The Newest NetBSD has been released. This is pretty big news, they have been working on it for a long time. Its good to know that the SMP stuff is finished. NetBSD was one of the first OS's to support Multi core support, but I know they have been making it better and better. Says there are 7 million new lines of code. I usually use FreeBSD, that runs my server/firewall/router/gateway, but I have NetBSD on a backup server (a SPARC Ultra AXe).
The Big three BSD's all work great but they are mostly specialized. What are the Big Three?
Hmm. Maybe we should have a quick Tao of the BSD's.
FreeBSD - The Jack-of-all trades BSD Good for beginners, lots of supported hardware and the innovative ports system. Makes installing software as easy as typing "Make install clean" and walking away. I use this for my main server.
NetBSD - The main advantage of NetBSD is there is a release of NetBSD that runs on anything. I mean thin clients, phones, old single board computers, toasters you name it.
OpenBSD - This one is the BSD that is designed with security in mind. They went for years without having a single security hole in the default install. You would think that this would be best for a home server but it really has paranoia-level security.
If you are interested in Unix-like OS's check out the BSD's. Linux is probably more robust on the desktop, but the BSD's make GREAT servers.
Showing posts with label bsd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bsd. Show all posts
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The Obsession with the "Desktop"
I saw an interesting article over at Linux.com that talks about Linux being ready for the desktop. According to the author, he thinks that the phrase "ready for the desktop" should be retired as it is overused and no longer relevant to modern Linux. While I agree that this phrase is far overused, the author comes to the conclusion that the reason it is no longer relevant is because it is subjective; because different people use computers for different things, there is no "One-size-fits-all" easy OS.
This is where the author and I disagree. The subjectivity of the desktop is a valid point. Of course, that does not excuse Linux from having serious desktop-related problems. First, The availability of any kind of entertainment software including games on the Linux platform quite frankly, blows. In addition, sometimes changes do require use of the command line, and I think it is pretty clear that average users are daunted by these tasks. I mean, that is what the GUI was invented for. For Linux to have problems like these and try to market itself to the average user is inexcusable. Not for Linux itself, mind you, but for the people who are convinced that Linux should be on everyone's desktop by any means necessary. Gee, ravenously wanting to take over the desktop of every user's computer in the world... where have I heard this before... Oh yeah from MICROSOFT. Only they DID have gaming and entertainment as parts of their products for a very long time. Say what you will about Microsoft but they make one HELL of a user interface.
I'm not saying that this is impossible to accomplish with Linux. Far from it. But one thing I often see is people's faces when I show them the video of LinuxMCE in action. Now THAT is a user interface. And it has lots of extras, but lets be honest. The core is not exactly the easiest thing in the world to get going properly, but once you do and put terminals next to every tv in the house, you will wonder how you ever got along without it. But users don't equate the UI for LinuxMCE with a regular desktop computer. After all, its on your TV, there is no keyboard and they navigate with their remote control. But there is the rub. There are PLENTY of other ways for people to use Linux, far more than can be used with Windows.
Windows is, in my opinion, a one trick pony. But give them credit, its a pretty damn good trick. Windows dominates "the desktop." I understand why corperations use Windows servers, but I really think that the stability of *nix on servers, and the multitude of configuration options and support for scripting and its better use of system resources sells Linux for servers every time. But lay people know Microsoft products. They know Windows. And I don't care what any IT staff tells you, the fact that more people ar familliar with the OS is a LARGE consideration for customers to choose Windows servers over Linux servers.
Now far be it from me to suggest closing X.org and shutting down Gnome and KDE. Those projects have been around for decades and they are not going anywhere any time soon. But its time for Linux desktop evangelists to give up. The reality of the matter is most of the users that are going to use the Linux desktop as a desktop already do. Grandmothers who can bearly run windows are not going to want to learn Gnome. PC gamers are not going away either, and like it or not, they drive a LARGE part of the industry. You didn't REALLY think that people actually buy SLI 8800GTX's for spreadsheets do you?
But Linux has MANY strengths, far more than any of Microsoft's products. The failure of the Linux evangelists is that they don't play to the OS's strengths. Forget the desktop. Thats right forget it. There are many more options that are evolving that are going to change people's idea of a "desktop" anyway. There are more devices with their own ui that are going to become more of people's computing devices (iphone). And there will be less of a need for desktop applications when everything is going to be web applications soon. So forget the desktop. It is the greatest server OS there is (with the exception of FreeBSD of course.) It's capabilites as an embeded OS are miles greater than anything Microsoft has. In my opinion, the server market is more lucrative anyway. Lets get Windows off of servers. Let them keep the desktop until it turns into a dumb terminal that runs all of its apps of some Linux server through a browser.
If Linux dominates in the server market (where I know it can), and the embedded market, I will guarentee that those of us who do profit by having Linux widely distributed will be rolling in the hay. There are companies that run evrything on Solaris Servers. But you don't hear Sun complaining that Solaris "isn't ready for the destop" do you? (Granted Sun is not really happy that Linux is getting more shares of the server market, but that isn't really the point is it?) So everyone out there who wants Linux to succeed, look for different places for it to do so. The desktop battle was won long ago. Cry about it, or move on to something else.
This is where the author and I disagree. The subjectivity of the desktop is a valid point. Of course, that does not excuse Linux from having serious desktop-related problems. First, The availability of any kind of entertainment software including games on the Linux platform quite frankly, blows. In addition, sometimes changes do require use of the command line, and I think it is pretty clear that average users are daunted by these tasks. I mean, that is what the GUI was invented for. For Linux to have problems like these and try to market itself to the average user is inexcusable. Not for Linux itself, mind you, but for the people who are convinced that Linux should be on everyone's desktop by any means necessary. Gee, ravenously wanting to take over the desktop of every user's computer in the world... where have I heard this before... Oh yeah from MICROSOFT. Only they DID have gaming and entertainment as parts of their products for a very long time. Say what you will about Microsoft but they make one HELL of a user interface.
I'm not saying that this is impossible to accomplish with Linux. Far from it. But one thing I often see is people's faces when I show them the video of LinuxMCE in action. Now THAT is a user interface. And it has lots of extras, but lets be honest. The core is not exactly the easiest thing in the world to get going properly, but once you do and put terminals next to every tv in the house, you will wonder how you ever got along without it. But users don't equate the UI for LinuxMCE with a regular desktop computer. After all, its on your TV, there is no keyboard and they navigate with their remote control. But there is the rub. There are PLENTY of other ways for people to use Linux, far more than can be used with Windows.
Windows is, in my opinion, a one trick pony. But give them credit, its a pretty damn good trick. Windows dominates "the desktop." I understand why corperations use Windows servers, but I really think that the stability of *nix on servers, and the multitude of configuration options and support for scripting and its better use of system resources sells Linux for servers every time. But lay people know Microsoft products. They know Windows. And I don't care what any IT staff tells you, the fact that more people ar familliar with the OS is a LARGE consideration for customers to choose Windows servers over Linux servers.
Now far be it from me to suggest closing X.org and shutting down Gnome and KDE. Those projects have been around for decades and they are not going anywhere any time soon. But its time for Linux desktop evangelists to give up. The reality of the matter is most of the users that are going to use the Linux desktop as a desktop already do. Grandmothers who can bearly run windows are not going to want to learn Gnome. PC gamers are not going away either, and like it or not, they drive a LARGE part of the industry. You didn't REALLY think that people actually buy SLI 8800GTX's for spreadsheets do you?
But Linux has MANY strengths, far more than any of Microsoft's products. The failure of the Linux evangelists is that they don't play to the OS's strengths. Forget the desktop. Thats right forget it. There are many more options that are evolving that are going to change people's idea of a "desktop" anyway. There are more devices with their own ui that are going to become more of people's computing devices (iphone). And there will be less of a need for desktop applications when everything is going to be web applications soon. So forget the desktop. It is the greatest server OS there is (with the exception of FreeBSD of course.) It's capabilites as an embeded OS are miles greater than anything Microsoft has. In my opinion, the server market is more lucrative anyway. Lets get Windows off of servers. Let them keep the desktop until it turns into a dumb terminal that runs all of its apps of some Linux server through a browser.
If Linux dominates in the server market (where I know it can), and the embedded market, I will guarentee that those of us who do profit by having Linux widely distributed will be rolling in the hay. There are companies that run evrything on Solaris Servers. But you don't hear Sun complaining that Solaris "isn't ready for the destop" do you? (Granted Sun is not really happy that Linux is getting more shares of the server market, but that isn't really the point is it?) So everyone out there who wants Linux to succeed, look for different places for it to do so. The desktop battle was won long ago. Cry about it, or move on to something else.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Who own software? Why does it matter?
I just saw an article over at Slashdot. In the article apparently Blizzard is suing MDY industries over the creation of the World of Warcraft (WOW) glider program. Check it out here.
Now, I understand Blizzard's point of view. I have written several bits of software here and there. Something great, especially something that has had a lot of time and effort put into it, means something special to the creator. Its almost like a child to them. It must be difficult to see people doing things with your creation that you did not intend for them to do. I imagine that Edison and Tesla had similar reactions when the heard of the invention of the electric chair. A rather grim image, but I imagine that these electrical pioneers did not have death by electrocution in mind when they created their inventions. OK, its a more brutal implication than the unauthorized use of software, but I think it drives the point across. Another good analogy is Oppenheimer's reaction to the atom bomb.
I in no way wish to trivialize the emotions felt by Blizzard when they learned the discovery of the Glider program. However, there is one thing that the creators of the above technologies learned, that clearly Blizzard has yet to learn, is that when you give something to the world, it cannot be taken back. People still get the electric chair, and there are MANY nuclear weapons, much to Oppenheimer's chagrin.
Once Pandora's box has been opened it cannot be closed again; Prometheus cannot return the fire he stole. Blizzard, you created a large and prosperous virtual community, you need to know that there will always be people that are successful in subverting the rules in any society. And sometimes there is nothing you can do to stop them. I will say one thing to Blizzard. Don't take a note from the RIAA, keep this out of the courts. Ban the offenders, kill accounts, patch the software, but mark my words, legal action will not stop people from abusing your software.
In my opinion, ownership is not the question. It does not matter to me who owns the software, Blizzard would not like it even if the abusers DID own the software. And it isn't up to the government to enforce rules in YOUR virtual world. That is your job Blizzard, not the United States government's. Not to point fingers, but clearly the folks at Blizzard have the liberal, half-baked idea that the government should be used as the answer to EVERYTHING. Frankly, and I'm sorry if I'm alone on this but Blizzard needs to man up a little. Sometimes its better to beat the crap out of a bully than run and tattle to Uncle Sam. You should have learned that around age ten. This lawsuit is a waste of my tax dollars. Enforce this from the inside Blizzard. Don't make it a legal issue.
Keeping with the child analogy, eventually, you have to come to terms with the fact that the world is a very dangerous place and there is nothing that you can do but eventually let them go. You should have known that this was an acceptable risk the minute you decided to put WOW on the shelves.
Posted from moBlog – mobile blogging tool for Windows Mobile
Now, I understand Blizzard's point of view. I have written several bits of software here and there. Something great, especially something that has had a lot of time and effort put into it, means something special to the creator. Its almost like a child to them. It must be difficult to see people doing things with your creation that you did not intend for them to do. I imagine that Edison and Tesla had similar reactions when the heard of the invention of the electric chair. A rather grim image, but I imagine that these electrical pioneers did not have death by electrocution in mind when they created their inventions. OK, its a more brutal implication than the unauthorized use of software, but I think it drives the point across. Another good analogy is Oppenheimer's reaction to the atom bomb.
I in no way wish to trivialize the emotions felt by Blizzard when they learned the discovery of the Glider program. However, there is one thing that the creators of the above technologies learned, that clearly Blizzard has yet to learn, is that when you give something to the world, it cannot be taken back. People still get the electric chair, and there are MANY nuclear weapons, much to Oppenheimer's chagrin.
Once Pandora's box has been opened it cannot be closed again; Prometheus cannot return the fire he stole. Blizzard, you created a large and prosperous virtual community, you need to know that there will always be people that are successful in subverting the rules in any society. And sometimes there is nothing you can do to stop them. I will say one thing to Blizzard. Don't take a note from the RIAA, keep this out of the courts. Ban the offenders, kill accounts, patch the software, but mark my words, legal action will not stop people from abusing your software.
In my opinion, ownership is not the question. It does not matter to me who owns the software, Blizzard would not like it even if the abusers DID own the software. And it isn't up to the government to enforce rules in YOUR virtual world. That is your job Blizzard, not the United States government's. Not to point fingers, but clearly the folks at Blizzard have the liberal, half-baked idea that the government should be used as the answer to EVERYTHING. Frankly, and I'm sorry if I'm alone on this but Blizzard needs to man up a little. Sometimes its better to beat the crap out of a bully than run and tattle to Uncle Sam. You should have learned that around age ten. This lawsuit is a waste of my tax dollars. Enforce this from the inside Blizzard. Don't make it a legal issue.
Keeping with the child analogy, eventually, you have to come to terms with the fact that the world is a very dangerous place and there is nothing that you can do but eventually let them go. You should have known that this was an acceptable risk the minute you decided to put WOW on the shelves.
Posted from moBlog – mobile blogging tool for Windows Mobile
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