I don't have a problem with staying at the same job for years, (I've been in my own for 5 years), and I don't live in the US actually, but council jobs here in the UK don't seem very appealing. Whenever you read about government IT projects for example it sounds like they are a complete mess that rarely make it to completion. Working for the DoD could be interesting, but other than that I think I'd rather avoid government work.
I don't think many Linux users are concerned about becoming the number 1 desktop market. We care more about using open standards which will enable us to use Linux if we want. One way of encouraging open standards is to get people to use Linux, OpenOffice, etc - but who cares what OS other people are using, as long as things are set up so that you can communicate freely with them, sending and receiving data in a format that anyone else can understand?
Having said that, when using Ubuntu I never had any reason to use the CLI outside of doing geeky webserver/programming type things. With Mint I did need to use the CLI to turn off "tap to click" on the trackpad, so admittedly that sucks. But when I was using Windows recently I had to Google just as much to find out where the option to "disable touchpad when typing" was because the GUI controlling the Synaptics driver settings wasn't worded very well.
gconf-editor already does something similar for Gnome, it's basically it's the equivalent of regedit. You still have to type gconf-editor from a terminal to run it - but MS don't put regedit in the Start Menu either. Some settings need to be made less accessible so that people don't screw up their system doing "exploration."
I suppose someone could write a GUI that automatically parses all the most popular Unix config file types and locations and lets you change settings from that. It would be quite convenient, especially for people who don't yet know where settings files are likely to be located. If nobody's actually done that yet then I might give this a go, good idea HairyFeet:p Similar to the idea that gconf-editor and regedit aren't available from a menu, I'm not sure it would be a good idea for it to be startable from outside a CLI though.
Windows is quicker if you are given a task where you've never had to do it before" why? Because GUIs are intuitive and reward exploration, and CLIs give you a blinking cursor and a shitload of man pages, that's why!
That really depends on the task now, doesn't it? Some things you just can not do in Windows without downloading a specialised application. As a silghtly sideways example I've used many simple text editors over the years, but recently after trying emacs I love it. I can use regexps in my search and replaces, and create macros to do things that 99% of text editors simply cannot do. I get that most people don't care about this kind of feature, but there are just some things that either take a very long time, or are simply not possible when you're using a basic GUI. You have to wait until someone makes a GUI that does what you want.
As for previous interfaces, have you ever used Windows Mobile or CE? Especially in the Pre 6.5 days. The interface was basically just a small version of desktop windows - which also is horrible on a touchscreen. All the buttons are tiny. Stupidly simple things like that, for some reason nobody bothered to do anything about it until Apple released iOS. I knew that the interface was the weakest point in my smart phones, but Windows Mobile was still the best option for me until Android came out.
Capacitive touchscreens made a big difference too, and not just because of multi-touch.
Use a bluetooth keyboard. Or just don't get a tablet if you really want a keyboard. I have both a netbook and a tablet, and though there is a lot of overlap, the tablet is great for reading, web browsing and youtube videos. It sucks for Slashdot though - the latest JavaScript stuff in Slashcode is really slowing things down..
What's wrong with Gnome 3? I've just had a look, and it looks pretty much the same as Gnome 2, but running Docky/Gnome-Do by default, and copying a couple of useful Windows 7 window gestures.
The interface duh. The fscking article and whole of the discussion are about interfaces. Yes, phones and tablets have been around for a long time, but the interfaces sucked until Apple kicked everyone's ass with the iPhone. No, I will never own an iPhone, but yes I do appreciate that they were the first people to actually design an OS that worked well with a touchscreen.
WTF is a "compelling design language"? I thought it was a swooshy interface that doesn't make sense on anything but a touchscreen. Your marketing-speak doesn't change this fact..
Probably. Considering it's the CEO that's liable if anyone is found to be using pirated software, I don't see how it would be different for any other type of copyright violations. How the content got to be there shouldn't matter, only the fact that it's there.
If you're on a VPN then the data still ends up being stored on your computer, so if someone is downloading a torrent onto a business machine, the business could still end up in trouble. Your home connection is just another hop on the data's journey, the same as any other switch that it passes through on its way to you. Both the home connection and business connection would be involved in the download, though since the traffic between your house and work is encrypted, then a naive observer might assume that the home connection is the end point.
If you're just connecting into a remote terminal then I agree with you though, the data isn't getting into the business in that case
I really doubt you're using the best tools for your jobs. You didn't even know that you can connect into UNIX machines remotely. You have no credibility in a discussion about servers or networking.
You're not stuck on a rail when you're playing multiplayer - you have an essentially infinite variety of possibilities.
RTSes are just as "stuck on a rail" in their single player games, probably even more so. Looking at this list of games with multiple endings there are a lot more FPSes than strategy games with multiple possible endings.
I enjoyed the original Civilisation. Turn based strategy games are a lot more fun to me than RTSes as they tend to have more variety and culture. I actually enjoyed the first Settlers game too for a similar reason, despite it basically being an RTS when you get down to it. Any RTS I've tried since has had very simple resource models combined with the incredibly boring "click to go here or attack here" style of fighting.. I don't know, I just don't enjoy them at all. I kind of liked how Brutal Legend tried to do things - letting you command an army while also letting you take part in the battle yourself. Likewise I enjoyed Operation Flashpoint where you start off as a grunt, then work your way up to commander of a large squad. But I don't like just sitting on the side lines and commanding mindless little morons who can't improvise.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't have a problem with staying at the same job for years, (I've been in my own for 5 years), and I don't live in the US actually, but council jobs here in the UK don't seem very appealing. Whenever you read about government IT projects for example it sounds like they are a complete mess that rarely make it to completion. Working for the DoD could be interesting, but other than that I think I'd rather avoid government work.
A verbose person would say "If 2 out of 5 people are ill"
FTFY
Got to love this quote from your NYTimes article..
“When you come to work for the federal government, the American people expect the best of you,”
Baahahahahaha.. seriously? When I think of government workers, I think of depressed cubicle dwellers, or corrupt politicians..
Wow, calm down :)
I don't think many Linux users are concerned about becoming the number 1 desktop market. We care more about using open standards which will enable us to use Linux if we want. One way of encouraging open standards is to get people to use Linux, OpenOffice, etc - but who cares what OS other people are using, as long as things are set up so that you can communicate freely with them, sending and receiving data in a format that anyone else can understand?
Having said that, when using Ubuntu I never had any reason to use the CLI outside of doing geeky webserver/programming type things. With Mint I did need to use the CLI to turn off "tap to click" on the trackpad, so admittedly that sucks. But when I was using Windows recently I had to Google just as much to find out where the option to "disable touchpad when typing" was because the GUI controlling the Synaptics driver settings wasn't worded very well.
gconf-editor already does something similar for Gnome, it's basically it's the equivalent of regedit. You still have to type gconf-editor from a terminal to run it - but MS don't put regedit in the Start Menu either. Some settings need to be made less accessible so that people don't screw up their system doing "exploration."
I suppose someone could write a GUI that automatically parses all the most popular Unix config file types and locations and lets you change settings from that. It would be quite convenient, especially for people who don't yet know where settings files are likely to be located. If nobody's actually done that yet then I might give this a go, good idea HairyFeet :p Similar to the idea that gconf-editor and regedit aren't available from a menu, I'm not sure it would be a good idea for it to be startable from outside a CLI though.
Windows is quicker if you are given a task where you've never had to do it before" why? Because GUIs are intuitive and reward exploration, and CLIs give you a blinking cursor and a shitload of man pages, that's why!
That really depends on the task now, doesn't it? Some things you just can not do in Windows without downloading a specialised application. As a silghtly sideways example I've used many simple text editors over the years, but recently after trying emacs I love it. I can use regexps in my search and replaces, and create macros to do things that 99% of text editors simply cannot do. I get that most people don't care about this kind of feature, but there are just some things that either take a very long time, or are simply not possible when you're using a basic GUI. You have to wait until someone makes a GUI that does what you want.
*gets out a real keyboard*
As for previous interfaces, have you ever used Windows Mobile or CE? Especially in the Pre 6.5 days. The interface was basically just a small version of desktop windows - which also is horrible on a touchscreen. All the buttons are tiny. Stupidly simple things like that, for some reason nobody bothered to do anything about it until Apple released iOS. I knew that the interface was the weakest point in my smart phones, but Windows Mobile was still the best option for me until Android came out.
Capacitive touchscreens made a big difference too, and not just because of multi-touch.
It's not the look or the colours, it's the concept of making the UI finger friendly
Use a bluetooth keyboard. Or just don't get a tablet if you really want a keyboard. I have both a netbook and a tablet, and though there is a lot of overlap, the tablet is great for reading, web browsing and youtube videos. It sucks for Slashdot though - the latest JavaScript stuff in Slashcode is really slowing things down..
What's wrong with Gnome 3? I've just had a look, and it looks pretty much the same as Gnome 2, but running Docky/Gnome-Do by default, and copying a couple of useful Windows 7 window gestures.
Unity is pants though, I'll agree.
The interface duh. The fscking article and whole of the discussion are about interfaces. Yes, phones and tablets have been around for a long time, but the interfaces sucked until Apple kicked everyone's ass with the iPhone. No, I will never own an iPhone, but yes I do appreciate that they were the first people to actually design an OS that worked well with a touchscreen.
WTF is a "compelling design language"? I thought it was a swooshy interface that doesn't make sense on anything but a touchscreen. Your marketing-speak doesn't change this fact..
It's patentable by the person that published.
You seem not to have heard of "prior art", amirite?
Probably. Considering it's the CEO that's liable if anyone is found to be using pirated software, I don't see how it would be different for any other type of copyright violations. How the content got to be there shouldn't matter, only the fact that it's there.
Those feebs! They are pathetic.
If you're on a VPN then the data still ends up being stored on your computer, so if someone is downloading a torrent onto a business machine, the business could still end up in trouble. Your home connection is just another hop on the data's journey, the same as any other switch that it passes through on its way to you. Both the home connection and business connection would be involved in the download, though since the traffic between your house and work is encrypted, then a naive observer might assume that the home connection is the end point.
If you're just connecting into a remote terminal then I agree with you though, the data isn't getting into the business in that case
"Stolen" != "leaked"
Handily erected via touch screen keyboard
I really doubt you're using the best tools for your jobs. You didn't even know that you can connect into UNIX machines remotely. You have no credibility in a discussion about servers or networking.
I'm just surprised Google would go along with this.. but I guess the tech will speak for itself in the end.
That depends on how well the hash function distributes its hashes, the size of the original message, and how good your rainbow tables are :p
Damn. Slashcode won't let me post the Skein encrypted version of first post (Filter error: That's an awful long string of letters there.)
My users don't whine about icons and shortcuts, they usually ask for more of them (to link to network locations).
It must be a really riveting experience.
You're not stuck on a rail when you're playing multiplayer - you have an essentially infinite variety of possibilities.
RTSes are just as "stuck on a rail" in their single player games, probably even more so. Looking at this list of games with multiple endings there are a lot more FPSes than strategy games with multiple possible endings.
I enjoyed the original Civilisation. Turn based strategy games are a lot more fun to me than RTSes as they tend to have more variety and culture. I actually enjoyed the first Settlers game too for a similar reason, despite it basically being an RTS when you get down to it. Any RTS I've tried since has had very simple resource models combined with the incredibly boring "click to go here or attack here" style of fighting.. I don't know, I just don't enjoy them at all. I kind of liked how Brutal Legend tried to do things - letting you command an army while also letting you take part in the battle yourself. Likewise I enjoyed Operation Flashpoint where you start off as a grunt, then work your way up to commander of a large squad. But I don't like just sitting on the side lines and commanding mindless little morons who can't improvise.
Yes. Shhhh.