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Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
40hz:
As Linux is GPL, how does any distribution NOT become GPL? That violates the license. And if it's GPL, then it's GNU.-Renegade (December 31, 2010, 09:22 PM)
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Unless I'm really mistaken, licensing something under the GPL does not make it GNU.
There's a lot of software in every linux distribution not written by the GNU project people. -f0dder (January 01, 2011, 06:39 AM)
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Yes.
Maybe now there is.
But back when the two projects first started to coexist, almost everything (like 90%) that makes Linux generally usable was written by the GNU people. Most of the critical subsystems, utilities, and services still are GNU code projects. So please don't confuse a Linux distro with Linux itself. That's a layman's mistake which only serves to generate an endless supply of flamebait.
And while we're at it, let's not lump all code together, nor give the size of a codebase more significance than it deserves. Far better to pay attention to the functionalities the code provides.
A kernal is tiny but absolutely essential. And in the case of Linux, it was the effort of a handful of people.
A game may have tens of millions of lines of code, require years of work, and an army of programmers.
But I don't think anybody could argue that a sprawling game is more 'important' or 'significant' than that little kernal that sits beneath it. To do so would be like comparing apples with oranges.
And there's a fair amount of opensource projects that aren't under the GPL license, and are included in most/lots of distributions.
Insisting on calling a distribution GNU/Linux imho equals downplaying the importance on non-gnu/non-gpl projects, and I find that rather distasteful and self-important of the GNU guys.
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Again, now there is.
<*sigh*> You really do need to look at the history to grok what went down with the whole GNU/Linux and LiGNUx name thing. Because when taken out of its historical context, it will seem like nothing more than egotism and petty squabbling.
Both sides had 'arguments' and issues which most of the people who were involved have long gotten over.
And both sides were equally wrong - and equally right, IMHO. 8)
:) :Thmbsup:
40hz:
I hate these lists precisely because of the controversy they engender, the snarky remarks, the outlandish claims, the smug retorts, the arguments that go on and on and on and on...
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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+1 :Thmbsup:
For 2011, and in the spirit of Mark Twain (who's autobiography I am now reading) I've decided my sole response to lists like that will be:
I'm happy fer ya! How 'bout all y'all go use whatever you damn well please - and not tell me about it.
;D
Renegade:
I hate these lists precisely because of the controversy they engender, the snarky remarks, the outlandish claims, the smug retorts, the arguments that go on and on and on and on...
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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If the lists had something intelligent to say, it would be different. However, they're invariably written by tech authors with no good ideas.
Use Windows if it works for you.
Use Linux if it works for you.
Use both if it suits you.
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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Interesting how you never mention OS X. ;)
Yeah, this dead horse has been beaten to a bloody pulp already.
Malware is not inherently Windows fault, it's the fault of the malware purveyors being aware of their market and how to exploit it.
Linux users are not completely immune to (for example) Flash and Java exploits that harvest data, but there are 90-99% more Windows machines with much more delicious data stored in the same place on every machine, which makes them an irresistable target.
Sorry.-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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Good point, and one that is lost on many in the *nix community, especially their bastard, inbred cousins in the OS X community. :P (Sorry, couldn't resist that one -- heard the "Macs can't get viruses" BS once too often.)
BUT... once I figured that out, I discovered that ~90% of the time there is no real reason to muck about with the root filesystem, so I made myself cozy in /home/edvard and occasionally /opt and I'm doing much better.
Incidentally, the same goes for Windows; it took me just as many years to figure out that the less time I spent in C:\windows\system32 and more in C:\Documents and Settings\edvard the happier I was.
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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Good point.
BTW, in Linux you can set up multiple drives in more ways than I even know how, and I've actually found it WAY more flexible than Windows.
Just sayin'...
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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How so? I'm curious.
Dude, you've thrown this gauntlet down before and I've thrown it right back at you but you obviously didn't catch it.
There are MANY legitimate reasons why NOT to write games for Linux, but it HAS NOW BEEN PROVEN that profit (or lack thereof) is NOT one of them.
http://www.hemispheregames.com/2010/06/23/linux-the-numbers/
http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-there-is-market-for-linux-games.html
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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Sorry, but this is a bad argument... At the moment.
There simply aren't that many games out there for Linux (which may mean it's a good time to get into the market), so those that are in the market take up greater profits. Limited surveys... Bad data.
Even when you look at the game revenue, Windows sales are more than double Linux. What would any sane developer do? Develop for Windows of course!
I just don't see the revenue thing as an attraction for developers... Yet.
e.g. I'd rather get $1 from 1,000,000 people than $100 from 100 people. (Exaggeration intentional.)
It is getting better now, but I am not sure that it's there. Well, let me qualify that.
I think that it's there for large developers that can sink the money in and wait. It's not there for 1-man-bands. Windows is.
9. You Want to Be in Control
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I'm in control.
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I'm sure you are, especially if you're a half-decent system administrator, which I'm assuming is true.
Personally, I've never felt more in control of a computer than the day I fully grasped the implications of running Linux instead of Windows.
It's not just GUI vs. command line, it's not about dealing with registry corruption, fiddly permissions, malware/viruses/etc, it's not a question of hating Microsoft or Apple or Adobe or any of that nonsense.
It's something quite nebulous and intangible that only comes with the experience of being a long-time Linux user, the moment you know you'll never turn back, that moment...
I'm sorry, I can't go on...
Inspirational music just started playing in my head and it must now stop.
:P-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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Freedom perhaps?
10. You’re One of a Kind
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Hehe... Yeah, this one is kind of subjective.
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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Very~! :D
Just because one runs Linux doesn't make one any more or less unique.
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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But if you "think different" and have an iMac or iPhone just like everyone else, then you ARE unique~! :P
"I'm not~!"
Hell, a few choice DC apps and a new desktop wallpaper and my Windows machine at work can be pretty darn unique. ;p
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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:D
Don't forget to find your duplicate photos with... Errr... Ummm... Blatant self-promotion has been interrupted to bring you these messages: :)
BTW - depending on the task at hand, a few "scripts on command line" can take your 2 clicks to the mat any time.
Seriously, keep count of how many mouse clicks and menu options you have to go through to do an average administration task.
I bet it's more than you realize, but since you're more familiar with the process, you experience it as "easier".
Since getting familiar with common tasks in Linux that require command line operations, I've found that to be much easier and more powerful.
It's all in the familiarity...
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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Agreed. Still...
I drop to the command line all the time... BUT... That requires knowledge.
Knowledge comes at a price. Time and effort. How many people want to spend those?
THIS is a core problem with so much of the Linux community.
People do not care about anything except making their life easier. They'd rather spend 2 minutes doing something rather than solve the problem with a bit of knowledge and typing a bit. People are LAZY beyond all human comprehension.
The ease scale goes like this:
1) Apple
2) Microsoft
3) null
4) null
5) Linux
Apple is at the top because they only let you do so many things.
Microsoft lets you do anything if someone solves the problem for you.
Linux lets you do anything if you want to solve the problem yourself.
Well, that's an exaggeration, but it's close. It's a perceived thing. Truth is, a lot of what you get on Linux is easier than what you get on Apple.
Core issue: People are lazy and don't care to learn squat. :(
Mahesh, I fully support you in your efforts to develop software intended to provide superior functionality for an equitable price that will hopefully provide for as much of your livelihood as possible.
I understand that most often such an endeavor requires developing for and with Windows, and freeware/open source simply cannot promise to put food on the table; nobody can argue that.
However, I cannot stand by the perception that developing for Linux with commercial intent is inherently a losing proposition because "Linux users will not pay for software".
It is a flat myth that has been proven false many times over, and the sooner this misconception is put to death, the better off both worlds will be.
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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The problem is that Linux software development is still too expensive for most software for most small developers.
Your average small developer just can't afford it.
It is profitable for larger developers and development houses. They can afford it now. That's a good thing.
I mean to exclude server markets though as we're really talking about the desktop and not servers.
In fact, why not do as others have and just try developing a commercial software project that is cross-platform; something that fills a need for Linux users as well as Windows and Mac.
Something that either has no Linux software equivalent or is sufficiently advanced to render existing software patently inferior by comparison.
See if you don't profit more than you foresaw, even if it is only a small percentage compared to Windows sales (Linux is, after all, only 1-5% of desktop market share, right?).
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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THIS is the reason why I'm such a fan of Mono. I've been watching Mono since it first came out, and it's prime time now.
A lot of people here have serious reservations about Mono, but I don't see any decent alternative.
C++? Slow.
Python? Interpreted.
Objective-C? Muahahahahahahahahahahah~! (Ridicule intended.)
C? Any masochists around?
Java? Hasn't worked very well so far.
RealBasic? Better.
OR... Some language like...
#S | #Smalltalk | A# | Active Oberon | APLNext | AVR.NET | Boo | C# | C++/CLI | clojure-clr | COBOL2002 for .NET Framework | Cobra | Common Larceny | Component Pascal | Delphi.NET | Delta Forth .NET | DotLisp | dylan.NET Launchpad·Gitorious | EiffelEnvision | F# | Fantom | Fortran .NET | Gardens Point Modula-2/CLR | GrGen.NET | IoNET | IronLisp | IronPython | IronRuby | IronScheme | J# | Ja.NET | JScript .NET | L# | LOLCode.NET | Managed Extensions for C++ | Managed JScript | Mercury on .NET | Nemerle | Net Express | NetCOBOL | Oxygene | OxygenScheme | P# | Phalanger | Phrogram | PL/IL | PowerBuilder | sml.net | Synergy.NET | VB.NET | VBx | Visual COBOL | Windows PowerShell | X# | Zonnon
Ahem. Which of the 55 flavors do you like?
Yes. Mono only supports so much right now. But it's the right direction.
I love choice and freedom, and there are some great possibilities out there right now.
Prove me wrong.
I DARE you...
-Edvard (January 01, 2011, 07:37 AM)
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I wish I could. I can't. I'm too small to develop for the Linux market. I'd starve to death. And my wife would be really pissed too. Then force me into some kind of slavery. Then I'd be really sorry that I'd ever tried. And I would cry. And look like a little girl. Which would be very embarassing. So I'd probably pee my pants making the situation worse. And cry more. The probably shit my pants to boot. Not good. I'm scared now.
:D :P
Tuxman:
C++ is not "slow". Compare the startup time of a C++ and a Java application and shut up.
Renegade:
C++ is not "slow". Compare the startup time of a C++ and a Java application and shut up.
-Tuxman (January 01, 2011, 12:19 PM)
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I meant development time.
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