But OpenOffice has a long way to go (in the direction it is going) before it slays Word. It is too slow and sucks up too many resources - suffering from many of Word's weaknesses. It is difficult to argue OpenOffice over Word - to a committed msoftie.
I work for a large company who seem to be of the mindset that if big companies don't support each other that the world will end. Ergo, Microsoft good, anything else bad. I know that in certain geographical (unnamed) divisions the use of Firefox is a sackable offence - or certainly warrants a massive slap on the wrists.
Where I am it's not so bad - however, my (illegal) Xubuntu installation is on an external drive with the Grub RW CD for booting and I can pull the plug (literally) if there's a problem. Originally, I had a linux paritition but I've moved away from that and restored all my partitions to the way they were delivered. Although I use rsync to keep copies of my home directory on the D: drive just in case and I have dallied with the Linux swap on the Windows swap file (still working out the kinks). Xubuntu on an external drive is slow - but it's actually faster than Windows on the main drive.
Anyways, I would have two complaints from the point of view of someone sneaking Linux into the Workplace (Undermining the bastards from the inside!):
1. OpenOffice sucks. Now the response to this is the obvious 'Hey Stupid! OpenOffice isn't Linux'. To which I reply, 'Hey Nutjob! Wake up to the realities of the market you are trying to get in to'. It matters not that OpenOffice is not officially a part of Linux - it is a fundamental part of Linux in a business environment. OpenOffice is not able to handle the full array of rubbish that Microsoft Word produces leading to the inevitable - 'Oh that's strange I looks fine on my computer' {scramble to reissue document using Word in Wine} 'Try that version'. That said Word 97 works great under Wine, so I use that a lot - although I do prefer AbiWord.
2. It'd be nice to have a stealth Windows skin for Xubuntu. Needs to have all those nasty startup screens, skin the GDM, skin the window manager - and the big one, skin Xscreensaver especially so it can load 'corporate mandated screensavers' and ask for the password in a Windowsy way. Oh and some yoke that could be installed so that anyone enquiring from the outside using network tools etc (i.e. M$ Administrator), would be told 'Windows Machine - nothing to see here'.
For one second, ignore the propaganda machine that has you brain washed.
Here's one very small county and its largest trading is oppressing it economically for 50 years for purely idealogical reasons. It doesn't take much though to figure out that life is not going to be easy - and some people will choose to leave.
People all over the world are risking their lives and the lives of their families for a better future or way of life. There are even people leaving the US every day for a better life somewhere else.
If the embargo was lifted tomorrow, Castro or no, people would stop leaving. But that will never happen, because the US is terrified that Cuba might prove that a Communist state can work.
100% agree. My guess is that the article is +5 redundant.
Two nasty types of developer exist out there - the complete noob ( which makes up about 80% of them ) who doesn't follow these rules and is hell to support, and the complete elitist to whom the rules are second nature but is oblivious to the fact that complete noobs write code.
The elitist's response is always "here are the rules, you will follow them - because I say so and I am the best". The noob never learns because the elitist is a muppet with no patience. [Popular line: Those that can do, those that can't teach - ergo teaching is a waste of time]
And why are there 80% noobs, because they are chargeable - they're shite, but they are still chargeable (PHB is happy). And once the client has paid for the rubbish they write, the client (because he's stupid) will pay for it to be supported by idiots like you and me. Welcome to hell, please wipe your feet.
- New Motion? - Completely new motion. That eh there be immediate action... - Once the vote has been taken - Well, obviously once the vote has been taken....
Firstly, before the whole Dell hoo-ha started I seem to remember the big thing was to get your money back for the Windows install that you never wanted.
Secondly, most Linux fanboys will install their own OS - it's part of the charm. Support for drivers is the most cited complaint here - not Dell supporting the box they sold you. And it's not really support that's required - more, less of the anti-support, i.e. obfuscating technical specifications to ensure the only the supplier that 'owns' you can support your hardware.
Thirdly, the target market here in unlikely to be the Linux fanboy - more likely someone with limited ability that wants to try out something other than Windows and/or companies that have the technical expertise who want to reduce their costs but are unwilling to expend time/resources supporting the OS when Dell could do it.
Finally, no true Linux fanboy would ever be approved for a credit card.
...but that lack of Windows on the OLPC could be an issue.
Mainly because your average Joe Schmo is absolutely convinced that Windows is a program for writing letters on, or something equally stupid. The lack of interoperability with the rest of the world (however stupid the rest of the world is) puts people at a serious disadvantage.
For instance, we all know that ODT is the superior document format, but try giving one to someone (in the Joe Schmo category) who only uses Word. They look at you as if you had two heads. Same thing is actually quite common for the pdf format (I'm telling you, it happens).
The OLPCs are not going to people who are sitting on the side of a ditch oblivious of the wider IT world. They will have heard of Windows, and they will want to know why they are getting this 'second-rate' linux thingy. When they do business they will do it with some idiot who is blissfully unaware of anything outside of Office.
I wouldn't for one second suggest that Windows should be shipped with the OLPC. But there are perception issues that must be dealt with.
I'm reminded of the film 'The Shipping News' - when asked what kind of computer he wants, Quoyle says 'an IBM'. He didn't know whether it was any good or not, he just knew that it was the 'right' answer. And unfortunately, at the moment 'Microsoft' is the 'right' answer.
If I saw your original posting in a review of Ubuntu, I would probably dismiss the OS as a excessively complicated.
But the fact is, to suggest, albeit indirectly, that Ubuntu is always about command line operations is disingenuous and possibly a little trolly.
I would have to say that for an average (Grandma-style) user, who isn't screwing around with the system, very few, if any, command line operations are necessary.
Sure, if you want to do some complex operation Windows has an edge in terms of provided GUIs. But if you are not technically capable of doing such a thing on the command line, then maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. Granted that shouldn't apply to back-up - though I'm pretty sure my Grandma won't be demanding a shadow-whosy-whotsit.
And of course, there is a lot of tweaking with hardware to make it work with Ubuntu - but that's because you are trying to take something and make it do what it's not designed to do - as in Hardware designed for Windows and make it work on Linux. But this is a business issue - not down to the quality of the OS.
Linux definitely has the edge on Windows on the 'making it do what it's not supposed to' front and, with what seems like an increasing number of hardware manufacturers becoming aware of the significance of linux systems, the worm may turn on compatibility. And with that out of the way Windows is really only better at being a games engine.
French teens being French teens, is it not possible that they will rebel against the state imposed free software, as is there wont, and rally behind the cry of liberation: 'Where do you want to go today!'
IMHO Global Warming is a real threat, and it is man made.
However, like yourself, I really would like to see more of the science and less of the hype. It would be better for all of us.
In this vein, I would really like to know where 'dissenting papers' came from. It's in quotes - which suggests that it is a quote, but my 'find' button must be broken because it doesn't seem to appear in the article.
By looking at the top two petitions you can clearly see why. The first one has huge popular support, but I really couldn't care less whether it goes through. But if it's important enough for these guys - sure, let them have it.
On the other hand, Fox hunting is a very polar issue. And while it is represented here as having support, there is no indication as to how many people are against it.
It's a fine way to tell the government that you are unhappy, and the government should take it serious enough to at least look into the issues. But it shouldn't be seen as a genuine reflection of the public POV or as a valid measure of the government's approval rating and it certainly shouldn't be used as a basis for policy making.
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I'm not defending Word - it sucks the big one.
But OpenOffice has a long way to go (in the direction it is going) before it slays Word. It is too slow and sucks up too many resources - suffering from many of Word's weaknesses. It is difficult to argue OpenOffice over Word - to a committed msoftie.
However, the day of reckoning is coming.
Hell no! They pay me too much!
I'm getting away with blue murder here - I'm even running Linux on their precious Windows PC - Mmhmmm... life is sweet.
I work for a large company who seem to be of the mindset that if big companies don't support each other that the world will end. Ergo, Microsoft good, anything else bad. I know that in certain geographical (unnamed) divisions the use of Firefox is a sackable offence - or certainly warrants a massive slap on the wrists.
Where I am it's not so bad - however, my (illegal) Xubuntu installation is on an external drive with the Grub RW CD for booting and I can pull the plug (literally) if there's a problem. Originally, I had a linux paritition but I've moved away from that and restored all my partitions to the way they were delivered. Although I use rsync to keep copies of my home directory on the D: drive just in case and I have dallied with the Linux swap on the Windows swap file (still working out the kinks). Xubuntu on an external drive is slow - but it's actually faster than Windows on the main drive.
Anyways, I would have two complaints from the point of view of someone sneaking Linux into the Workplace (Undermining the bastards from the inside!):
1. OpenOffice sucks. Now the response to this is the obvious 'Hey Stupid! OpenOffice isn't Linux'. To which I reply, 'Hey Nutjob! Wake up to the realities of the market you are trying to get in to'. It matters not that OpenOffice is not officially a part of Linux - it is a fundamental part of Linux in a business environment. OpenOffice is not able to handle the full array of rubbish that Microsoft Word produces leading to the inevitable - 'Oh that's strange I looks fine on my computer' {scramble to reissue document using Word in Wine} 'Try that version'. That said Word 97 works great under Wine, so I use that a lot - although I do prefer AbiWord.
2. It'd be nice to have a stealth Windows skin for Xubuntu. Needs to have all those nasty startup screens, skin the GDM, skin the window manager - and the big one, skin Xscreensaver especially so it can load 'corporate mandated screensavers' and ask for the password in a Windowsy way. Oh and some yoke that could be installed so that anyone enquiring from the outside using network tools etc (i.e. M$ Administrator), would be told 'Windows Machine - nothing to see here'.
- We mustn't fight each other! Surely we should be united against the common enemy!
= The Judean People's Front?!
- No, no! The Romans!
For one second, ignore the propaganda machine that has you brain washed.
Here's one very small county and its largest trading is oppressing it economically for 50 years for purely idealogical reasons. It doesn't take much though to figure out that life is not going to be easy - and some people will choose to leave.
People all over the world are risking their lives and the lives of their families for a better future or way of life. There are even people leaving the US every day for a better life somewhere else.
If the embargo was lifted tomorrow, Castro or no, people would stop leaving. But that will never happen, because the US is terrified that Cuba might prove that a Communist state can work.
These aren't the droids you're looking for.
...and there's a damn good reason for that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO10s_HK6d0
They're not fanboys. They're minions.
Matthew 26.52
100% agree. My guess is that the article is +5 redundant.
Two nasty types of developer exist out there - the complete noob ( which makes up about 80% of them ) who doesn't follow these rules and is hell to support, and the complete elitist to whom the rules are second nature but is oblivious to the fact that complete noobs write code.
The elitist's response is always "here are the rules, you will follow them - because I say so and I am the best". The noob never learns because the elitist is a muppet with no patience. [Popular line: Those that can do, those that can't teach - ergo teaching is a waste of time]
And why are there 80% noobs, because they are chargeable - they're shite, but they are still chargeable (PHB is happy). And once the client has paid for the rubbish they write, the client (because he's stupid) will pay for it to be supported by idiots like you and me. Welcome to hell, please wipe your feet.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I think Microsoft has already patented your process.
- New Motion?
- Completely new motion. That eh there be immediate action...
- Once the vote has been taken
- Well, obviously once the vote has been taken....
I'm not sure that's completely true.
Firstly, before the whole Dell hoo-ha started I seem to remember the big thing was to get your money back for the Windows install that you never wanted.
Secondly, most Linux fanboys will install their own OS - it's part of the charm. Support for drivers is the most cited complaint here - not Dell supporting the box they sold you. And it's not really support that's required - more, less of the anti-support, i.e. obfuscating technical specifications to ensure the only the supplier that 'owns' you can support your hardware.
Thirdly, the target market here in unlikely to be the Linux fanboy - more likely someone with limited ability that wants to try out something other than Windows and/or companies that have the technical expertise who want to reduce their costs but are unwilling to expend time/resources supporting the OS when Dell could do it.
Finally, no true Linux fanboy would ever be approved for a credit card.
The problem is that a cornered rat is a very dangerous animal.
....yeah, but have they installed it.
...but that lack of Windows on the OLPC could be an issue.
Mainly because your average Joe Schmo is absolutely convinced that Windows is a program for writing letters on, or something equally stupid. The lack of interoperability with the rest of the world (however stupid the rest of the world is) puts people at a serious disadvantage.
For instance, we all know that ODT is the superior document format, but try giving one to someone (in the Joe Schmo category) who only uses Word. They look at you as if you had two heads. Same thing is actually quite common for the pdf format (I'm telling you, it happens).
The OLPCs are not going to people who are sitting on the side of a ditch oblivious of the wider IT world. They will have heard of Windows, and they will want to know why they are getting this 'second-rate' linux thingy. When they do business they will do it with some idiot who is blissfully unaware of anything outside of Office.
I wouldn't for one second suggest that Windows should be shipped with the OLPC. But there are perception issues that must be dealt with.
I'm reminded of the film 'The Shipping News' - when asked what kind of computer he wants, Quoyle says 'an IBM'. He didn't know whether it was any good or not, he just knew that it was the 'right' answer. And unfortunately, at the moment 'Microsoft' is the 'right' answer.
If I saw your original posting in a review of Ubuntu, I would probably dismiss the OS as a excessively complicated.
But the fact is, to suggest, albeit indirectly, that Ubuntu is always about command line operations is disingenuous and possibly a little trolly.
I would have to say that for an average (Grandma-style) user, who isn't screwing around with the system, very few, if any, command line operations are necessary.
Sure, if you want to do some complex operation Windows has an edge in terms of provided GUIs. But if you are not technically capable of doing such a thing on the command line, then maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. Granted that shouldn't apply to back-up - though I'm pretty sure my Grandma won't be demanding a shadow-whosy-whotsit.
And of course, there is a lot of tweaking with hardware to make it work with Ubuntu - but that's because you are trying to take something and make it do what it's not designed to do - as in Hardware designed for Windows and make it work on Linux. But this is a business issue - not down to the quality of the OS.
Linux definitely has the edge on Windows on the 'making it do what it's not supposed to' front and, with what seems like an increasing number of hardware manufacturers becoming aware of the significance of linux systems, the worm may turn on compatibility. And with that out of the way Windows is really only better at being a games engine.
Don't oppress me, ya big snooby prud!
Is 'snooby' a word? If it isn't it should be.
As should 'prud'. I don't know what they are, but I like them.
Those 1.2e9 people are just a fringe group.
(sic)
..the tough find a scapegoat.
French teens being French teens, is it not possible that they will rebel against the state imposed free software, as is there wont, and rally behind the cry of liberation: 'Where do you want to go today!'
IMHO Global Warming is a real threat, and it is man made.
However, like yourself, I really would like to see more of the science and less of the hype. It would be better for all of us.
In this vein, I would really like to know where 'dissenting papers' came from. It's in quotes - which suggests that it is a quote, but my 'find' button must be broken because it doesn't seem to appear in the article.
What's with this?
No.
By looking at the top two petitions you can clearly see why. The first one has huge popular support, but I really couldn't care less whether it goes through. But if it's important enough for these guys - sure, let them have it.
On the other hand, Fox hunting is a very polar issue. And while it is represented here as having support, there is no indication as to how many people are against it.
It's a fine way to tell the government that you are unhappy, and the government should take it serious enough to at least look into the issues. But it shouldn't be seen as a genuine reflection of the public POV or as a valid measure of the government's approval rating and it certainly shouldn't be used as a basis for policy making.