my country, the US, is becoming synonymous with incompetence. Can anyone tell me what the USA under the Bush administration has successfully accomplished. All I see are scars of utter incompetence. The bad thing is that we'll continue to see this kind of incompetence manifest itself before things get better.
I love all these Open Source databases but what troubles me most is the absence of a decent [fully] programmable GUI to "slap" onto the actual database back-end. I would like readers to think of Access which is on top of Microsoft's jet database engine. It works and works beautifully but I loath Microsoft's products.
Can one tell me why we (in the open source world), do not have a single product that competes with Access in terms of functionality, ease of use and ease of programming business logic?
This is one more reason why all those that know how to code should put all their efforts behind KDE and its latest flagship product based on QT4. I have nothing against the other desktop environment but its association with Mono and Microsoft's.NET platform makes me very nervous. We already have voices of descent and a timeline on this issue.
One could say we in the free software business are our own enemies. We shoot ourselves in the feet all the time. Imagine...after all this time, with the [free] availability of specs of every kind, there is no decent ODF application beyond OpenOffice.org...which at version 2.4, still sucks bigtime by the way! Do not think I blindly support KDE because KDE's KOffice is a joke!
By the way, some author outlines ways for that other environment to improve.
I am rarely on Microsoft's side when there are contentious issues...but that does not matter. I am an insignificant player in the IT world anyway. But I support Microsoft's stand on this. Why? Because I do not see why Microsoft should support another proprietary technology.
The trouble is, there is no open source alternative, but even if it existed, all these companies including Microsoft will not use the alternative.
1: Linux sucks! From the UI to development tools...and do not forget the "archaic" configuration tools.
2: Hundreds of distros? Give me a break.
3: The name Linux is confising to newbies. They download a Linux distro that actually sucks at every metric and try it out. They then realize that they cannot do most of what we using other OSes can do. They blame Linux in general.
The headline goes..."NVIDIA Performance On Linux, Solaris, & Vista"
Then the introductory piece simply mentions one Linux distro: Ubuntu.
AtomBOB suggests a Phoronix review comparing the performance of a Quadro graphics card on Windows Vista Ultimate, Solaris Express Developer, and Ubuntu Linux.
My question is: Since when has Ubuntu Linux represented the entire Linux community? There are over 200 Linux distros of which Ubuntu is but just one.
One could say that it's very popular but at my last check, PCLinuxOS was more popular. http://www.distrowatch.com/ agrees. There is a lot I do not agree with when it comes to Ubuntu and I am not surprised that it's not performing that well.
When you think that you have seen the last depiction of the United States' government incompetence, there comes another one. It leaves me wondering what is next.
How are we in these United States different when compared to the so called "third world" countries - specifically relating to issues like these? I am inclined to think that they are better.
To me, maths dictates that if the patent office hired 12,000 examiners this year and did so for the next 5 years, the problem described would begin to decrease at year 3 and disappear at year 5. That would be an achievement by US standards. Why don't these officials just do this grade 9 math?
Slashdot Mirror
I know that there are folks out there that are accomplishing [all] desktop functions with free software. Again, what's hard for Redhat to bundle software that such folks are using, into a fully functional desktop that will work as advertised?
From Java, to Adobe's flash it's all free software and that's what most people need. If there are licensing issues, talk to the folks that license the software. It is not impossible. I am sure companies like Adobe will be happy to have an additional distribution channel now that Microsoft is on the attack with Silverlight and Moonlight.
What Redhat are doing is to wait until some traction has been got by the desktop...then jump in! Microsoft must be happy with this news. Sad indeed.
Under the kernel for Mythbuntu 7.10, that getting that remote control to work is next to impossible...even after tinkering with all sorts of text configuration files. To cut it short, getting the remote control to work was an exercise in frustration.
If this kernel fixes this, I will be happy.
Heck I just want a phone, period! A device to make calls, store my contacts and a calendar maybe. But these days, what one sees are these bloated gadgets that have proven [to me], to be more hindering than helpful. Is it possible to buy a new cell phone without the bloat these days?
It's my thought that all this is "wasted energy." Surely, wouldn't this effort be better utilized caring for those less fortunate in these United States?
In my opinion, an easier way to counter this Microsoft OOXML standard is to urge respective governments to avoid it and not to touch it even with a 10 foot pole. That way, alternative formats will take route. Isn't this easier?
That said, it all depends on the situation. I ran a DB that uses forms that catch errors at that level. Other applications interact with the DB solely to read data.
It is better for these applications to get maximum attention from the DB engine, instead of having the engine catching errors being generated by other users.
In this situation, when upgrades are made to the interface, each user's interface is auto-magically upgraded at the next log-in.
I suggest you get your facts right before posting, otherwise you make us grade you in a certain way. Access is NOT a database. It IS a front end to Microsoft's Jet Database engine.
Having said that, Access itself is fully programmable using Visual Basic. Virtually, all components of what you see on the screen and what they do or how they respond after specific events can be programmed. There is nothing in the OSS world that comes close to this.
I am still looking for a way to make OpenOffice.org's database front end enforce input masks for Canadian postal codes which are in the following format: [A-Z][1-9][A-Z][1-9][A-Z][1-9].This effort is proving almost impossible. Catching an error at form level is better and faster than waiting for the DB to flag it and return an error.
In my opinion, the day MySQL will have a fully programmable front end...I mean one that a programmer can add business logic to, program input masks, direct functionality at widget or control level and use to generate customized reports depending on various metrics, MySQL will kick ass. Right now, all front ends to MYSQL suck big time and there does not appear to be an end in sight - sadly.
SQL Maestro is very promising but it's not free!
Russia-2, USA-1 and Europe-0.
Imagine telling that to my mother. Why don't Linux folks make things just work? In this case this port should have been made available because everyone knows a printer could be added. No wonder we in the Linux world are still playing catch-up.
My problem with it is the lack of a decent printer configuration tool and its ugliness. It looks damn ugly!
I see KDE as a very good, highly configurable and modern desktop environment but still wonder why it is not yet the desktop environment of choice for the "major" distros. Why? Is is because it is mainly European based and all the so called major distros are American based? I hope not.
Why is this corruption syndrome, typical of the USA cropping up in very successful [European] countries? Why?
India is now on track to earning the respect it deserves. Good for them! But I wonder what countries like Russia have hidden from the public. I am sure they have respectable hardware. Those very deadly [nuclear] weapons and missile systems must have had their design done on some pretty cool hardware.
It's almost archaic report authoring tools. Heck I cannot even put logic in the report itself! I mean, for example deciding what data to display and how.
It is almost impossible to design input masks to form data. This helps to for example catch errors at form level instead of waiting for the database back-end to flag the error. Think of valid zip codes like those of Canada which are in the form A9A9A9. Where A's represent letters of the alphabet and the 9's represent numbers 0 to 9.
I found it hard to define what [form] controls are activated depending on what has been selected. For example, making a control ready for "how many years one has been married" if a "married" control has been selected, and demanding that some input be supplied. This is possible but so cumbersome. More complex logic is not possible.
There are many others.
In my experience all features of OpenOffice.org suck big time!
...my country, the US, is becoming synonymous with incompetence. Can anyone tell me what the USA under the Bush administration has successfully accomplished. All I see are scars of utter incompetence. The bad thing is that we'll continue to see this kind of incompetence manifest itself before things get better.
Can one tell me why we (in the open source world), do not have a single product that competes with Access in terms of functionality, ease of use and ease of programming business logic?
One could say we in the free software business are our own enemies. We shoot ourselves in the feet all the time. Imagine...after all this time, with the [free] availability of specs of every kind, there is no decent ODF application beyond OpenOffice.org...which at version 2.4, still sucks bigtime by the way! Do not think I blindly support KDE because KDE's KOffice is a joke!
By the way, some author outlines ways for that other environment to improve.
The trouble is, there is no open source alternative, but even if it existed, all these companies including Microsoft will not use the alternative.
Incompetence!
2: Hundreds of distros? Give me a break.
3: The name Linux is confising to newbies. They download a Linux distro that actually sucks at every metric and try it out. They then realize that they cannot do most of what we using other OSes can do. They blame Linux in general.
Then the introductory piece simply mentions one Linux distro: Ubuntu.
AtomBOB suggests a Phoronix review comparing the performance of a Quadro graphics card on Windows Vista Ultimate, Solaris Express Developer, and Ubuntu Linux.My question is: Since when has Ubuntu Linux represented the entire Linux community? There are over 200 Linux distros of which Ubuntu is but just one.
One could say that it's very popular but at my last check, PCLinuxOS was more popular. http://www.distrowatch.com/ agrees. There is a lot I do not agree with when it comes to Ubuntu and I am not surprised that it's not performing that well.
How are we in these United States different when compared to the so called "third world" countries - specifically relating to issues like these? I am inclined to think that they are better.
To me, maths dictates that if the patent office hired 12,000 examiners this year and did so for the next 5 years, the problem described would begin to decrease at year 3 and disappear at year 5. That would be an achievement by US standards. Why don't these officials just do this grade 9 math?