Linux-Advocacy Digest #879, Volume #31 Wed, 31 Jan 01 22:13:06 EST
Contents:
Re: Whistler predictions... ("Ayende Rahien")
Re: [MDLUG] humorous ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Re: Storm Linux & Applixware (Charlie Ebert)
Re: My first day at LinuxWorld in New York City! (Sponge)
Re: Storm Linux & Applixware (.)
Re: [MDLUG] humorous ("Ayende Rahien")
Re: Global Configuration tool (WAS: Re: linux does NOT suck (oh yes it ("Aaron R.
Kulkis")
Re: Microsoft is FUN and Linux is BORING ("Aaron R. Kulkis")
Re: "Linux is Going Down" says Microsoft ("Aaron R. Kulkis")
Re: [MDLUG] humorous ("Aaron R. Kulkis")
Re: Linux headache ("Robert Morelli")
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Ayende Rahien" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Whistler predictions...
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 03:55:49 +0200
"Mig" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:95a2n0$aaa$[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> Ayende Rahien wrote:
>
> > Yes, and strangely enough, most (all?) of the software that *require*
> > reboot comes from MS.
> > For 99% of the other software, you wouldn't need to reboot.
>
> Actually W2K behaves much better regarding reinstalls.. but still there
are
> to many reboots for my taste. I have the opposite experience- i normally
> dont have to reboot on MS installs but mainly on other vendors software.
>
> Can this be because the software i normally install are not specific for
> W2K?
>
> BTW.. The decision for rebooting: is it the OS or the installer that
> requests a reboot?
In my experiance, most installers request a reboot, 99% of the time, it's
not required. They just want you to reboot because of 9x problems.
MS installs such as VS,Office,IE{*really* strange here, it *can't* change
vital files, why does it need to reboot}, IE Encryption, WMP, hotfixes, etc.
Usually need reboot in order to work correctly.
I think that you can use VS without rebooting, and that too is because of
9x.
WMP & IE won't be updated themselves until you reboot (I mean, if you
install IE update, you'll have to reboot in order to use it)
What MS software do you install that doesn't need a reboot? And what 3rd
party software does need reboot?
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Crossposted-To: alt.linux.sux,alt.destroy.microsoft,comp.os.ms-windows.advocacy
Subject: Re: [MDLUG] humorous
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 01:49:25 GMT
In article <PCUd6.39184$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"Chad Myers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Thank god I have Aaron killfiled.
Yeah! Good thinking! That way you can ignore the things he says that
you don't agree with--
Oh, wait a sec.
> > "Aaron R. Kulkis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> > >
> > > Gotta forwards that to the USENET comp.os.linux.advocacy group.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Aaron R. Kulkis
> > > Unix Systems Engineer
> > > DNRC Minister of all I survey
> > > ICQ # 3056642
Now I'm just confused. Chad, certainly you're a little smarter than
this?
Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Charlie Ebert)
Subject: Re: Storm Linux & Applixware
Reply-To: Charlie Ebert:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 02:02:20 GMT
In article <95a54i$ppe$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>Aaron R. Kulkis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> "." wrote:
>>>
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>>> > With the demise of stormix, the best Linux distribution I have used
>>> > to date, and what looks like the end for vistasource (applixware) it
>>> > has been a sad few days for me.
>>>
>>> > Now with IBM going to spend $1 billion this year on Linux why don't
>>> > they invest in stormix to keep a great debian based distribution going
>>> > and buy vistasource and then follow sun and make applixware open
>>> > source? Stormix did a fantastic job in making the easiest Linux
>>> > installation and with debian package management, so easy to
>>> > upgrade. As for applixware, it is an excellent office suite with a
>>> > superb macro language, ELF. Here's a chance for IBM to invest a small
>>> > amount of money and have a geat impact of Linux on the desktop.
>>>
>>> But probably not much of a profit. IBM is in the business of making
>>> alot of money; thats why theyve been able to survive longer than almost
>>> any other computer company in existance.
>>>
>>> Their investment in linux is a very big move for them; IBM doesnt throw
>>> that kind of money around lightly. They're in the business of making
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>>> things work very well, and I have high expectations.
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>> Actually, this is a rather recent outlook for IBM.
>
>> For the first 40 years of IBM's dataprocessing business (up to, and
>> including the release of AIX), IBM's previous business model was based
>> on the same kind of customer-lock-in strategy that Microsoft is using.
>
>Alright, fair enough. But in IBM's defense, they made a buttload of
>money *without* ever attempting to take over the world. :)
>
Look! Our shirts are as white as theirs!
>> [Notice the re-formatting of the /etc configuration files in AIX so that
>> administrative scripts written AIX won't work on other platforms]
>
>Now hold on, thats particular to every flavor of unix; there is not
>consistent /etc between UNIXEN, especially not between the sysV
>varieties. HP/UX did the same thing, as did Solaris/SunOS, SCO and
>UNIXware.
>
You wantem sysV, go RedHat.
You wantem BSD, go (((({{{{*****Debian!!!!*****}}}}})))))
>AIXes problem is with licensing, IMHO.
>
>> Of course, Born-with-a-golden-spoon-in-his-mouth Gates neglected to
>> notice that IBM's customer-lock-in strategy also had IBM in Federal
>> court so frequently that they were almost a permanent fixture on
>> the dockets.
>
>Heh. I'm glad they found a way to make money without doing that.
>
The GPL will prevent ANYBODY from dominating ANY market with Linux
or HURD.
Charlie
------------------------------
From: Sponge<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: misc.invest.stocks
Subject: Re: My first day at LinuxWorld in New York City!
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 21:11:07 -0500
On Wed, 31 Jan 2001 18:23:04 -0500, jtnews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>Today was the first day the exhibits were open!
>I was very impressed at how big the show was.
Size doesn't matter.
>In the morning it was quite dead, and it looked
>like no one was going to show up, but then I looked
>in the auditorium where the opening keynote was and
>found everyone there.
It was dead all day long.
>I sat through IBM's presentation about Linux.
>Ironically, the night before the show, I had
>stayed up all night working on getting my new computers
>up and running on RedHat 7.0. I was so tired I kept dozing
>off during IBM's presentation. But between lapses
>of consciousness I managed to absorb some of what he
>said. It looks like the corporate world is finally
>understanding why Linux and open source is a strategic
>advantage over proprietary solutions.
Hey that's where I was!!!
I'm the guy with the tall blonde that won the umbrella and gym bag in the IBM
give away.
Amy gave them to the children because they, well were quite cheap in quality.
>The guys who developed Samba got a reward check for
>$25,000.
Big deal.
If they would have sold it they would be millionaires.
Fools if you ask me.
>Linus showed up. I didn't know he was going to
>LinuxWorld!
Was that who was in the middle of the circle?
>In the exhibit room, I noticed most companies were selling
>rack mounted computers, GUI or network performance
>analysis software for Linux. The only 2 things I found
>really interesting was Pocket Linux and etherboot.org.
>Linux was running on a Compaq handheld device.
>That was pretty neat. Etherboot.org had a way
>of using diskless clients, I had always wanted
>to setup my computers that way. At least I discovered
>something new. Other than that there didn't seem to
>be much exciting going on. But that's just the technical part.
I agree. It was a real sleeper.
The Jitney ride home was a hell of a lot more interesting.
>As for the fun part, there were a few notable things.
>There was a pseudo game show where two groups of people
>were answering silly questions about computing.
Did you notice how at least half of them were totally clueless?
They were getting even the most basic questions wrong.
>A lot of people in the audience seemed to enjoy it.
>But I kept dozing off again.
You were not alone :)
>The highlight of the day was the Chilliware exhibit.
>I got some free popcorn and there was a very attractive
>woman with blonde hair dressed in all leather!
She had the hots for Amy.
I think she might have been a carpet muncher.
>She was pretty hot! I wonder if she was just a model
>or if she was a software engineer? I was so stunned
>that I can't even remember what Chilliware does. Oh
>well.
Don't sweat it.
In a year or so nobody else will remember what Chilliware used to make either.
>Oh and I also saw Darby Mullany from CNBC there
>interviewing someone from VA Linux. How about that!
It didn't make the news tonight.
Guess it was too boring.
>All in all, it was an ok experience. But
>not exciting enough for me to go for the
>2nd or 3rd day. I'm glad I discovered etherboot.org
>though, at least I can use that.
It was a real sleeper indeed!
Sponge
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (.)
Subject: Re: Storm Linux & Applixware
Date: 1 Feb 2001 02:07:10 GMT
Charlie Ebert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>Now hold on, thats particular to every flavor of unix; there is not
>>consistent /etc between UNIXEN, especially not between the sysV
>>varieties. HP/UX did the same thing, as did Solaris/SunOS, SCO and
>>UNIXware.
>>
> You wantem sysV, go RedHat.
My god man. Redhat is so incredibly broken that I dont even want to talk
about it. :)
> You wantem BSD, go (((({{{{*****Debian!!!!*****}}}}})))))
And I have. :)
=====.
------------------------------
From: "Ayende Rahien" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: alt.linux.sux,alt.destroy.microsoft,comp.os.ms-windows.advocacy
Subject: Re: [MDLUG] humorous
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 04:06:53 +0200
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:95afb3$hj9$[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> In article <PCUd6.39184$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> "Chad Myers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Thank god I have Aaron killfiled.
>
> Yeah! Good thinking! That way you can ignore the things he says that
> you don't agree with--
It's not what he says, it's the way he says it.
------------------------------
From: "Aaron R. Kulkis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: alt.linux.sux,alt.microsoft.sucks
Subject: Re: Global Configuration tool (WAS: Re: linux does NOT suck (oh yes it
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 21:09:06 -0500
Giuliano Colla wrote:
>
> "Aaron R. Kulkis" wrote:
> >
> > Chris Ahlstrom wrote:
> > >
> > > "Aaron R. Kulkis" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Kyle Jacobs wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Except for the small issue that Windows NT is still in place, while you
> > > > > linzealots insist that Linux can replace Windows on the desktop. It can't,
> > > > > sadly, dolts like Kulkis (who would sooner lob off his left testicle then
> > > > > admit to a UNIX based anything having anything less than total perfection)
> > > >
> > > > Unix has several legitimate faults.
> > > >
> > > > However, Kyle Jacobs has yet to identify any of them.
> > >
> > > He's probably still trying to come up with Schrodinger's equation.
> > >
> >
> > +---------------------------------------+
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | |
> > | X |
> > | |
> > | You are here |
> > | (more ore less) |
> > | |
> > +---------------------------------------+
> >
> > Map at the Heisenberg Institute
> >
>
> LOL! That's one of the best graphic representation of Schroedinger's
> equations I've ever seen!
Actually, it's a commentary about Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that there is a tradeoff
of knowing position vs. knowing velocity.
The more accurately you measure the position of an object, the less
accurate is your measurement of velocity, and vice-versa.
Imagine you take a picture of a speeding race-car.
If your shutter speed is very fast, you know it's position
exactly...but it's velocity can only be guessed at.
Conversely, you can take a long exposure, and, by measuring the
length of the image of the car vs. the stationary background,
you can judge it's velocity rather more accurately, but at
the price of knowing less about it's position.
A corrolary of this principle (by re-arranging the equations)
is that (as can be guessed from above) there is a trade-off
between knowing the total energy of a system vs. time of
measurement.
This means that, at the sub-atomic level, we will NEVER detect
certain event if the product delta-time x delta-energy is
below the minimum threshold of uncertainty...at least not with
any experimental apparatus based on Quantum Dynamic theory.
Einstein summarized this principle as follow:
The rule is *not* "Don't stick your tongue out at the
teacher;" the rule is "Don't GET CAUGHT sticking your
tongue out at the teacher."
In this case, he was referring to the Conservation of Mass-Energy law...
that is, if the violation of Conservation of Mass-Energy is short enough,
then, in fact, the substance being studied "can get away with" violating
the conservation law.
Thus, the theorizing about entities such as "gluons"...massive,
short-lived particles that keep the nucleus together...as long as
the atomic nucleus is small, then the gluon can pop into-existance,
traverse the nucleus, and then disappear again, without violating
the Conservation of Mass-Energy law, because it's too short-lived.
With larger, nuclei, however, the gluon might not be able to do
it's work within the specified time to remain undetected...and
thus, and explanation for fission decay of the heavier elements.
Ultimately, as the present Quantum Dynamic method is finally
overthrown for new, more comprehensive physics (in the same way
that Quantum Dynamics overthrew classical Newtonian physics to
explain what happens at the atomic level), we may discover a
way to see below the threshold defined by Heisenberg's uncertainty
principle.
Schroedinger, was, of course, trying to argue that Heisenberg's
proposal lead to irrational paradoxes...yet, so far, Heisenberg
has held out, without a single paradox arising.
Until then: oh well.
Actually, the map in the cartoon was more detailed.
Let's see if I can find a scan of it on the web.
no luck :-(
Anyway, in the original drawing, there was a man, standing in front
of a campus map, title Heisenberg Institute, with a large X and a
legend bearing the words, "you are here (more or less)"
--
Aaron R. Kulkis
Unix Systems Engineer
DNRC Minister of all I survey
ICQ # 3056642
H: "Having found not one single carbon monoxide leak on the entire
premises, it is my belief, and Willard concurs, that the reason
you folks feel listless and disoriented is simply because
you are lazy, stupid people"
I: Loren Petrich's 2-week stubborn refusal to respond to the
challenge to describe even one philosophical difference
between himself and the communists demonstrates that, in fact,
Loren Petrich is a COMMUNIST ***hole
J: Other knee_jerk reactionaries: billh, david casey, redc1c4,
The retarded sisters: Raunchy (rauni) and Anencephielle (Enielle),
also known as old hags who've hit the wall....
A: The wise man is mocked by fools.
B: Jet Silverman plays the fool and spews out nonsense as a
method of sidetracking discussions which are headed in a
direction that she doesn't like.
C: Jet Silverman claims to have killfiled me.
D: Jet Silverman now follows me from newgroup to newsgroup
...despite (C) above.
E: Jet is not worthy of the time to compose a response until
her behavior improves.
F: Unit_4's "Kook hunt" reminds me of "Jimmy Baker's" harangues against
adultery while concurrently committing adultery with Tammy Hahn.
G: Knackos...you're a retard.
------------------------------
From: "Aaron R. Kulkis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: alt.linux.sux
Subject: Re: Microsoft is FUN and Linux is BORING
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 21:09:49 -0500
"." wrote:
>
> In comp.os.linux.advocacy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > Microsoft has done more than any other company to put computers into
> > the home and to make them friendly and fun to use.
>
> Apple did more. It cannot be denied that MacOS is easier to use
> than windows, and much easier to learn.
>
> > Linux on the other hand seems to want to turn the clock back on
> > computing and put us back in the early 1990's again.
>
> I'll just email IBM, Bell Labs, Caltech and the NSA and let them know.
>
And HP and Sun.
> -----.
--
Aaron R. Kulkis
Unix Systems Engineer
DNRC Minister of all I survey
ICQ # 3056642
H: "Having found not one single carbon monoxide leak on the entire
premises, it is my belief, and Willard concurs, that the reason
you folks feel listless and disoriented is simply because
you are lazy, stupid people"
I: Loren Petrich's 2-week stubborn refusal to respond to the
challenge to describe even one philosophical difference
between himself and the communists demonstrates that, in fact,
Loren Petrich is a COMMUNIST ***hole
J: Other knee_jerk reactionaries: billh, david casey, redc1c4,
The retarded sisters: Raunchy (rauni) and Anencephielle (Enielle),
also known as old hags who've hit the wall....
A: The wise man is mocked by fools.
B: Jet Silverman plays the fool and spews out nonsense as a
method of sidetracking discussions which are headed in a
direction that she doesn't like.
C: Jet Silverman claims to have killfiled me.
D: Jet Silverman now follows me from newgroup to newsgroup
...despite (C) above.
E: Jet is not worthy of the time to compose a response until
her behavior improves.
F: Unit_4's "Kook hunt" reminds me of "Jimmy Baker's" harangues against
adultery while concurrently committing adultery with Tammy Hahn.
G: Knackos...you're a retard.
------------------------------
From: "Aaron R. Kulkis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: "Linux is Going Down" says Microsoft
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 21:10:11 -0500
"." wrote:
>
> Adam Warner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > "MS Exec: Linux is Going Down"
>
> > http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,41527,00.html
>
> Hmmm...youd almost think that microsoft felt threatened.
>
I hope they do.
> -----.
--
Aaron R. Kulkis
Unix Systems Engineer
DNRC Minister of all I survey
ICQ # 3056642
H: "Having found not one single carbon monoxide leak on the entire
premises, it is my belief, and Willard concurs, that the reason
you folks feel listless and disoriented is simply because
you are lazy, stupid people"
I: Loren Petrich's 2-week stubborn refusal to respond to the
challenge to describe even one philosophical difference
between himself and the communists demonstrates that, in fact,
Loren Petrich is a COMMUNIST ***hole
J: Other knee_jerk reactionaries: billh, david casey, redc1c4,
The retarded sisters: Raunchy (rauni) and Anencephielle (Enielle),
also known as old hags who've hit the wall....
A: The wise man is mocked by fools.
B: Jet Silverman plays the fool and spews out nonsense as a
method of sidetracking discussions which are headed in a
direction that she doesn't like.
C: Jet Silverman claims to have killfiled me.
D: Jet Silverman now follows me from newgroup to newsgroup
...despite (C) above.
E: Jet is not worthy of the time to compose a response until
her behavior improves.
F: Unit_4's "Kook hunt" reminds me of "Jimmy Baker's" harangues against
adultery while concurrently committing adultery with Tammy Hahn.
G: Knackos...you're a retard.
------------------------------
From: "Aaron R. Kulkis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To:
alt.linux.sux,alt.destroy.microsoft,comp.os.ms-windows.advocacy,comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy,comp.os.mac.advocacy
Subject: Re: [MDLUG] humorous
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 21:11:59 -0500
Chad Myers wrote:
>
> Thank god I have Aaron killfiled.
Which guarantees that you LOSE all debates with me.
>
> The manual does not say that you should reinstall Windows once a year.
> That's an out-and-out lie, but nothing new for the Penguinistas.
And yet, there it is...in the trouble-shooting guide for a Microsoft
product.
>
> -Chad
>
> "Walter "Doc Wally" Ellena" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:D0Ld6.7768$[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> > Aaron. . .
> >
> > Get outta town!
> >
> > Its amusing, I know.
> >
> > Doc
> > "Aaron R. Kulkis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> > > "Joe St.Clair - KSI Machine & Engineering" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Thought this might evoke a chuckle or two.
> > > >
> > > > I recently helped a person here at the shop get "Microsoft Combat Flight
> > > > Simulator 2" running on his system. It was a real trip. The system
> > > > just kept freezing up during the loading of scenery. Going through one
> > > > of the 300+ page books it give some suggestions for optimizing the
> > > > system for this game. Here are some of the things Microsoft suggests.
> > > > Disable you network card. "unless you have a machine that is
> > > > extremely powerful".
> > > > Dump everything that is unimportant from your computer.
> > > > Here is the best one.
> > > >
> > > > "Reinstall Windows once a year. Windows gets dirty over time, just like
> > > > the ones you have in the walls of your home."
> > > >
> > > > Microsoft is great entertainment.
> > > >
> > > > Joseph St.Clair - KSI Machine & Engineering
> > >
> > > Gotta forwards that to the USENET comp.os.linux.advocacy group.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Aaron R. Kulkis
> > > Unix Systems Engineer
> > > DNRC Minister of all I survey
> > > ICQ # 3056642
> > >
> > >
> > > H: "Having found not one single carbon monoxide leak on the entire
> > > premises, it is my belief, and Willard concurs, that the reason
> > > you folks feel listless and disoriented is simply because
> > > you are lazy, stupid people"
> >
> >
--
Aaron R. Kulkis
Unix Systems Engineer
DNRC Minister of all I survey
ICQ # 3056642
H: "Having found not one single carbon monoxide leak on the entire
premises, it is my belief, and Willard concurs, that the reason
you folks feel listless and disoriented is simply because
you are lazy, stupid people"
I: Loren Petrich's 2-week stubborn refusal to respond to the
challenge to describe even one philosophical difference
between himself and the communists demonstrates that, in fact,
Loren Petrich is a COMMUNIST ***hole
J: Other knee_jerk reactionaries: billh, david casey, redc1c4,
The retarded sisters: Raunchy (rauni) and Anencephielle (Enielle),
also known as old hags who've hit the wall....
A: The wise man is mocked by fools.
B: Jet Silverman plays the fool and spews out nonsense as a
method of sidetracking discussions which are headed in a
direction that she doesn't like.
C: Jet Silverman claims to have killfiled me.
D: Jet Silverman now follows me from newgroup to newsgroup
...despite (C) above.
E: Jet is not worthy of the time to compose a response until
her behavior improves.
F: Unit_4's "Kook hunt" reminds me of "Jimmy Baker's" harangues against
adultery while concurrently committing adultery with Tammy Hahn.
G: Knackos...you're a retard.
------------------------------
From: "Robert Morelli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Linux headache
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 16:55:42 -0600
In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "Bob Hauck"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Tue, 30 Jan 2001 15:22:28 -0600, Robert Morelli
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>> As for recompiling the kernel, why don't you ask the original poster
>> why he has been trying to do it. I'm sure it didn't just pop into his
>> mind spontaneously.
>
> In comp.os.linux.advocacy? Surely you jest. Half of the people who
> post here are just trolls who come up with all sorts of obscure problems
> to
> "prove" that one system or the other "sucks".
I don't hang out here, so I don't know, and ultimately I don't really
care. Troll or not, the original poster's experience is plausible. The
issues raised need to be acknowledged and discussed so Linux
can move forward.
My thinking is that Windows advocates can be an asset. I want more
of them pointing out the places where Linux needs improvement, I
want more Mindcraft comparisons. Like in most human endeavor,
competition is a motivating element in Linux development. Since a lot
of linux development is not directly supported financially, it's possible
the emotional component is the most important one here. It serves
my purposes if the Linux community is embarrassed by the technical
inferiority of Linux. If we live in denial about how bad Linux technology
is, we lose the motivation to improve it.
It's for this reason that I admire de Icaza who openly admits ``Unix
sucks,'' and Torvalds, who openly admits that he was in denial about
the Mindcraft loss, and Stallman, who maintains that OSS is not about
quality but freedom. I'm not so sure about people who wear rose
colored glasses and don't realistically address the serious failings of OSS.
>> Why do we need to rebuild the kernel? Because of a serious design flaw
>> in Linux according to which device drivers were embedded directly into
>> the kernel in a very sloppy and non-modular way.
>
> What? Nearly all device drivers are loadable modules in all modern
> distributions. The ones that aren't modules are compiled into the
> default kernel in those distributions.
>
>
>> Remarkably, the issue is still being debated. You may have seen a much
>> publicized letter from Eric Raymond to Linus Torvalds a few months ago
>> in which Raymond ironically maintained that the only way Torvalds was
>> able to maintain such a poorly designed kernel was that he was a
>> `genius.'
>
> If you're referring to the "curse of the gifted" rant, that's not even
> close to what he said. The subject was Linus' non-use of version
> control software (e.g. Bitkeeper, CVS, PVCS, etc), not the design of the
> kernel.
May be there have been several such rants. In fact, I hope so because
there seem to be several recognized problems with the kernel development
model. The rant I was referring to was about modularity in the kernel. Linus
responded saying that he thinks the importance of modularity is
overblown.(!)
>> Do you mean to claim that you can't get a kernel panic by doing the
>> above? That's just not so. You can, and it's not so hard in fact.
>
> Yes, you can get a kernel panic by building a kernel with bad
> parameters. The same ESR you mentioned above is working on a better
> build system to help prevent this, but in the meantime you actually
> don't need to rebuild the kernel if you don't want to. The so-called
> "average user" won't have any reason to do that with modern distros.
I'm aware of efforts to address the problems with Linux. However,
I've watched many of these efforts procede painfully slowly over time and I
remain skeptical until they materialize.I don't say the problems will never
go away, I just say they are here now and will be here for some time.
What the Linux community needs to do is stop making excuses for things
like this. Maybe you've been numbed to it, but the rest of the world
would consider it mind blowingly bizarre that an end user would ever,
for any reason, need to contemplate setting hundreds of parameters and
rebuilding the kernel. And this is only the beginning of the technical
deficiencies of the Linux environment. There are numerous other mind
blowing technical deficits in Linux, like the absense of serious printing
technology, inferior font technology, a total lack of standardization about
initialization scripts, an absense of detailed documentation, lack of
uniformity in user interface design, etc., etc. At the same time,
there's this weird propaganda that buried somewhere down deep in
Linux there is powerful technology that can be unlocked by the
sophisticated user. What this mysterious technology is, is never
specified, but it must be awesome if Linux users can go without
the bare necessities like tranparent handling of device drivers, decent
printing, fonts, etc.
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