the great software list blog

First, boot speed.
Fedora 11 on my quad-core system boots in an amazing 15 seconds! from the GRUB boot manager to the login screen. After signing in, it takes about 1.5 seconds to open my desktop session, ready to go. This session includes opening a file manager, text editor, and a browser (Opera) with Gmail, Twitter, WordPress, and my custom start page up and running.

Second, speed.
Fedora 11 brings support for kernel-based mode setting (KMS) on Intel chip-sets with integrated graphics and almost all Radeon models. Fedora 10 was able to use this technology — which involves the kernel taking much more control of the GPU, but in 11, the drivers have been perfected for larger, newer Radeon cards. The new Ext4 filesystem is also damn fast. I poured a full 1.6Tb of data into it, and then copied it over to a second drive without a problem. My synchronizer said the drive folders were mirrors of one another. Fedora users won’t have to sit on Ext4 long, as the Btrfs filesystem is being tested for deployment in coming versions.

Third, KDE 4.2
KDE’s popularity continues to grow, and with Fedora 11, you gain an enormous number of ready-to-run apps. This has to be one of my favorite advantages of Linux over Windows — it sets up 95% of the desktop software for me, and then immediately makes sure it’s updated. Although I prefer Opera, KDE’s Konquerer browser is great.

Fourth, font rendering.
Say goodbye to the days when Linux equals Mac-like font fuzziness on too many websites. The past two versions of any Linux distro I’ve run have been crystal clear, and yes, better than Windows ClearType technology. Go see for yourself how much better readability is on a Linux system today.

If you’re looking for a Linux distro home, you won’t go wrong with Fedora. All the talk about it being more difficult to setup to play music and videos have not been true to my experience over the past three versions. Tell it what you want, download it, install, and be done. The only difference is that Fedora won’t do it automatically at installation. That’s it.

Spring and Fall are the busiest seasons of my year, and also when I have the least time to blog and participate in forums, twitter, etc. It’s also a perfect time to step away from the computer and re-energize myself for a while. So if you don’t see any posts here for a few months, I’m merely taking a break. I will be back.

The long-rumored UltraEdit for Linux (and Mac), officially named UEX, has only been vaporware to date. But the alpha has been announced and beta testers are being called for.

IDM is already signaling how serious it is about UltraEdit’s cross-platform debut by claiming that UEX will in some ways be better than its Windows version. As a lifetime registrant of two copies of UltraEdit for Windows, I can get an initial upgrade discount, and better, there will be a lifetime licensing option for the Linux version, or you can opt for an annual subscription model. The catch is that users must purchase a separate license for UEX. Although the screenshot shows Ubuntu, an .rpm file will be offered for RedHat/Fedora and openSUSE users.

What is not mentioned in the announcement but is “IN” the commercial release is substantial… Full Font control, spelling checker with Spell as you type, Web tools/toolbar, Word Wrap, and so on and on… This is not an ordinary initial offering since UEX takes all of it DNA from its Windows counterpart. As the application seasons, and we make our planned point releases through the year and beyond, UEX will come to be practically identical in features of its Windows counterpart, and on some cases, exceed UltraEdit’s present capabilities.

Linux users’ current built-in editors are modular, allowing for virtually any plugin, and if you really need more, then Vi and Emacs are for the true edit-fu masters. Just viewing readers’ comments suggest over and over what users want most is consistent licensing among platforms. But more important is that UEX could really be a leader for more Windows shareware to go cross-platform and still make a profit. For IDM’s founder, Ian Mead, the key is listening to customers. Keep doing that and his whole IDM franchise will see success as far as the eye can see.

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If you’re interested in beta testing UEX, sign-up by emailing at idm@idmcomp.com

Their legal problems would have been fewer, and imagine the time they could have spent improving their OS versions compared to horking HTML standards, creating the infamous ActiveX, and stumbling through what is widely felt the worst browser ever. Just a ‘what if’ thought.

Galen Gruman makes the case for desktop Linux now, in both business and at home:

I now understand why governments in Asia and Europe say they want to get off the Microsoft train and shift to Linux. I thought these were empty threats meant to get better licensing deals or to blunt some of Microsoft’s monopolistic power, but as it turns out, desktop Linux is a worthwhile option for both public organizations and private companies. Those who standardize on Linux would save serious money on the new equipment needed for Vista or Windows 7, not to mention OS and Office upgrades as well.

Even if you’re forced to use Microsoft products at work, it doesn’t mean you can’t use better open source software at home. But Gruman notes the same arguments made against Linux in the office are same against using Apple in the workplace. And while he recommends Wine and CrossOver Office for filling in the gaps, I don’t recommend that, even though I occasionally use Wine.

Here’s the deal. When you’re ready to break free of the Microsoft Tax on both your hardware, software, and data (via Microsoft’s proprietary formats), then you’ll consider Linux. And the sooner you do, the more you’ll thank yourself later. As usual, a reverent hat tip to Bob Sutor for his broad work on desktop Linux.

Yes, I went there, and by ‘Linux’ I mean generic software that runs on the platform. This week is the annual Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, and there’s at least a billion users out there who think the computer is at best a porn delivery device. Linux doesn’t need more codecs; those can be had easily enough. But it does need simpler native backup and photo management software. Notice I didn’t mention Wine. Oddly, one of the best on the Windows side is a fantastic file manager named XYplorer. The simple ability to press CTRL+P to copy a file address is ever helpful, among its search abilities. Perhaps a porn distro is in order.

*source photo

Turn Linux into a better porn machine and Linux conversion will increase fivefold in five years. I guarantee it. It’s obvious why: filesystem capabilities Windows only dreams of, giving you the long-term stability to protect your hard-earned porn stash. Your files are safe with Linux. Worth a chance. Worth a chance.

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Now I’m off to the patent office, since according to those idiots anything that comes to mind can be patented. Oh shit, I just had a thought on how birds appear when flying. That’s another patent. Oh shit, I just remembered that the process for thinking of how birds appear when flying can be patented. That’s another patent. Oh shit, I just realized I could do this all day. Can I patent that sentence? Wait, I know, I’ll patent the word patent, then I can charge the Patent Office with infringement.

If so, how much? Except for letters to family members who don’t have internet access, I’ve printed virtually nothing in the last three years. I want to blame it on expensive print cartridges and the rising cost of paper, but it’s just not needed (for me).

Virtually every PC magazine is a 160-page advertisement for Microsoft products. Why, when so many exciting things are going on elsewhere?

At most they will toss in one miserly, usually amateurish Linux article (Ubuntu). A good portion of each magazine is still devoted to troubleshooting Windows.

Incredible.

As the Linux user base grows, look for fewer Linux vs. Windows comparisons. They will still be made, but already I read more direct comparisons among the top Linux distros than with Windows in the last three months.

Similar colors, next to one another, same words (twice it reads ‘download now’ on the ad). What’s not confusing about making FileForum some cash by tricking you into clicking. Heckuva job there, FF!

Command-line-fu “is the place to record those command-line gems that you return to again and again. Delete that bloated snippets file you’ve been using and share your personal repository with the world. That way others can gain from your CLI wisdom and you from theirs too. All commands can be commented on and discussed - digg-esque voting is also encouraged so the best float to the top.” The site is still in alpha, but it’s quite exciting.

And if you like that site, you may also enjoy Snipt.

Let me explain. I’m finally learning that it’s not features that sell software, it’s the benefits the user gets from using the software. Self-evident, right? You’d think so, but software companies are not getting it.

For example, Gmail doesn’t have many features compared to a desktop email program, but its spam detection is pretty fantastic, making it a worthy email, not just webmail client. Same goes for Microsoft Word. It’s great software, but for someone not needing its power and complexity, there are a few good alternatives which play and convert well with Word, so you’re never out of the loop. On the other hand, the new Adobe Acrobat 8.0 has tons of features (although conferencing is the only real new fetaure of v.8), but for the average user, it often brings frustration and headaches, leaving them better off with free or shareware alternatives like ScanSoft PDF Converter Pro by Nuance, or for solid document PDF creation, pdf Factory Pro, not to mention a host of quality freeware PDF alternatives. The recent release of Paint Shop Pro 11 is another example of feature-marketing. It brings one decent new feature to the table (depth of field), and then promptly asks for upgrade money.

Perhaps there are other ways of looking at this “features vs. benefits” argument, but at this point, I’m asking how your software benefits me, not whether it has a new bell or whistle in version 32.0. If not, then I’ll upgrade when it’s in my best interest, not when the company tells me to. And if you don’t support your previous versions, then I’ll find other software to use.
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*This post was carried over from the old blog, from which most of its content was archived.

It’s called the QWERTY phenomenon. David Williams nails it again, this time in a column titled, Why doesn’t everyone just run Linux?

In one sense, the Redmond monopoly is self-perpetuating. The first reason Linux doesn’t have a stronger foothold in the market is because Windows is already there. For most people their first experience with a computer is Windows. That’s the operating system bundled with almost every desktop and laptop you can buy from retail outlets…. Consequently, any competing operating system is at a disadvantage from the beginning: unless a person seeks out Linux or is introduced to it in some way there will be no catalyst for change. Even if the computer operator grumbles about Vista’s many foibles, they will lump it often not realising that a choice exists.

Technology — and in this case Windows — symbolizes the way in which it can all too often serve not as a force for progress but for keeping things stuck as is. Look at the QWERTY arrangement: it has no rational explanation, only a historical one. It was introduced in the 1870s in response to a problem in the early days of the typewriter. The keys would jam. The idea was to minimize the collision problem by separating those keys that followed one another frequently. If you’re over 45 you might remember a manual typewriter in school.

Once QWERTY was adopted, it resulted in many millions of typewriters and — the social cost of change — mounted annually with the vested interest, created by the fact that so many fingers now knew how to follow the QWERTY keyboard layout. QWERTY has survived despite the existence of other, more “rational” systems.

The same phenomenon applies to Linux adoption, as David Williams illustrates in the article above. Once you spend a year with it, you can’t imagine ever going back to Windows. But if you never step outside of the Windows basement, you’ve no idea how fresh the air is.

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*This post was carried over from the old blog, from which most of its content was archived.

I give away my old computers to lower middle class and poorer kids around town and in my neighborhood. But never with proprietary software installed, only Linux and open source software. The reasons are obvious:

• the kid can’t afford to buy software, and I’m not going to pirate it for him;
• Linux is more stable and secure than Windows;
• the kid should be using office software in an open document format (ODF);
• the kid doesn’t need to be exposed to Microsoft or Apple. (When he gets a fucking job, or finds someone who’s willing to fund his software and hardware, then he can pay those companies).

Only once did I have a kid (and his mother) tell me they didn’t want Linux, only Windows (XP). I promptly took the laptop back and gave it to the kid across the street who’s father had lost his job due to his company going out of business. He was happy to have it, and even the father later thanked me. That’s always nice, too, much like giving a book as a gift and the person actually bothers to read it.

But as school teachers and administrators are demanding more property tax increases and levies, they want to use a significant chunk of the annual budgets on buying Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office software. But in this sheer hell of an economy that is free-falling, who the fuck do these people think they are that we should be sending money to Redmond (annually!) just so they can save their files in proprietary formats!

Use free software, such as GNU/Linux, OpenOffice, Gimp, or go to the cloud and open accounts on Google or Zoho. I don’t care. WE’RE BROKE. Fuck Microsoft. They have enough money. But no way, no how should taxes be raised to put Microsoft or Apple software in schools.

http://www.getgnulinux.org/
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*This post was carried over from the old blog, from which most of its content was archived.

Pavs reminds us and correctly defines Linux as a kernel, but suggests we need the flexibility to use the word to describe a general distribution of Linux also. I agree, and with that, starting in 2009, let’s decree that “Linux” connotes the larger OS; that is, distribution (or distro), and that when one is talking only about the Linux kernel, one simply says Linux kernel.

To be more specific, The Free Software Foundation use the more proper term, GNU/Linux, to describe a general distribution that uses Linux. That’s even better.

So let’s be clear, from general to specific:

1. Linux. Effectively the operating system you would use on your computer, which includes a distribution, and used in the same general way that one describes Windows and Mac;
2. GNU/Linux. The preferred and more accurate term for the Linux OS and all the tools that surround it, including a distribution. You won’t go wrong using this to designate an unnamed distro;
3. Linux kernel. From now on, if you’re going to refer specifically to the kernel, then let’s specify it.

There are far more people using “Linux” than there are kernel developers. So let’s make it easy on ourselves.
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*This post was carried over from the old blog, from which most of its content was archived.

If I can make the switch from Windows to GNU/Linux, anyone can. I’m not a programmer, not an expert, nor do I have time to endlessly futz with my system. Based on my experience over the past year, these tips will smooth your transition from Win to Lin.
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(1) KEEP YOUR OLD WINDOWS MACHINE/PARTITION INTACT
You may want some training wheels at first. Get a Gmail account and upload essential and necessary files, links, and data to it to share between systems, and leave the USB stick at home. If you really, really like how Windows or Mac looks, there are themes and distros that cater to that taste. Finally, until you get all your data converted, you may need data or content from that system.

(2) EXPECT A LEARNING CURVE AT FIRST
If I can make the switch, anyone can! Immersion is your best friend. It took me two months to wean myself off my Windows machine for good. It may take you a year, or a weekend. Eventually, you won’t even be turning on that Windows machine. There are lots of sites and pages available to help (see links at bottom of post).

(3) DON’T EXPECT LINUX TO BE JUST LIKE WINDOWS
It’s much, much better. You’ll soon see why (software quality; updates/installation; security; speed; hardware support; vibrant community, among others). Two of the biggest misperceptions about Linux are software quality and hardware compatibility. In many cases, the software is equivalent (see #7 below) or it’s better, and it has more drivers for more hardware than any other platform. You might have to wait 2-3 months on some proprietary drivers, but that’s becoming more rare by the month.

(4) WHETHER YOU USE UBUNTU OR NOT, PERUSE THEIR FORUMS TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE
Some Ubuntu forum members have written great tutorials on the intricacies of fstab, grub, virtualization, customization, etc. Also, keep a simple text file of notes and links that will help you in the future. For example, I document my mistakes so that I can remember where I went wrong, and what worked.

(5) DON’T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT
Install a new videocard (check for drivers first!). Play multi-player games or online chess. Partition your drive and try a wide variety of distros and BSD flavors (DistroWatch.com). Better, just use the LiveCD/DVD options without installing anything. You’ve always got access to your LiveCD if you do find a way to trash your system. It’s harder than you think to take down a Linux machine.

(6) HELP IS AS NEAR AS YOUR KEYBOARD
There are forums. There are Usenet groups. There’s Google, of course. Better is Google/Linux. Like anywhere else, keep searching, be patient, and thank those who help you. And when you can, help others. In the end, it’s a community relationship, not a customer relationship.

(7) TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CROSS-PLATFORM SOFTWARE
You know more than you think you do, since you may already be using Firefox/Opera/Chrome or OpenOffice or 7-Zip/RAR or GIMP or MySQL or Beyond Compare or XnView/Picasa or Kompozer or FileZilla… I could do this all day. They’re the same across platforms, which means you’re ready to get to work.

(8) TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CLOUD
Don’t laugh. Linux is built for cloud computing, mobile computing, thick computing, and even phones! The cloud consists of applications online, such as Zoho Office, Google Docs, Aviary, Adobe Photoshop Express and Acrobat, and to a large extent, Amazon, Google Sky, among many others. The future of the desktop client is moving towards accessing cloud-based applications in a browser through multiple devices and multiple mediums. Wireless phones, set-top boxes, netbooks, and desktop PC’s over a variety of networks are here. Linux supports every imaginable chip set, and it’s free. It can be custom branded. And no single entity can control it and thereby become a bottleneck to innovation. Windows never has, and never will have this advantage.

(9) LET OTHERS KNOW YOU’VE SWITCHED TO LINUX, BUT DON’T BE A JERK ABOUT IT
Don’t be “that guy.” Mac users have been this way and the whole routine gets old by the second sentence. Enjoy Linux for what it is — great code, stable OS, fast platform — not for what it’s not (Windows). What should you care what Bill Gates and his minions think of your OS! I let others know that the money I save on licensing costs allows me to spend more on newer, faster hardware; something my Windows friends always envy.

(10) THE COMMAND LINE AND SHELL IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
A little command line knowledge goes a long way, but you will likely use it far less than you expect to. Its power is irresistible because it’s so efficient. A lot of distros are setup so that you don’t have to go near the command line if you only want to do the basics — office computing, playing music and most videos, and accessing information and data through your browser. Over time, however, you will become more comfortable with it, and you’ll see it’s nothing to freak out over. When you’re ready to take it to the next level, scripting will make you a kung fu master!
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SITES TO GET YOU STARTED
Get GNU/Linux (What, why, and how to switch)
Make the Move (Explains Open Source software and gets you started)
GrokDoc’s Switching to Linux (A repository of Switching tips)
The Great Software List blog (All the best up-to-date Linux links online)

Free Software Daily (THE source for news, tips, & articles)
Digg-Linux (Another source for news, tips, & articles)
Linux Forums (Great news, tips, and user forum)
HowtoForge Linux Tutorials (Step-by-step learning)
LinuxCommand.org (Learn the command line and the shell)
Common command cheat sheet (Command line tips)

Cloud computing can win if it overcomes the following ten obstacles (PDF), so say UC Berkeley researchers.

1. Availability of service
2. Data lock-in
3. Data confidentiality and auditability
4. Data transfer bottlenecks
5. Performance unpredictability
6. Scalable storage
7. Bugs in large distributed systems
8. Scaling quickly
9. Reputation fate sharing
10. Software licensing

The biggest obstacle is #2: data lock-in via proprietary formats. That’s exactly why the more ODF we see, the more we will be free (to leave). Richard Stallman, warns us of the cloud’s dark side:

It’s stupidity. It’s worse than stupidity: it’s a marketing hype campaign. Somebody is saying this is inevitable — and whenever you hear somebody saying that, it’s very likely to be a set of businesses campaigning to make it true. / - The Guardian, 29 September 2008 /

Most of them funny. Worth a look.
http://www.besttweets.com/

Red Hat Linux and Microsoft servers just got a little more interoperable. Now is that so hard? Too bad the Novell deal wasn’t this clean.

Great to know that my favorite browser expands its Linux support to the Linux mobile platform by joining the LiMo Foundation:

Opera’s ‘One Web’ vision revolves around the hope for a single, pervasive Internet, available to anyone, anywhere. By working closely with LiMo, Opera can ensure absolute compatibility with this platform, enabling easier development and faster time-to-market. Together, Opera and LiMo plan to nurture richer services, better user experiences and more affordable devices in the mobile industry by adhering to open standards-based development.

That makes 50 big companies for LiMo. These are indeed exciting times for Linux and Linux users!

Jack Wallen gives us ten good reasons why Linux in 2009 is better than Win7, and here’s #9:

• Windows 7: OS X-like Doc, Multi-touch screen, mapping application similar to Google Earth, Hyper-Visor virtualization, location-aware apps, User Access Control improvements, Sidebar removal.
• Fedora 11: 20-second boot time, btrfs file system, Better C++ support, Cups PolicyKit integration, DNS Security (DNS SECurity), ext4 default file system, Fingerprint reader integration, IBUS input method replaces SCIM (to overcome limitations), GNOME 2.26, KDE 4.2, Windows cross-compiler inclusion.

And he excludes multi-touch, which I agree with. Working with Dell’s massive multi-touch screens so far are a pain in the finger. Thank you, Jack.

SJVN talks about the first dual Windows/Linux PCs at Dell. Just like their Ubuntu systems, they’re nearly impossible to find on the site; however, as vendors see that Linux can be put on netbooks and other systems, allowing the hardware vendor to pocket the extra profit that would normally go to Redmond for Windows’ license fees, you’ll see more and more.

Looking back, 2008 was bigger than we thought. 2009 will significantly loosen Redmond’s grip on vendors design decisions.

Those Wall Street guys must have graduated from Harvard or Yale, because they’re utter goddamn idiots, even with tech. John Paczkowski has not heard of FTP or Linux, it seems, whose various distros come with a desktop environment, such as KDE, Gnome, or Xfce, etc., and includes their own non-IE browser. Or, you could install anything you want (except IE) from your GUI package manager. Or, if you are a command line guru, you call upon your zypper, yum, conary or apt-get from the terminal, and you awk sed grep your way to what you’re after.

Wow. But other solutions includes simply offering the Windows user a choice at setup of which browser they’d like to download and install. Nah, that’s too hard for John.

Serdar Yegulalp of InformationWeek has an excellent review of open source office suites this week. Worth the read.

SJVN offers great advice on installing apps in Linux. Well worth five minutes.