Linux Today Blog

July 1, 2009

Changing the World, One Penguin at a Time

Ken Starks is a testament to the power of single individual, and to the power of the distributed, community Free/Open Source model. He shows that the most effective advocacy is one-on-one, up close and personal. And that one person can multiply himself by inspiring many others. Does the idea of "advocacy" make you nervous? It does sound a bit scary, doesn't it, like those annoying door-to-door religious people. But it's not that way. If you're interested in helping people learn to speak Linux, here are a few easy, non-scary tips.

Continue reading "Changing the World, One Penguin at a Time"

Posted by cschroder at 1:12 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

June 17, 2009

Why is the NY Times so Dumb About Linux and Windows?

The New York Times seems hard-wired to rarely identify any Windows malware as Windows malware, but rather as "computer malware." They seem to share this illness with other people too, such as researchers and professors. Can it be that all these educated people who make their livings knowing things and uncovering new knowledge really don't know that there are other computer operating systems besides Microsoft Windows?

Their latest failure at making this distinction is China Orders Patches to Planned Web Filter, and they also missed the real story: since this censoring software is required to be installed on all computers sold in China, does that mean that Mac, Linux, and Unix computers are banned? Because it's a Windows program.

Continue reading "Why is the NY Times so Dumb About Linux and Windows?"

Posted by cschroder at 4:06 PM | Comments (18) | TrackBack (1)

June 16, 2009

The Biggest FOSS Challenge: the Smart Grid

Andy Updegrove, ace attorney and author of the excellent Standards Blog, is one of the few people who understands the real implications behind seemingly-simple goals like "Let's have paperless networked medical records so health care workers can be more efficient" and "Let's have a smart electrical grid that manages electricity delivery intelligently." As he says in Standards and the Smart Grid:

"...the many multi-billion dollar initiatives that the Obama Administration has launched that are heavily dependent on standards - which in many cases do not yet exist. Each initiative is also of great complexity, and will need to rely on a level of cooperation and collaboration that does not natively exist in the marketplace. "

Continue reading "The Biggest FOSS Challenge: the Smart Grid"

Posted by cschroder at 4:22 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

June 11, 2009

A Guest Essay In Favor of Mono (#1)

Here we go, the first response to my invitation to anyone who wanted to have their say on the value and benefits of Mono, why it does not represent a threat to Linux, and anything else they might want to say about it. Thank you to Jo Shields for writing this. --ed.

Update 6/12-- in the interests of completeness, here is Mr. Shield's preamble from his blog:

This post is a repost for something I sent to Linux Today. Their original message was here, where they invited people who don’t think Mono causes AIDS to justify themselves. I replied here. This is a repost, for the benefit of assorted aggregators. Some context may be lost by not reading the original “invitation” first.

Thank you Jo, I was very worried about AIDS. I feel better now. --ed.

by Jo Shields

I am a member of the Debian Mono Group, Debian CLI Applications Team, and Debian CLI Libraries Team. I've been working on packaging for the Mono stack and applications which make use of it in Ubuntu (and Debian) for just under a year. And, fully aware of the flame war, threats and personal attacks which will follow, I'm going to take you up on your "invitation". I speak for myself here - not for the Debian project, nor Ubuntu, not for the Mono project, nor for my employer.

Continue reading "A Guest Essay In Favor of Mono (#1)"

Posted by cschroder at 5:56 PM | Comments (39) | TrackBack (0)

June 8, 2009

Linux-Based Cell Phone Netbook Dream Machine

I don't like cell phones for two reasons: in the US the services cost too much and have too many restrictions, and cell phone users are annoying. Running around yakking non-stop like teenagers, blaring gawdawful tinny ringtones at maximum volume, and just try to hold a face-to-face conversation-- it's a constant battle to keep their attention because they just HAVE to read their text messages NOW, and take calls, and put people on hold until everyone they know is lined up waiting. They're worse than parents with young children.

Another sticking point is having to lug multiple gadgets around when I travel. I used to want something like a Toshiba Libretto because it was close to the perfect size. But it had three drawbacks: too expensive, an uncomfortable keyboard, and no integrated mobile phone. Now in this excellent new netbook era, I think my dream machine is finally at hand.

Continue reading "Linux-Based Cell Phone Netbook Dream Machine"

Posted by cschroder at 4:51 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

June 4, 2009

Don't Get Me Wrong, Linux Sucks as Much as Windows

I may be more aware of current FUD, disinformation, and anti-Linux propaganda trends because of my job. I visit dozens of Web sites every day and read all kinds of blogs, news, articles, and reader comments. So in case you hadn't noticed, here is the latest hot trend in anti-Linux baloney: supposed Linux fans and advocates who really really love Linux and have been using it for years, but can't recommend it for anyone else because "It's not ready."

Continue reading "Don't Get Me Wrong, Linux Sucks as Much as Windows"

Posted by cschroder at 10:46 PM | Comments (66) | TrackBack (1)

June 2, 2009

Practical Exercise Tips For Busy Linux Geeks

We all know that healthy eating and moderate exercise are key to living long, healthy lives. Unfortunately the ability to type 90 words per minutes without errors, or to sit and work in deep concentration for hours at a time, while strenuous in their own ways, don't do much for our physical fitness. But even the busiest Linux geek can painlessly fit pleasant, healthy exercise into a daily routine; so here are my best 5 fitness tips for busy Linuxers.

Continue reading "Practical Exercise Tips For Busy Linux Geeks"

Posted by cschroder at 10:56 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

May 28, 2009

Tiny 1% Linux = Big Microsoft Terror

I don't believe that the desktop Linux market share is barely 1%. I think it is a lot higher. I have no good data to share; I base my assessment on experience and knowing the industry. There is something else that is even more persuasive, and that is how Microsoft behaves. If Linux is so insignificant, why do they pay so much attention to it? Like this new ASUS/Windows Eee PC "It's Better With Windows" ad campaign:

It's Better With Windows
"Windows helps you quickly and easily get online and connect to your devices and services-- without dealing with an unfamiliar environment or major compatibility issues."

Continue reading "Tiny 1% Linux = Big Microsoft Terror"

Posted by cschroder at 10:47 PM | Comments (22) | TrackBack (0)

May 26, 2009

Linux Today Readers Speak: Foiling Your Sysadmin, Monopoly, Mono, and Linux Is a Kernel, Dangit!

As always, one of the best features of Linux Today is the excellent reader comments. Here is a sampling of some recent gems; I can't share all the comments that I think are good, so be sure to cruise them your own selves when you have time:

Padma - Subject: Re: How old ... ( May 20, 2009, 19:00:46 )

"I remember working on a mainframe a couple of decades ago (non-UNIX). I worked in a systems shop, and we had the same problem, even then. We ran a utility that checked the access time of all files, and sent a copy of the report (broken down by section) to each section, asking them to archive files unused for over 90 days.
"Of course, one section's response was to write another script, which 'touched' every file they owned, once every month, so we could never again tell them that they were storing data that wasn't being used!"

C. Whitman - Subject: Re: Hi, this is the human race ( May 12, 2009, 13:41:42 )

"If you actually read the article, the author clearly states that, though Linux is technically a kernel rather than an OS, this is not the point of the article. The point of the article is that what we do refer to as the operating system, whether you call it "Linux" or "GNU/Linux," is really just a framework to build an operating system from rather than a specific operating system...
"On the other hand, if someone wants to use the term "GNU/Linux" and explain the distinction between the kernel and the rest of the operating system to everyone they talk to, then it's hard to argue that they're wrong (Perhaps you could argue that it should be "Linux/GNU" :-) ).

cjm - Subject: Intellectual dishonesty/honesty ( May 20, 2009, 15:29:40 )

"But being forced to pay Microsoft for products we don't use -- or conversely -- being forced to pay Microsoft in order to interact with our government of the people, by the people, and for the people, are examples of an unacceptable situation.
"And for the most part, commentators carefully ignore the fact that Microsoft operates as an illegal monopoly, and that if that illegal monopoly was properly dealt with and stripped of its power to dominate the desktop market, GNU/Linux advocacy would not need to focus so much attention on Windows.
"Take away the monopolistic roadblocks to GNU/Linux use, and Windows becomes a non issue.
"But to get there from here, enforcement of antitrust law is a prerequisite.
"The pundits and commentators would rather not talk about that. "

Jose_X - Subject: Still confused on degree of risk of mono.. apparently ( May 26, 2009, 16:55:53 )

"The main difference with Samba is that Samba is a product. It is not a development tool to create (infest) new applications. This is not a perfect analogy, but it gets to some core problems with mono.
"The main difference with wine is that the wine project does not encourage the development of the Windows API. But Jo Shields, mono-gang, Novell, etc, WANT you to use and spread mono. Their focus isn't on getting hot MS only dotnet apps onto Linux (they have a horrible track record here) but instead WANT to dirty future Linux with mono. Notice that many people don't use wine today, and many developers don't develop Linux apps so as to work through wine.
"Guess what, IMO, many of these people that don't want to depend on wine (or even samba), certainly no more than they absolutely "have to", also don't want to depend on mono! Who'd thunk it?
"Microsoft has created dotnet from scratch and indications are that they have a very strategic and aggressive system in place to protect their interfaces with patents."

Posted by cschroder at 12:00 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

May 21, 2009

Migrating to Desktop Linux: What is the Big Deal? Answer: Nothing.

The anti-Linux FUD has been flying thick and fast lately. It's not even interesting fresh FUD, but tired, worn-out old FUD. If you believe the headlines and all the masses of verbiage being emitted by Redmond's tame "tech" "reporter" battalions Linux desktop market share has dropped since 2001; that not having Photoshop, AutoCad, and other specialty, expensive high-end applications are deal-breakers even for people who never use them; and that users are getting stupider and more fearful, and therefore must be protected from frightening things like command-lines, skills, and knowledge.

Now you know it's hogwash, and I know it's hogwash, and the silly people emitting all this nonsense have never even touched a Linux computer, except to poke it with a stick. Rather than wasting time countering this tired, moldy old baloney let's move on to my Common-Sense Easy-Peasy Guide to Adopting Linux.

Continue reading "Migrating to Desktop Linux: What is the Big Deal? Answer: Nothing."

Posted by cschroder at 3:26 PM | Comments (15) | TrackBack (0)