August 28, 2007
One of the great things about free software for LINUX is that, by and large, it works.
That's not to say that you can't find bugs. It means, for the most part, if you can get it installed,
it runs.
And, over the years, I've installed LINUX variants on a wide variety of PC hardware, without fail.
Much of this LINUX was free, or at very reduced cost, such as the cost of distributing a CD in the case
of Slackware.
At least that's the general trend.
I was really entertained after shooting the day in a morning and afternoon session today with some
Microsoft folks here in KC.
When I got home with the free software (Windows Server 2003 SP 2), it completely "hung"
my version of Windows 2000 Professional during the
attempted start up of the normal install
image, the kind you usually use to upgrade Windows software.
When I say "hung", I mean I couldn't even use a "three-fingered salute" to bring up the Task Manager,
and kill the process started by the installation executable off the DVD drive.
Just to make sure my DVD drive wasn't defective,
I booted up my LINUX variant on the same box ( I run GRUB, so I can boot either Linux or Windows), the Suse Enterprise
Desktop 10 from NOVELL, and there isn't a thing wrong with the DVD.
Most
entertaining:-) What a great comment from a buddy of mine who was an
old IBM hand from 40 years back. He was lamenting the fact that
Microsoft has a reputation for "software that doesn't work." It
explains
why the courts in county seats in Kansas ran SCO years ago on PCs, instead of Windows, because judges have a low
tolerance for failure when it comes to applications the court uses, such as child support applications:-)
I mean, the Microsoft reps. were handing these DVDs out like candy at the beginning of the day.
I really feel sorry for them.
It has to be embarassing when paid professionals produce defective DVDs, while people who are not highly
compensated produce largely high-quality open software, such
as LINUX, Ruby, etc.
It's no suprise, given these scenarios why so many organizations are adopting LINUX solutions. I saw on NOVELL's
website they have an electronics firm in India that just deployed 30,0000 LINUX seats, and something like 1800 server seats.
Onward through the fog.
-Greg.