I am sure most of you forget (or the younger kids don't know) that MS started out as the pioneers in their field. They were the Slashdotters of their day. They set out the break the monopoly held by IBM for years. The did it with a little purchased code that they heavily modified to run on personal desktop computers that IBM thought was no threat. The end result is an OS that runs on 95% of the worlds desktop computers and for most folks who know what they're doing it runs with few if any problems.
While I am sure that many who read this will distance the Linux crowd from the MS of old, I have already seen the seeds of control planted in these forums. There are those we read daily who would outlaw Windows and force the world to run Linux for their own good as it is obviously the optimal choice. They will in the end become what they fought to eliminate just like MS. When they do, someone will come up with something new that fights the establishment with it's Linux monopoly and the whole thing will start all over again.
We have all seen this before, each one of us that has worked anywhere in IT for more than a month. How many times have you been asked to implement a poor system or work around to make another department or division happy because they don't want to put forth the effort to do things the right way? MS faces the same problems on a greater scale. They try to do it right but everyone on the planet tries to get them to implement their version of "right" and we end up with the best of a series of a million compromises.
You are correct. No sane, intelligent, wise person would even consider the job. You have to have a screw loose to want that level of scrutiny in your life.
The point of the article was the effect of the fragmentation of the user base by the creation of a secondary (and competing) browser called Ice Weasel. That whole trade mark thing was pretty much filler and background info. This quote sums up the authors reason for documenting his thoughts, "Anyone who thinks IceWeasel is a good idea has drunken too much of the open source Koolaid." Notice the distinct absence of any mention of trademark law. I think you missed the point...yourself...yourself...?
The point of open source software is to allow users the freedom to modify the code to meet their needs. If you restrict users to one single unmodified browser for the sake of unity then we have met the enemy and he is us.
Is there anywhere to see stats showing what the percentages are for business deployments? My company uses IE internally except for a few IT folks who run FF. I would like to see how many businesses have deployed FF in mass. We have web apps that are currently supported in IE only and it would be nice to build an ROI for supporting multiple browsers.
This article is as fine an example of journalism as it was when I first read it in 1995. Every so often some bean counter or techie who hasn't ventured into the real world in years likes to trumpet the arriving end of the "Win-doze" era. Many articles proclaimed it when IBM beat MS to market with Warp. Gartner trumpeted the arrival of true network computing with the "Thin Client" model and Citrix in 96. The actual result was simply an easier way to serve a Windows desktop or program. Today many people carry the banner for for JAVA and all of the promise it holds, factually.NET programing tools currently account for 60% of the developement market and java development is on the decline http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1995497,00.as p?kc=EWNAVEMNL072806EOAD. The rest of the world keeps moving forward realizing that a computer is just a another tool to accomplish the variety of tasks they need to complete eveyday and the Windows box offers the greatest range of off the shelf software, the most extensive range of development tools, and the greatest compatibility with new hardware. The greatest threat to MS is not that it's OS becomes irrelevant but rather the next idea in sharing information (perhaps cell phone \ PDA \ MP3 players). Those who continue to try to re-invent or duplicate the PC with Linux are not offering anything new but rather a retread of current technology that while not perfect, already exists. Microsoft says "Where do you want to go today?" but the world is saying "Take me where I've never been before".
I didn't present any statistics but did notice you had managed to avoid answering the questions posed. With no relevant evidence or personal experience to share you are unfortunately relagated to spouting the same theoretical ideas and "what if" scenarios I could get at any high school. I had read several of your other online posts and anticipated better. With that said perhaps you could share your ideal end point for the situation the US finds its self in currently? Would that be the destruction of the US entireley, enslavement of the population, or simply total humiliation and discredit for the last remaining super power? The US was attacked and 3000 citizens killed, what would have been the appropriate response? Do you believe forgiveness was in order? Were these Islamic extremists justified in their actions? If so how do their actions square with simlar actions in Darfur? I would be instested to hear a perspective that I cannot get from CNN, the BBC, or the office water cooler.
Do you support the military in your country of origin or is the anti-military stance universal? Are you a pacifist or just anti American military? The answer is seldom relevant as long as you can defend your view point. There are too many who rant endlessly about the results of American military action but have never actually been there to see the results. They choose to listen to what they are spoon fed by others and can develop extremely bitter attitudes based on information that they believe as gospel. They will not attempt to verify anything that they hear and assume that if it is anti American it must be true. This type of intellectual laziness if pervasive on our college campuses. If you have first hand knowledge it may be that you have been on the other side of American military action. I have seen the overwhelmingly positive response of civilians in other countries to the US military presence. While I also saw those who did not want us there they were in the minority and typically part of those were no longer in a position to cause harm to others.
I served four years in the Infantry. My data is no doubt in the records that were stolen. I am not asking for pity from anyone. I do not believe in the concept of a soul either. I came from a family that knows that someone must protect our country from those who would do us harm. I have traveled the world and I know that there are many people who would like to destroy us. There will always be a quiet and vigilant group of people who will take the risks, carry the load, endure the pain, and give their lives so that people like you can have your opinions. Carry on with your rhetoric and anti-social rantings. Rest assured that when your in danger someone like me will come to your rescue. I will defend you, carry your load, ensure you are OK and send you on your way. I am an American, that is what we do.
Take Care
I have read these moronic studies from both sides. All are flawed or will be perceived as flawed no matter who creates or sponsors them. The one thing that never seems to get posted is that the OS matters very little in a properly run data center. I have Windows boxes and Linux boxes that have run for a year with not even a reboot. I have had both fail at critical times that caused major issues. I have had to apply service packs that casued applications to be taken out of service with both and I have not applied certain packs and patches in favor of uptime with both. In the end it is the quality of the IT staff that makes the difference. My staff could run GE on a cluster of nintendo gameboys and a blackberry without missing a beat. When you have high uptimes the credit goes to the folks who maintain the systems, not anyones OS or hardware.
You are correct. There is only one thing to do, build a bomb shelter, a big one. Fill it with food, water, supplies, itunes, etc. Seal yourself inside and I will bury the entrance. I'll come get you in 20 years when the revolution is over. We have got to stop these racist, bigoted, homophobe, don't love their mother, republicans before they put an end to baseball, apple pie, free porn, strip malls, and all other things American...
Sadly there is a bit of irony that seems to be missed here. Apple will also give it's own user base the option of dual booting Windows. Perhaps one or two of them (only the simple minded ones) will decide that Windows isn't really that bad. They may not like the restrictions but if their just using their systems to play games and send emails maybe they will decide they can get by with just using Windows??? There may even be an application that they have always wanted to use that is only available on Windows that this dual boot think will be the excuse they need to load Windows and put up with it's horrific flaws. While I realize that this is far fetched and a very unlikely scenario I have seen other companies who have tried to expand their market share in similar ways and ended up losing much of their customer base (can you say EMC?).
I actually DO care. I do agree with the article and the thread with "popeguilty" proves the point the author was trying to make. At the end of the thread he labeled me an "idiot" for not falling to my knees to worship Linus Torvalds in the temple of his favorite distro.
So MS forced everyone to by NT at gun point? Talk about laughable. NT was purchased because it was cheaper and easier to use than the available alternatives. It now thrives because it is a superior product.
BTW, I am the worlds oldest living MCSE.
When NT 3.1-3.51 was released MS wrote their own drivers for 90% of the hardware. 100% of the printer drivers were written by MS because they had no support. They had to deal with the "monpolistic' behavior exhibited by IBM (look it up, it actually happened). The US government tried to step in several times but IBM was all powerful. Monopolys don't last when there are better options. The issue we are writing about is an example of a need for a better options.
In closing the point of the article is illustrated perfectly by our thread. You simply refuse to believe that Linux needs to be improved to succeed but would rather blame MS (or a capitolist market) for it's lack of acceptance. This is what is meant by the "Linux Snob" term.
You do not appear to be looking for insight. You seem to want to make excuses for why Linux didn't boot on a new motherboard. If you want Linux to succeed you have to stop making excuses for why it fails and ensure it does not fail. When MS began years ago they were given no chance to beat IBM. I spoke with IBM reps who laughed out loud about this upstart company and their little OS. They have succeeded so it's time to stop mocking them and beat them at what they do best. As a person who runs an IT department with over 100 servers and 60 of them running Red Hat I could care less for why it failed. My boss doesn't even know what Linux is...He only cares when it doesn't run.
Your first statement was true "The difference is that the mobo drivers came with windows. It's a big part of why XP works so well with hardware". You should have stopped there and looked to what needs to be done to make sure Linux works with as little effort.
Slashdot Mirror
In a word, Yes.
I am sure most of you forget (or the younger kids don't know) that MS started out as the pioneers in their field. They were the Slashdotters of their day. They set out the break the monopoly held by IBM for years. The did it with a little purchased code that they heavily modified to run on personal desktop computers that IBM thought was no threat. The end result is an OS that runs on 95% of the worlds desktop computers and for most folks who know what they're doing it runs with few if any problems. While I am sure that many who read this will distance the Linux crowd from the MS of old, I have already seen the seeds of control planted in these forums. There are those we read daily who would outlaw Windows and force the world to run Linux for their own good as it is obviously the optimal choice. They will in the end become what they fought to eliminate just like MS. When they do, someone will come up with something new that fights the establishment with it's Linux monopoly and the whole thing will start all over again.
We have all seen this before, each one of us that has worked anywhere in IT for more than a month. How many times have you been asked to implement a poor system or work around to make another department or division happy because they don't want to put forth the effort to do things the right way? MS faces the same problems on a greater scale. They try to do it right but everyone on the planet tries to get them to implement their version of "right" and we end up with the best of a series of a million compromises.
He never met a conspiracy he didn't like...
You are correct. No sane, intelligent, wise person would even consider the job. You have to have a screw loose to want that level of scrutiny in your life.
The moderator is obviously a Democrat. I will consider his rating an editorial comment.
Sadly I can say the same for any administration since the Reagan years. I have come to realize that voting only encourages this behavior.
Did you know he was running in 08? He is a Democrat with a plan. No matter how disturbed at least he has a plan.
The point of the article was the effect of the fragmentation of the user base by the creation of a secondary (and competing) browser called Ice Weasel. That whole trade mark thing was pretty much filler and background info. This quote sums up the authors reason for documenting his thoughts, "Anyone who thinks IceWeasel is a good idea has drunken too much of the open source Koolaid." Notice the distinct absence of any mention of trademark law. I think you missed the point...yourself...yourself...?
The point of open source software is to allow users the freedom to modify the code to meet their needs. If you restrict users to one single unmodified browser for the sake of unity then we have met the enemy and he is us.
Is there anywhere to see stats showing what the percentages are for business deployments? My company uses IE internally except for a few IT folks who run FF. I would like to see how many businesses have deployed FF in mass. We have web apps that are currently supported in IE only and it would be nice to build an ROI for supporting multiple browsers.
Does Veritas even have a drill bit agent?
This article is as fine an example of journalism as it was when I first read it in 1995. Every so often some bean counter or techie who hasn't ventured into the real world in years likes to trumpet the arriving end of the "Win-doze" era. Many articles proclaimed it when IBM beat MS to market with Warp. Gartner trumpeted the arrival of true network computing with the "Thin Client" model and Citrix in 96. The actual result was simply an easier way to serve a Windows desktop or program. Today many people carry the banner for for JAVA and all of the promise it holds, factually .NET programing tools currently account for 60% of the developement market and java development is on the decline http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1995497,00.as p?kc=EWNAVEMNL072806EOAD. The rest of the world keeps moving forward realizing that a computer is just a another tool to accomplish the variety of tasks they need to complete eveyday and the Windows box offers the greatest range of off the shelf software, the most extensive range of development tools, and the greatest compatibility with new hardware. The greatest threat to MS is not that it's OS becomes irrelevant but rather the next idea in sharing information (perhaps cell phone \ PDA \ MP3 players). Those who continue to try to re-invent or duplicate the PC with Linux are not offering anything new but rather a retread of current technology that while not perfect, already exists. Microsoft says "Where do you want to go today?" but the world is saying "Take me where I've never been before".
I didn't present any statistics but did notice you had managed to avoid answering the questions posed. With no relevant evidence or personal experience to share you are unfortunately relagated to spouting the same theoretical ideas and "what if" scenarios I could get at any high school. I had read several of your other online posts and anticipated better. With that said perhaps you could share your ideal end point for the situation the US finds its self in currently? Would that be the destruction of the US entireley, enslavement of the population, or simply total humiliation and discredit for the last remaining super power? The US was attacked and 3000 citizens killed, what would have been the appropriate response? Do you believe forgiveness was in order? Were these Islamic extremists justified in their actions? If so how do their actions square with simlar actions in Darfur? I would be instested to hear a perspective that I cannot get from CNN, the BBC, or the office water cooler.
Do you support the military in your country of origin or is the anti-military stance universal? Are you a pacifist or just anti American military? The answer is seldom relevant as long as you can defend your view point. There are too many who rant endlessly about the results of American military action but have never actually been there to see the results. They choose to listen to what they are spoon fed by others and can develop extremely bitter attitudes based on information that they believe as gospel. They will not attempt to verify anything that they hear and assume that if it is anti American it must be true. This type of intellectual laziness if pervasive on our college campuses. If you have first hand knowledge it may be that you have been on the other side of American military action. I have seen the overwhelmingly positive response of civilians in other countries to the US military presence. While I also saw those who did not want us there they were in the minority and typically part of those were no longer in a position to cause harm to others.
I served four years in the Infantry. My data is no doubt in the records that were stolen. I am not asking for pity from anyone. I do not believe in the concept of a soul either. I came from a family that knows that someone must protect our country from those who would do us harm. I have traveled the world and I know that there are many people who would like to destroy us. There will always be a quiet and vigilant group of people who will take the risks, carry the load, endure the pain, and give their lives so that people like you can have your opinions. Carry on with your rhetoric and anti-social rantings. Rest assured that when your in danger someone like me will come to your rescue. I will defend you, carry your load, ensure you are OK and send you on your way. I am an American, that is what we do. Take Care
I have read these moronic studies from both sides. All are flawed or will be perceived as flawed no matter who creates or sponsors them. The one thing that never seems to get posted is that the OS matters very little in a properly run data center. I have Windows boxes and Linux boxes that have run for a year with not even a reboot. I have had both fail at critical times that caused major issues. I have had to apply service packs that casued applications to be taken out of service with both and I have not applied certain packs and patches in favor of uptime with both. In the end it is the quality of the IT staff that makes the difference. My staff could run GE on a cluster of nintendo gameboys and a blackberry without missing a beat. When you have high uptimes the credit goes to the folks who maintain the systems, not anyones OS or hardware.
Are you implying that anyone who serves their country in the military has signed a "soul-selling contract"?
You are correct. There is only one thing to do, build a bomb shelter, a big one. Fill it with food, water, supplies, itunes, etc. Seal yourself inside and I will bury the entrance. I'll come get you in 20 years when the revolution is over. We have got to stop these racist, bigoted, homophobe, don't love their mother, republicans before they put an end to baseball, apple pie, free porn, strip malls, and all other things American...
Sadly there is a bit of irony that seems to be missed here. Apple will also give it's own user base the option of dual booting Windows. Perhaps one or two of them (only the simple minded ones) will decide that Windows isn't really that bad. They may not like the restrictions but if their just using their systems to play games and send emails maybe they will decide they can get by with just using Windows??? There may even be an application that they have always wanted to use that is only available on Windows that this dual boot think will be the excuse they need to load Windows and put up with it's horrific flaws. While I realize that this is far fetched and a very unlikely scenario I have seen other companies who have tried to expand their market share in similar ways and ended up losing much of their customer base (can you say EMC?).
I actually DO care. I do agree with the article and the thread with "popeguilty" proves the point the author was trying to make. At the end of the thread he labeled me an "idiot" for not falling to my knees to worship Linus Torvalds in the temple of his favorite distro.
The first thing the uneducated do when they cannot defend their arguments is get personal. I expected better.
So MS forced everyone to by NT at gun point? Talk about laughable. NT was purchased because it was cheaper and easier to use than the available alternatives. It now thrives because it is a superior product. BTW, I am the worlds oldest living MCSE.
When NT 3.1-3.51 was released MS wrote their own drivers for 90% of the hardware. 100% of the printer drivers were written by MS because they had no support. They had to deal with the "monpolistic' behavior exhibited by IBM (look it up, it actually happened). The US government tried to step in several times but IBM was all powerful. Monopolys don't last when there are better options. The issue we are writing about is an example of a need for a better options. In closing the point of the article is illustrated perfectly by our thread. You simply refuse to believe that Linux needs to be improved to succeed but would rather blame MS (or a capitolist market) for it's lack of acceptance. This is what is meant by the "Linux Snob" term.
You do not appear to be looking for insight. You seem to want to make excuses for why Linux didn't boot on a new motherboard. If you want Linux to succeed you have to stop making excuses for why it fails and ensure it does not fail. When MS began years ago they were given no chance to beat IBM. I spoke with IBM reps who laughed out loud about this upstart company and their little OS. They have succeeded so it's time to stop mocking them and beat them at what they do best. As a person who runs an IT department with over 100 servers and 60 of them running Red Hat I could care less for why it failed. My boss doesn't even know what Linux is...He only cares when it doesn't run. Your first statement was true "The difference is that the mobo drivers came with windows. It's a big part of why XP works so well with hardware". You should have stopped there and looked to what needs to be done to make sure Linux works with as little effort.