Linux - For who and why

[GPSTI]

"People who run compilers, virtual environments software testing, code debugging whatnot"

Erm, what makes those people superior to people who use " MS office spreadsheets or watching crap tube video snipets or searching for cooking recipes or worse playing Solitaire card games or use said navigational software.

Answer: Nothing.

So far, as I've said before, the geeks who "run compilers, virtual environments software testing, code debugging whatnot" haven't produced a usable utility or program in Linux that isn't already covered even better and more user friedly than in Windows.

Come to think of it, I've never seen anyone "run compilers, virtual environments software testing, code debugging whatnot" on Linux while genuinely living life, but I've seen plenty of people using Navi software on Windows

[Glort]

People who run compilers, virtual environments software testing, code debugging whatnot , not MS office spreadsheets or watching crap tube video snipets or searching for cooking recipes or worse playing Solitaire card games or use said navigational software ..........

I hear ya!

A few different aquatiences have approached me lately about upgrading their machines. When I suggested some Ex gubbermint 3 yo machines a charity I know sells cheap as Chips, they were aghast saying they wanted something powerful and faster than they had now. They all have ancient low end machines which anything under 5 yo would wipe the table with.

Having worked on their machines before, I know about the heaviest thing they run is word 95. The rest is surfing and not much else. They were asking about high end new machines costing a couple of grand when the machines I was thinking of for a couple of hundred would be more than adequate and 10 times faster than they had now.

I'd just picked one up for my Daughter and was waiting for her to clean her room so I could get in there to set it up, so I gave it to a friend and said try it for a week see what you think. She didn't believe how fast it was and that it wasn't a new machine.

Should have said nothing and charged her $1500 for it. She would have been totally happy for sure!

Still haven't got a replacement because the daughter is still living in a pig sty I'm not game to enter.

I notice this computer power preoccupation is not surprisingly rampant with the yanks. I have been on forums where someone wants to run a specific software I do for the exact same purpose I run them and people are reccomending that only the latest and greatest machine could possibly be in any way efficient. When I tell people I am running 10 yo 1.8/512/ 20 g machines and they work perfectly, they then start making excuses why the over the top and expensive machine is better. These things are usually put to work at least 10 at a time which is a big difference to a one off.

The fact these things are required for a single specific purpose ( Kiosk) doesn't seem to give them any sort of practical reality check at all!

[Rumcajs]

Answer: Nothing.

+1, got that thing right.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Rumcajs

[Ray!]

Hmm, doesn't compute (.....for someone who writes essays but can't read what other write ! .....)

I did read what was nothing but advertising fluff.

...Dell hasn’t fully decided how to market the new product...

And I would have thought that Power Users would have wanted something other than Ubuntu installed. And why would you be doing software development on a 13" screen laptop, rather than a decent desktop with multiple large monitors and fast hard drives?

Also, what's with the constant insults and ad hominem attacks?

Cheers

Ray

Edited July 19, 2012 by Ray!

[GPSTI]

GPSTI, on 19 July 2012 - 09:26 PM, said:

Answer: Nothing.

+1, got that thing right.

Question: What use is Linux?

[Rumcajs]

Also, what's with the constant insults and ad hominem attacks?

Cheers

Ray

I'm not sure myself , gotta ask "GPSTI" about that one ......

I don't mind discussing things/whatever(like computational freedom) but I have no intention of feeding trolling comment from certain posters. What is the point?

Wasting my time which I'd rather use on something else.

I agree with why indeed one would want to do software development on such laptop but I'd have guessed that Dell did their market research and know which power users they are targeting.

Perhaps this is their mobile companion option to their existing desktop machines.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Rumcajs

[GPSTI]

I'm not sure myself , gotta ask "GPSTI" about that one ......

????????

[Ray!]

Linux on laptops? Some further news:

The details about Dell's Sputnik Beta Cosmonaut program are actually pretty sparse; the company's only saying that it "A limited number of applicants will be selected to receive a discounted, beta version solution." There's no exact word on how much the laptop will cost or how many are available.

Some things are certain, however. The Dell XPS 13 notebooks involved in Sputnik run a developer-friendly version of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS -- aka Precise Pangolin -- that's fairly bare-bones. Canonical and Dell hope to eventually include environment specific repositories so that, say, a Ruby developer can quickly nab an appropriate set of tools and utilities, while Android devs can snag a second prepackaged kit.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/dells_looking_few_good_cosmonauts_test_ubuntu-powered_sputnik_xps_13

It would seem that from a software developer's perspective, these machines are probably aimed more towards the development of apps and the like, rather than for enterprise system work.

Cheers

Ray

[Rumcajs]

Ouch, --> http://marketday.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/19/12837611-microsoft-reports-first-quarterly-loss-ever?lit

"Microsoft, the once-dominant computer software giant that has seen its fortunes wane in recent years, posted its first quarterly loss since emerging as a public company in 1986 Thursday."

Lets hope Windows x.x™ will turn the fortunes around a bit.......

On another note ---> http://www.securityweek.com/apple-yanks-privacy-app-app-store

"......41.4 percent of apps were shown to track a user's location unbeknownst to them....." "...In simple terms, Clueful identifies potentially intrusive applications and shows users what they do behind their back...." " ....So why would Apple pull such an App from the App store? It’s unclear, and the company is under NDA as far as explanations for the removal......"

Yay, Apple, the guardian of your privacy and computational freedom......

Feelings of 'deja vu' for some >>>

"Freedom in the future will require us to have the capacity to monitor our devices and set meaningful policies for them; to examine and terminate the software processes that runs on them; and to maintain them as honest servants to our will, not as traitors and spies working for criminals, thugs, and control freaks. " corporations, governments and do gooders.

http://boingboing.net/2012/01/10/lockdown.html

[Ray!]

Read this, especially the last point: http://pjmedia.com/blog/tips-for-not-appearing-crazy-on-the-internet/2/.

Cheers

Ray

[Rumcajs]

Wow, so NBC, Bitdefender and Cory Doctorow are all crazy people according F.J. Fleming. Phew, I thought these were the reputable sorts.

Thanks for the warning Ray from now on I'm only getting the real truth from ABC.

Edit:

Damn them crazies are there too >> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-20/microsoft-reports-first-ever-loss/4143072

Edited July 20, 2012 by Rumcajs

[Oldmate]

Isn't Linux, just men's deodorant? why is that so hard to use that there is a 3 page discussion on it

[Rumcajs]

This is gold -->

"Gabe Newell (of Valve fame) wants to support Linux because he think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in PC space."

Ray, you'd better talk the man in to some senses...... or just point him to your thread over here....

Cheers

Edited July 26, 2012 by Rumcajs

[GPSTI]

He also thinks tounge input will never happen (clearly he's a nerd and a virgin at that........)

but he does accurately verbalise what the interveiwer was really thinking - "it’s disconcerting to have the person sitting next you go blah, blah, blah, blah"