Re:Goes to show you - Scientology is expanding
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I agree, I just don't see what about Scientology is so appealing. In my humble opinion it is just a bunch of Psychobable about how your personality determines your destiny, blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda. People can choose their own religion, but I wouldn't want to choose Scientology.
Clearly Hawking has a great mind, and has come up with observations that neither Bohr nor Einstein where able to see. True that Hawking has the benefit of modern technology, but he also has the limitation of his body which is ravaged by a disease. I hope that Hawking makes at least the top five.
It just appears that Einstein has better marketing and public relations people than Hawking!;)
Anyway Borland Pascal made a big hit because they offered it to comp sci students for $35 a pop (I know as I was one of them) and many of those students wrote programs (BBSes, DOS Utilities, etc.)
But besides all that, is Borland Pascal for DOS still relivant? Heck no! Now it is a Windows world and Microsoft took over with Visual BASIC and Visual C++. Borland aka Inprise got railroaded!
Let's see, would Borland Linux compilers take over? I doubt it unless they where giving them away for less than $25 a CD and included the source. Borland never was one for following other people's standards. I remember the Borland C/C++ compiler never did compile ANSI C code without having it tweaked a little.
Still I think it is a good move for Red Hat to purchase Cygnus. Having development tools is just one more step towards market dominance, just ask Microsoft! Imagine if Microsoft never made any development tools? We might all be using Amigas now or something?;)
Yes Packard Bell machines, like Apple's Macintosh and IBM's PS/2 series, integrated everything on the main board for most systems.
I have advised people to not buy Packard Bell since 1995. Yet many of the people I know, went and bought one anyway. Then they call me up and ask if I can fix it, as PB Tech Support is clueless. I've spent hours trying to fix PB stuff, and 80% of the time it was bad hardware. Usually PB used some useded or crappy parts on their system. So you get a sound chip that is less than 75% compatable with the Sound Blaster, and DOS games that won't work right as a result.
Packard Bell also had models that where shipped late, and sometimes the stores had to substitute one model for another, or give the customer a slower machine. Sort of like what is happening at Apple right now with G4 Macs.
So Packard Bell suffered "The Macintosh Factor" it was a machine that dared to be different from the rest, and then ended up costing the company a lot of money. Only thing is that PB owners aren't as loyal as Mac Owners.
Making CE open source may be the only way to compete with Palm Computers. Otherwise CE might go the way of the Newton.
Opening CE would do two things:
1> Gather more support for CE and have more companies using it.
2> Get the DOJ off Microsoft's back as MS won't make as much money off a GPL CE as a commercial CE. Also having an open source Windows would show that Microsoft is letting the competition have open access to a form of Windows.
But then having an Open Source CE might backfire and have the DOJ think that it is another product dumping Microsoft is doing to kill the competition like when Microsoft gave out free copies of Internet Explorer? After all PalmOS is not open source, right?
Me? I'd much rather see that LinuxCE makes it as an alternative to Windows CE.
VB is easier to learn and debug than most other languages. When you create forms, you drag and drop controls to the form almost as if you where painting them on. Many big businesses use VB for that and other reasons.
Granted my C/C++ skills would come in handy to make more robust applications; however, I have to have other programmers in my company cover for me when I am not there. Since they don't know C/C++ but know VB, I have to develop in VB.
Java not only is new, but when Java is used the program that runs will run a whole lot slower than one written in VB or C/C++, etc. Java has to get around a lot of bottlenecks that slow it down to unacceptable levels.
Visual BASIC, as far as I know, is limited to the WINTEL platform. Windows and X86 CPU chips (unless I am missing that Alpha version of VB, didn't know that one existed?), you won't, for example find it for MacOS, Linux, BeOS, AmigaOS, etc.
For serious programming, Java does not cut the mustard, in my humble opinion. Sure it is portable, but my employers look for more power and something that the team I work with can program in. Out of like 12 programmers, only 2 of us know Java. But 12 of us know Visual BASIC. So guess which one is the lowest common denominator?
Microsoft's main money comes from their licensing for client/server technologies.
In order to beat Microsoft, not only do you have to have counter-parts to every MS server/business software out there (aka the whole enchilada) but you also have to have a much better pricing scheme on licensing. With GNU Licensing, MS Licensing is beat. But a company that supports Linux, better make up for it by charging for Tech Support or selling the equivilent of BackOffice etc. for a preium price (but that goes against GNU Licensing).
When I say the whole enchilada, I mean it. Have something like ASP that ASP code can easily be converted to. Have some sort of VBScript (or multiple scripting languages like PerlScript, Javascript, VBScript, and plug-ins for new ones) server side and client side that code written for MS products can easily be converted over to. Have a VB, VC++ type of IDE and compiler than can take VB and VC++ code and convert it. Make it easy for IS departments to migrate to the Linux platform by giving them the tools they need.
Don't be another Sun, Apple, Oracle, etc. and just one a few solutions with hardly any migration (outside of slow emulators that are also buggy) provide for every possible solution that a Corp IS Department needs and a way to convert over from the WINTEL platform without having a hard time and spending a lot of money.
Then and only then will the Microsoft Juggernaught be stopped.
But somehow I doubt the companies will do that. Never have, never will. Until they do, it will be like that Talking Heads song "...same as it ever was... same as it ever was...same as it ever was!"
Not true for all Macs. Just the integrated ones that are hard to upgrade, ie iMacs. I got a Mac SE and Mac IIcx in my basement gathering dust, with no hope of an upgrade! Anyone got a G3/G4 upgrade for these babies?:)
But then the same could be said of the eOne, or Packard Bell, or other Integrated PC Systems. Once you start putting everything on the motherboard, the computer gets closer to being a disposible one. Once something fries, you either get a new (read: expensive with the video, audio, etc. built in) motherboard or get a new machine! Remember the Microchannel PS/2 series from IBM? Now there where disposible systems!:)
Linux has to have better backing, more integrated software.
When the VP of an IS Dept looks at Linux as a server, he measures it against NT, OS/2, Netware and other NOSes. He sees that the other guys have some sort of integrated software groupware that has a ton of support behind it. He sees that Linux can match the other guys, but for support you have to go to a lot of different companies and have accounts with them. Or you have to go to the Internet (and they try to discourage Internet surfing as much as possible). Microsoft has evenrything in one neat package. NT BackOffice (SQL Server, IIS, SNA Server, Exchange Server, etc.), Site Management Server, Transaction Server, Visual Source Safe, Team Manager, Project, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook, Frontpage, Publisher, etc.) and they all can work with each other and integrate and only one company is needed to get tech support from.
This is one of many reasons why Microsoft wins as an IS standard and Linux does not.
Sounds like Sony wants to eliminate the PC with cheaper systems based on Playstation technology?
I think we have seen stuff like this happen with the Oracle/Netscape/Sun's Network Computer and Intel/Microsoft's NetPC and Microsoft's Windows CE and Gateway/Amiga's New Amiga.
Linux can measure up, but Linux does not have integrated services like BackOffice where they can take advantage of each other and are written by the same company.
Sure we can get Apache working with MySQL and PHP, but what is the Linux version of Microsoft Transaction Server, Microsoft Site Management, MS Visual Source Safe, MS Project, etc. Then how well will these Linux equivelents work with the existing Linux software.
Also can Apache be scaled to use more than one CPU in a SMP system like MS IIS can? If not, then we need to get a better web server software or change Apache. Corps want to run at least four Pentium 2 class CPUs on a web server set for a local Intranet with at least 600 users or more hitting it at once with deep database hits with 12 gigabytes or more in data for the database (this number is average for large law firms or fincial firms that keep track of client transactions).
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I agree, I just don't see what about Scientology is so appealing. In my humble opinion it is just a bunch of Psychobable about how your personality determines your destiny, blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda. People can choose their own religion, but I wouldn't want to choose Scientology.
Clearly Hawking has a great mind, and has come up with observations that neither Bohr nor Einstein where able to see. True that Hawking has the benefit of modern technology, but he also has the limitation of his body which is ravaged by a disease. I hope that Hawking makes at least the top five.
;)
It just appears that Einstein has better marketing and public relations people than Hawking!
Well you could always get a Sonic skin for Doom or Quake and then play against someone wearing it for a deathmatch mode?
;)
Have a Mario, Sonic, Crash, etc. skins and then see which console mascot in Doom or Quake can shoot out the others!?
Isn't Borland now known as Inprise or something?
;)
Anyway Borland Pascal made a big hit because they offered it to comp sci students for $35 a pop (I know as I was one of them) and many of those students wrote programs (BBSes, DOS Utilities, etc.)
But besides all that, is Borland Pascal for DOS still relivant? Heck no! Now it is a Windows world and Microsoft took over with Visual BASIC and Visual C++. Borland aka Inprise got railroaded!
Let's see, would Borland Linux compilers take over? I doubt it unless they where giving them away for less than $25 a CD and included the source. Borland never was one for following other people's standards. I remember the Borland C/C++ compiler never did compile ANSI C code without having it tweaked a little.
Still I think it is a good move for Red Hat to purchase Cygnus. Having development tools is just one more step towards market dominance, just ask Microsoft! Imagine if Microsoft never made any development tools? We might all be using Amigas now or something?
I am reminded of the IBM PS/2 series when I think of this. Microchannel was supposed to wipe out ISA, and OS/2 was supposed to wipe out DOS.
;)
So what happened? The public dumped IBM and PS/2 and OS/2 and went with DOS/Windows ISA based IBM PC/AT clones instead!
So shall it be with Legacy Free PC Systems! So it is written, so shall it be!
I have advised people to not buy Packard Bell since 1995. Yet many of the people I know, went and bought one anyway. Then they call me up and ask if I can fix it, as PB Tech Support is clueless. I've spent hours trying to fix PB stuff, and 80% of the time it was bad hardware. Usually PB used some useded or crappy parts on their system. So you get a sound chip that is less than 75% compatable with the Sound Blaster, and DOS games that won't work right as a result.
Packard Bell also had models that where shipped late, and sometimes the stores had to substitute one model for another, or give the customer a slower machine. Sort of like what is happening at Apple right now with G4 Macs.
So Packard Bell suffered "The Macintosh Factor" it was a machine that dared to be different from the rest, and then ended up costing the company a lot of money. Only thing is that PB owners aren't as loyal as Mac Owners.
I just hope that PC Reps don't get as brutal as Apple Reps. There was a story about An Apple Rep attacking someone over G4 Mac ordering and if that is "Thinking Different", better "Think Again"!
Opening CE would do two things:
1> Gather more support for CE and have more companies using it.
2> Get the DOJ off Microsoft's back as MS won't make as much money off a GPL CE as a commercial CE. Also having an open source Windows would show that Microsoft is letting the competition have open access to a form of Windows.
But then having an Open Source CE might backfire and have the DOJ think that it is another product dumping Microsoft is doing to kill the competition like when Microsoft gave out free copies of Internet Explorer? After all PalmOS is not open source, right?
Me? I'd much rather see that LinuxCE makes it as an alternative to Windows CE.
VB is easier to learn and debug than most other languages. When you create forms, you drag and drop controls to the form almost as if you where painting them on. Many big businesses use VB for that and other reasons.
Granted my C/C++ skills would come in handy to make more robust applications; however, I have to have other programmers in my company cover for me when I am not there. Since they don't know C/C++ but know VB, I have to develop in VB.
Java not only is new, but when Java is used the program that runs will run a whole lot slower than one written in VB or C/C++, etc. Java has to get around a lot of bottlenecks that slow it down to unacceptable levels.
Visual BASIC, as far as I know, is limited to the WINTEL platform. Windows and X86 CPU chips (unless I am missing that Alpha version of VB, didn't know that one existed?), you won't, for example find it for MacOS, Linux, BeOS, AmigaOS, etc.
For serious programming, Java does not cut the mustard, in my humble opinion. Sure it is portable, but my employers look for more power and something that the team I work with can program in. Out of like 12 programmers, only 2 of us know Java. But 12 of us know Visual BASIC. So guess which one is the lowest common denominator?
Also visit http://www.netherworld.com/~mgabrys/clock for the real ADC.
Microsoft's main money comes from their licensing for client/server technologies.
In order to beat Microsoft, not only do you have to have counter-parts to every MS server/business software out there (aka the whole enchilada) but you also have to have a much better pricing scheme on licensing. With GNU Licensing, MS Licensing is beat. But a company that supports Linux, better make up for it by charging for Tech Support or selling the equivilent of BackOffice etc. for a preium price (but that goes against GNU Licensing).
When I say the whole enchilada, I mean it. Have something like ASP that ASP code can easily be converted to. Have some sort of VBScript (or multiple scripting languages like PerlScript, Javascript, VBScript, and plug-ins for new ones) server side and client side that code written for MS products can easily be converted over to. Have a VB, VC++ type of IDE and compiler than can take VB and VC++ code and convert it. Make it easy for IS departments to migrate to the Linux platform by giving them the tools they need.
Don't be another Sun, Apple, Oracle, etc. and just one a few solutions with hardly any migration (outside of slow emulators that are also buggy) provide for every possible solution that a Corp IS Department needs and a way to convert over from the WINTEL platform without having a hard time and spending a lot of money.
Then and only then will the Microsoft Juggernaught be stopped.
But somehow I doubt the companies will do that. Never have, never will. Until they do, it will be like that Talking Heads song "...same as it ever was... same as it ever was...same as it ever was!"
Not true for all Macs. Just the integrated ones that are hard to upgrade, ie iMacs. I got a Mac SE and Mac IIcx in my basement gathering dust, with no hope of an upgrade! Anyone got a G3/G4 upgrade for these babies? :)
:)
But then the same could be said of the eOne, or Packard Bell, or other Integrated PC Systems. Once you start putting everything on the motherboard, the computer gets closer to being a disposible one. Once something fries, you either get a new (read: expensive with the video, audio, etc. built in) motherboard or get a new machine!
Remember the Microchannel PS/2 series from IBM? Now there where disposible systems!
Linux has to have better backing, more integrated software.
When the VP of an IS Dept looks at Linux as a server, he measures it against NT, OS/2, Netware and other NOSes. He sees that the other guys have some sort of integrated software groupware that has a ton of support behind it. He sees that Linux can match the other guys, but for support you have to go to a lot of different companies and have accounts with them. Or you have to go to the Internet (and they try to discourage Internet surfing as much as possible). Microsoft has evenrything in one neat package. NT BackOffice (SQL Server, IIS, SNA Server, Exchange Server, etc.), Site Management Server, Transaction Server, Visual Source Safe, Team Manager, Project, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook, Frontpage, Publisher, etc.) and they all can work with each other and integrate and only one company is needed to get tech support from.
This is one of many reasons why Microsoft wins as an IS standard and Linux does not.
Sounds like Sony wants to eliminate the PC with cheaper systems based on Playstation technology?
:)
I think we have seen stuff like this happen with the Oracle/Netscape/Sun's Network Computer and Intel/Microsoft's NetPC and Microsoft's Windows CE and Gateway/Amiga's New Amiga.
What have we learned from these failures?
Linux can measure up, but Linux does not have integrated services like BackOffice where they can take advantage of each other and are written by the same company.
Sure we can get Apache working with MySQL and PHP, but what is the Linux version of Microsoft Transaction Server, Microsoft Site Management, MS Visual Source Safe, MS Project, etc. Then how well will these Linux equivelents work with the existing Linux software.
Also can Apache be scaled to use more than one CPU in a SMP system like MS IIS can? If not, then we need to get a better web server software or change Apache. Corps want to run at least four Pentium 2 class CPUs on a web server set for a local Intranet with at least 600 users or more hitting it at once with deep database hits with 12 gigabytes or more in data for the database (this number is average for large law firms or fincial firms that keep track of client transactions).