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11501

General Software Discussion / Re: GNU/Linux Desktop Market Share is 4%

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 05:32 PM »

I'm curious as to whether that 4% also takes into account multiple users accessing a single machine via a thin client solution.

Check out this article:

Digital Journal -- Canadian company Userful is now giving away its Desktop Multiplier software to anyone who wants an extra PC free.

The software turns one computer into many, allowing a single computer box to support multiple users at the same time. All you need to do is connect an extra monitor, USB keyboard and mouse to your run-of-the-mill computer box, and the Desktop Multiplier software will make it possible for two people to work on the same PC at the same time.

The reason Userful is giving away its software is to prove an environmental point and show just how much "un-tapped value lies hidden in today's desktop PCs," as their company press release reads.

In an email interview with DigitalJournal.com, Userful's marketing and PR manager, Sean Rousseau, said, "Desktop multiplier works so efficiently because it only copies the necessary portions of the operating system while sharing the rest between each user. However from a user's perspective it appears that both have their own independent PC since their actions and files are completely private and separate from each other."

As for the legality of splitting the operating system to work with multiple users, Rousseau also noted Userful's Desktop Multiplier runs on the open source Linux operating system, so turning one computer into two is perfectly legal.

http://www.digitaljo..._Two_Completely_Free

I've got this running at my house. I put a small, low power/low noise Tux box in my study, Now I can do research, browse the web. and get some writing done without distractions. The lower heat emission is great considering it's "air conditioning season" where I live. The compressor is actually cycling on and off now instead of running constantly since my god-box has been relocated. And the lower noise level is nice too!

Here's case study of doing it via a Novell turnkey approach

http://www.novell.co...s/feature/18720.html

Cost effective - and green! Gotta love that.

11502

General Software Discussion / Re: New Linux Distro specifically designed for programmers

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 05:18 PM »

40hz, 1.5 seems to be about right. Great find!

-zridling (August 13, 2008, 04:29 PM)

Thanks.
Wish it were mine, but variations of that joke have been floating around for a while now.

If anybody knows who has a claim to that gem, please post it.

PS - That 359 is from Distrowatch.com , who apparently have been tapped as the closest thing there is to an official monitor of distro propagation. Great site. If you haven't been over there yet, make it a point to bookmark them.

11503

General Software Discussion / Re: New Linux Distro specifically designed for programmers

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 05:14 PM »

Interesting, 40hz!
If this was supported by ubuntu, I'd jump right in
Still, I might probably jump in anyways

-jgpaiva (August 13, 2008, 05:00 PM)

I just put it up on a box running an AMD-64 w/ 2GB RAM today. The install went smooth as silk so I'm guardedly optimistic. Can't wait to start cranking with all those snazzy developer tools.

Thought:  If you wanted support I suppose you could always print out the list of apps, download a vanilla copy of Xubuntu, and then add the packages to that. Only problem is Cannonical doesn't offer support for everything in their repositories so it might not matter either way.

11504

Living Room / Re: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far?

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 05:08 PM »

Sorry, I am biased. When you can set a world record every single time you jump in the pool, something's fishy. There have been 42 swimming world records broken (in the 24 Olympic events) in past four years.

-zridling (August 13, 2008, 04:26 PM)

Don't be too cynical. When the sub-4 running record was first set everyone was amazed. Mostly because science had "proven" that a human body couldn't run that fast without breaking down. But one the record was set, runner after runner started to set new records. Once the mental barrier was removed, the physical advances followed rather quickly. Same with figure skating. At one time a double was the mark of the elite. Now it's expected of every professional.


I think what you believe is possible has a something to do with it.

11505

Living Room / Re: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far?

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 02:48 PM »

What other sports are objectively improving in the same ways? I don't think cycling counts, because this is (at least in significant part) attributable to the technology of the bicycles.

-CWuestefeld (August 13, 2008, 02:39 PM)

Being from Connecticut (Go Huskies!) I'd have to say anything with women. They are truly amazing. 

11506

Living Room / Re: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far?

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 02:41 PM »

electronixtar - boycotting the Olympics is as easy as changing the tv channel!

-Darwin (August 13, 2008, 10:34 AM)

Especially when roller derby's on!

11507

General Software Discussion / Re: New Linux Distro specifically designed for programmers

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 02:31 PM »

How many Linux distros are there?

-TucknDar (August 13, 2008, 01:58 PM)

The quasi-official number is somewhere around 359.

However, recent scientific research now puts the number of Linux distros at 1.5 times the number of actual Linux users.

11508

Living Room / Re: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far?

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 01:43 PM »

Sorry folks - to clarifiy:

1. My wife is watching the Olympics (though she has no problem watching Tom Cruise or Mel Gibson, either!).

-Darwin (August 13, 2008, 10:19 AM)

Um-hmm... Yours too?

11509

Living Room / Re: Chandler V1 is officially out.

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 01:35 PM »

Excellent book on the development of Chandler:

Dreaming in Code: Two Dozen Programmers, Three Years, 4,732 Bugs, and One Quest for Transcendent Software

from Amazon.com

In the 80s, Tracy Kidder's The Soul of a New Machine attempted to define the story of the development of a minicomputer: from the new science to the business and nascent culture of electronic hardware and software that was characteristic of that time. Scott Rosenberg's Dreaming in Code draws on Kidder's model as it attempts to document the state of software, the Internet, and everything circa 2006 through the lens of Chandler, an as-yet-unfinished software application for the management of personal information.

http://www.amazon.co...ftware/dp/1400082463

11510

General Software Discussion / New Linux Distro specifically designed for programmers

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 01:26 PM »

This week Distrowatch identified an new Linux release for web developers and programmers.

The product is called Workbench Linux. And it seems to have scratched an itch somewhere, because its website was slashdotted big time following the announcement. It loosened up a bit today and now seems to be accepting connections.

Workbench is available as a free iso download at:
http://my-codebits.s...workbench/index.html

From Distrowatch (www.distroatch.com):

WorkBench Linux. WorkBench Linux is a Xubuntu-based distribution aimed primarily at software and web developers. As such, it includes the most popular development environments (Eclipse, NetBeans, Lazarus, Gambas), tools (GCC, Sun JDK, PHP, Apache, MySQL) and utilities. Moreover, all the usual applications that a user would need on a daily basis (like the OpenOffice.org suite, VLC, Firefox and Thunderbird come pre-installed. In order to achieve the desired level of usability and eye-candy, the Xfce window manager is used in combination with Cairo-Dock and screenlets.

The following more detailed list of included applications was posted at the download site:

Packages And Applications

Development
    * GCC, G77, Sun JDK, FPC, Python
    * Eclipse (+ All Callisto Repository Plugins)
    * NetBeans 6
    * Monodevelop
    * Anjuta
    * Glade
    * Gambas 2
    * Lazarus
    * wxGlade
Web Design & Development
    * Apache, PHP, MySQL Servers (XAMPP)
    * Kompozer
    * Bluefish
    * gPHPEdit
    * Cssed Editor
Development Utilities
    * SVN WorkBench
    * Geany
    * PoEdit
    * HexEditor
    * ManEdit
    * Umbrello UML Modeler
    * regExxer (advanced search & replace tool)
Graphics
    * GIMP
    * Inkscape
Office
    * OpenOffice.Org (complete suite)
    * Abiword Word Processor
    * Gnumeric Spreadsheet
Network
    * Firefox Web Browser
    * Thunderbird Mail/News Client
    * Filezilla FTP Client
    * Transmission Bittorrent Client
    * Wireshark Packet Sniffer
    * Pidgin Instant Messenger
Audio/Video
    * VLC Media Player/Streamer
    * Rhythmbox Music Player
    * Totem Media Player
    * SoundConverter
    * Audacity
Other Applications
    * Brasero Disc Burner
    * Cairo-Dock
    * Screenlets
    * Compiz (must be enabled manually)
    * 7Zip
    * gEdit
    * CHM Viewer
    * Ndis-GTK (GUI for Ndiswrapper)
 
+ all the integrated Xubuntu applications not mentioned here (Ristretto image-viewer, Thunar file-manager etc. )

Workbench Linux has a very good selection of tools, although I'm surprised Perl and Ruby were not included. Add those, and install a screen recorder for creating instructional videos, and you have just about everything you need to be your own development house.

All in all, a very nice package with enough general purpose apps to even make it suitable for use as a regular Linux desktop.

Two small concerns: (1) Workbench is not available as a live-cd, so you can't preview it before installation. (2)The iso weighs in at a hefty 1.49 Gb. A broadband connection + download manager are pretty much a must. (UPDATE: Torrents are now available).

11511

General Software Discussion / Re: Linux is Not Windows

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 12:07 PM »

11512

Living Room / Re: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far?

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 08:44 AM »

Full contact bowling? Bah, I think that speed programming should be a sport. Skrommel would take the gold!

-Josh (August 13, 2008, 08:39 AM)

No argument from me on that.

11513

Living Room / Re: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far?

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2008, 08:35 AM »

One day internet trolling will be one of the sports ...

-Josh (August 13, 2008, 05:51 AM)

I'm boycotting until they add my favorite sport - "Australian Rules" Full Contact Bowling! 
(Which is a shame considering the amount of "eye-candy" they have participating this time around. Is it just me. or are they better looking than usual this year?)

Of course, my wife is watching them

-Darwin (August 13, 2008, 12:18 AM)

Yours too? 

11514

Living Room / Re: DC Programming Challenge entries spotted up on ghacks website

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2008, 08:53 PM »

https://www.donation....msg124133#msg124133

-PhilB66 (August 11, 2008, 09:49 PM)

And here I thought I searched for it in all forums before I posted! Man am I ever getting sloppy...

11515

General Software Discussion / Re: WPS: the best replacement of MS Office, free for none-biz

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2008, 08:12 PM »

Hello,

I can not find any downloadlinks to KingSoft office 2007 anymore. Is the free distribution over now?

-masu (August 09, 2008, 09:51 AM)

Curt mentioned they were offering 300 free full unlock keys for the 2007 version on a first-come first-served basis. I asked for one last Thursday and got it. Might be worth a try.

Here's part of the e-mail they sent me:

Hi,

Thank you for your continuing interest in Kingsoft Office 2007.

Here at Kingsoft Research we’re grateful for your support and as such I
would like to provide you with a full working, full business or home
license serial key for your KSO product to help you spread the great news
that will change the way we work. Thank you.

Please tell your friends and colleagues about us and help spread the news.

Later this month, we are very excited about the forthcoming release of a
new version;

KSO09 will be initially available as a 100 day trial – please feel free to
download the tryout and let us know what you think.

KSO09 will be around 40 USD to buy, although an open license, totally
free, personal version of the software will be released at the beginning
August. Yes, totally free!

Just before you dive in and start creating documents;

I would like to tell you that we’re also working on support for the brand
new Microsoft and odf formats with .docx, .xlsx to be released in an
update late July, and .pptx following shortly thereafter with .odf.

So now there really is another option.

Here is your full working **serial key(s) for Kingsoft Office 2007...

 (key and install info followed)

11516

General Software Discussion / Re: Linux is Not Windows

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2008, 06:09 PM »

40Hz: I'm sorry if I caused confusion. I didn't mean that your post or Zaine's in themselves was causing me concern. The point I was trying to make was a fusion of your comment that discussions about OS preference often goes the way of religious convictions and Zaine's comment on what can and can't be talked about on DC.

-Edvard (August 12, 2008, 01:25 PM)

Not a problem. And thank you for clarifying.

11517

General Software Discussion / Re: Linux is Not Windows

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2008, 05:53 PM »

This was recently posted on Linux.com.

Portrait: Michelle Murrain lives the open source lifestyle
By Tina Gasperson on August 07, 2008 (9:00:00 PM)


Michelle Murrain is a great example of what the FOSS community is all about.

She's complicated: she calls herself a "scientist turned technologist turned theologian turned writer," all blended into one person. She's also an active supporter of and contributor to open source software projects. She's not a developer, however, and Murrain would really like to see more space for people like her, with different gifts to share, in the open source community.

http://www.linux.com/feature/143264

Twenty more people like her and Tux could rule the world!

I have seen the kind of ire that App spoke of, and it is embarrassing to see it coming from fellow Linux enthusiasts who should be making better use of their time.

Very true. But there's hope. Take a look at LinuxChix.org to see what can be accomplished with a little less attitude. I think this group addresses may of the issues App raised earlier.

About LinuxChix
Wed, 11 Apr 2007

LinuxChix is a community for women who like Linux, and for anyone who wants to support women in computing. We are an international group of Free Software users and developers, founded in 1999 with the aim of "supporting women in Linux." Founder Deb Richardson described it as an alternative to the "locker room atmosphere" found in some online technical forums and gave LinuxChix two core rules: "be polite" and "be helpful". LinuxChix is now many things to many people, but it remains primarily a group for supporting women in computing, specifically in Open Source/Free Software/Software Libre computing.

LinuxChix has been continually active for eight years and its forums have attracted over one thousand members worldwide. In addition, it has over fifteen active regional chapters.

Deb Richardson started LinuxChix because she was tired of seeing new users being browbeaten for asking "stupid" questions. She was tired of seeing people respond to perfectly valid questions with "RTFM", or "we're not a Linux help channel", and other such not-terribly-useful things. She wanted to attempt to create a more hospitable community in which people can discuss Linux, a community that encourages participation, that doesn't allow the quieter among us to be drowned out by the vocal minority. She also wanted to run a group that was aimed at women.

http://www.linuxchix.org/

Bookmark this website fellow Nixers - and learn!

11518

Living Room / DC Programming Challenge entries spotted up on ghacks website

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 09:29 PM »

Circle Dock and Service Profiles were both mentioned recently up on ghacks.net

Circle Dock was another contribution to the Donation Coder Programming Challenge. It was an entry by Eric Wong who contributed not only this but another software program to the Challenge. Circle Dock is a program launcher, but not your usual stationary one. It is activated with a shortcut, the default one is CTRL Windows, and appears always with the mouse as its center.

http://www.ghacks.ne...8/08/11/circle-dock/

Windows XP does not offer a way to quickly switch between different service profiles. The only way would be to enable or disable all services manually which would be quite a lot of work. Service Profiles was an entry to the Donation Coder programming competition and it rightfully got a price there.

http://www.ghacks.ne...nt-service-profiles/

11519

Living Room / Re: The Root of Game Piracy

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 06:40 PM »

Terrific article.

My hat is off to Cliff Harris. Rather than speculate or pontificate, he decided to go straight to the source and get the facts. Brill!

11520

Living Room / Re: What printer?

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 06:30 PM »

I'm sure you're ahead of me but I'll say this anyway...
If you can get to a store that has one, I'd certainly take a look at the output from an MP610 before buying, especially its text.
I've no reason to think it'll be anything other than acceptable but it's always good to see some physical output before buying any printer.

Good luck in your hunt!

-cranioscopical (August 11, 2008, 07:09 AM)

This is probably the single best piece of advice for buying a printer. Obvious, yet all too often overlooked.

Great comment "C"

11521

General Software Discussion / Re: Linux is Not Windows

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 06:22 PM »

These two quotes are beginning to give me cause for concern:

from 40Hz:
Question: Why should anybody care what somebody else has to say about their choice of an OS? If you're insulting someone about that - or you're feeling insulted in return - then you're talking about religious convictions, not technology. And that will always be a "no win" exchange of opinions.

-Edvard (August 11, 2008, 12:39 PM)

I think either I'm not coming across the way I intended; or you might be missing the point I was trying to make.

I'm a bit surprised that Zaine's comment was lumped together with mine. That gives me cause for concern. Because to my mind, his/her comment is the polar opposite of what I was saying. So I'll try communicate better this time.

To clarify: All I am trying to say is that it is (to my mind) pointless to get into a slagging match about which operating system you like or don't like. Regardless of whether you use Windows, Linux, or Macintosh. I mean seriously - it's just plain silly.

And BTW Edvard: I thought I was walking softly! Pop me a private message if I've somehow offended. Maybe you can help me figure out where the meaning of my message fell apart. Still friends? 

11522

General Software Discussion / Re: KDE 4 out, and my, it looks gorgeous!

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 04:34 PM »

40hz: Thanks a lot for the links!
I read the "con" review, and from what I understand, the problem was that the reviewer didn't make a clean install, just updated 4.0, or something like that. Good thing I haven't installed 4.0 on my ubuntu machine, I hope I won't have problems installing

-jgpaiva (August 11, 2008, 03:54 PM)

I'll burn a new incense stick in front of my stuffed penguin for you.

Best luck - and let us all know how it works out.

11523

General Software Discussion / Re: KDE 4 out, and my, it looks gorgeous!

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 12:58 PM »

On a quasi-related note: if you're just looking for an alternate desktop to what you're using, check out this article - 20 Most Nimble and Simple X Window Managers for Linux

Link: http://www.junauza.c...simple-x-window.html

Although these are small footprint desktop managers, they don't lack in features or innovation. Some (Fluxbox et al) rival the functionality of the bigger desktops. Some of them (like Rat Poison which doesn't use a mouse at all) border on the bizarre.

And just because they're small doesn't mean they lack in eye candy. This is an example of OpenBox:

11524

General Software Discussion / Re: KDE 4 out, and my, it looks gorgeous!

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 12:28 PM »

Thanks a lot for your opinion, 40hz
I can't wait to test kde 4.1

-jgpaiva (August 11, 2008, 09:58 AM)

My pleasure. Always happy to share my misunderstandings and lack of expertise!

You might want to take a look at these articles (pro):

http://www.linux.com/feature/142661

http://itmanagement....d+of+the+New+KDE.htm

http://arstechnica.c...inux-experience.html

And this one (con):

http://www.devicegur...kde-410-disappoints/

A friend pointed me to this link for an easy way to install it if you're running Ubuntu.

http://news.softpedi...ntu-8-04-91034.shtml

Can't vouch for it since I did it the hard way, like always. But friend said it worked perfectly for her. Please note she did it immediately after a clean installation from CD. Your mileage may vary if you're installing on top of an existing copy (i.e. not recommended).

Luck

11525

General Software Discussion / Re: Linux is Not Windows

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2008, 09:25 AM »

something as vain as OOXML

-Josh (August 11, 2008, 08:31 AM)

Perhaps in the context that it was used. But the OOXML issue as relates to ISO's behavior was anything but.

A lot of them are supported only lightly by the developers because they use the mentality "I provided this for free, support it yourself".

You say "toma-to", I say "tomah-to."

I think a lot has to do in how things get said and how they are interpreted. And also how things come across in text versus by voice. I know several FOSS developer that are amazed at the attitude of many of the people who download their software. And invariably, these "high-maintenance users" are the ones who contribute nothing (donations, debugging, code rewrites, etc) to the developer other than a list of demands for the coder to "do something because I'm using your app and I want it right now!!!"


Eventually, some developers just give up because of the cruft they get from their user base. A lot of FOSS projects have died for exactly that reason. Just goes to show that the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished." was never truer than when talking about free software.

I see nothing wrong with the attitude that, if you're giving something away, you are well within your rights to also say "You're on your own using it." This is not unique to FOSS. Because no matter what you may think, no commercial software developer has put themselves under any obligation to provide support for free.

Read the EULA of any software product you own and you will see that every published piece of software has a disclaimer and limitation of warranty. That limitation says that anything bad that happens (even if the publisher knew it would happen) is at your own risk and expense.

There is also usually a section that says the publisher is under no obligation to fix the program if it doesn't do what it is supposed to do. And furthermore, it has no implied warranty. That means that if you bought a wordprocessing application, and it doesn't do word processing, that's your tough luck. Because even though they said it was a wordprocessor - that does not imply that it can actually be used for that purpose.

It also disclaims "fitness for use." That's like saying the TV you were sold does not mean that it will actually be able to receive TV signals or that it is even designed to be used for that purpose.

So if I were to fault most FOSS developers that don't provide individual tech support for anything, I would have to fault them for not being smart enough to bury their "policy" in a bunch of legal boilerplate nobody usually bothers to read.