Posts by khess

I just read a post on another site from someone who calls himself (herself?), linux guru, and it made me ponder the following question: What is a Linux Guru? I've known many knowledgeable people over the years but never have I met an actual guru. I wonder if people like linux guru think that he can call himself "linux guru" because he believes that everyone else is a Linux Newbie? Or, perhaps linux guru is the world's only true Linux Guru and he wants his due fame. To help answer the question, I've compiled a list of ten characteristics that I think define what a Linux Guru is.

I've worked with Linux since 1995 and still wouldn't call myself a guru. It seems that there's always someone out there who's found some obscure thingy to tell me about--making me feel as if I don't scour the Internet's neutral zone enough for these things.

What are the ten characteristics of a Linux Guru?

1. Knowledgeable in all major Linux distributions.
2. Configures Samba, DNS, Sendmail and Apache with no Googling.
3. Helps others solve their problems with Linux.
4. Blogs or writes about personal experiences with Linux.
5. Donates time and resources to at least one Linux project.
6. Uses Linux on a variety of computing hardware.
7. Hacks Linux-based devices for fun and/or profit.
8. Finds innovative ways to use Linux at work.
9. Is a Linux Evangelist.
…

I have a feeling that the desktop operating system as we know it is on its last leg. The reason I make such a bold statement is that cloud computing will replace our fat, bloated, virus-riddled, failure-prone desktop with something far more agile and elegant: A lightweight browser-based system. This sounds like good news to me. I've waited for a server-centric world for several years now and the time is almost upon us. In this brave new cloud world, you'll have access to all of your documents, music, data, pictures and applications regardless of the device in your hands.

To see my in-depth analysis of this non-desktop environment, take a look at my recent article at Linux Magazine.

It's time for the traditional desktop operating system to go away. I'm actually surprised that they've lasted this long. Cloud computing will revolutionize the way we compute on a personal and professional basis. Any application you currently use has a web-based equivalent. If you don't believe me, search for it.

The next logical step is, once all applications are transitioned to web-based ones, to transition the access method--formerly known as a desktop--to a simple access method for those applications. This is one reason why I've begun referring to a desktop operating system as a user interface.

If you don't believe in the inevitability of this transition, take a look at what's going on with traditional desktop computing at companies such as Parallels,

Woo hoo!
The Linux Foundation has pledge T-shirts for the top 3 winners!

This is turning out to be a pretty nice little package for the winners.

We've got Linux (tux) coffee mugs from Zazzle for the top 3:

http://www.zazzle.com/linux_penguin_tux_mug-168384024424235333

http://www.zazzle.com/linux_dev_mug-168552627579004874

Yes, the Linux Foundation did one but this one isn't restricted to the MS-Apple-Linux thing. And, I did say not ones already on YouTube.

OK, the prizes are starting to come in.

Trainer Communications is offering up a boxed set of 4 hot sauces (Louisiana, Chipotle, Jalapeno, Garlic Habanero) for each of the top 3 winners. Trainer Communications is a High Tech PR and Marketing Firm.

I'm offering a signed copy of my new book, Practical Virtualization Solutions to each of the top 3 winners.

Stay tuned for more!

As promised yesterday, this is my potential solution to the Linux survival question: A Linux Commercial--created by you--and it's a contest. Sound exciting? You creative types will now have a chance to create your own short film/video/commercial for Linux. Give Linux a face, a voice, a rap, a song, a cool theme--whatever! The sky's the limit and I want to see your best work on this project. Create a short video, upload it to YouTube and let's see what happens.

Here are the rules and guidelines:

Create a new, original video presentation for Linux no longer than 3 minutes total run time (TRT). TRT includes intro, credits, etc.

You may use music, voice over and special effects.

Conform to all state, local, federal and international laws and NO nudity, profanity, harm to animals, etc.

Post that video to youtube.com

Post a link to that video in the Comments section below this post.

The deadline is January 10, 2010 at 5pm Eastern Standard Time. You can post your entries after that time but they won't be considered for the contest.

I will announce the winners via a post here on Daniweb on January 15, 2010.

There will be three winners: First, Second and Third place.

Winners will receive fame and possibly some higher form of recognition. I'll work on that part.

Winners will be judged on the following criteria:
1. Originality
2. Number YouTube …

While companies worldwide look for ways to reduce costs, shed dead weight from their labor resources and streamline their businesses, it makes me wonder if Linux will survive the global economic meltdown. Oh, I know it will survive in terms of us geeks who use it and tout its goodness. It will survive in ISP data centers, some cloud-based businesses and as the de facto platform for virtualization. But will businesses such as hospitals, law firms, trucking companies and retail stores adopt it for their productive operating system of choice?

The answer isn't easy.

The reason is that Microsoft isn't making it easy.

Linux for server systems, enterprise or small business, is a fine choice. It's a toss-up for most businesses if they have all the facts in front of them with which to make that choice. Often they don't. Microsoft has a marketing machine like no other. You hear Microsoft and you assume quality, reliability and a top-rated global company.
Linux, alternatively, conjures up strange people who sport sandals, wear ponytails, don red fedoras, quote lines from Monty Python episodes and flash the intergalactic 'gang' sign (The Vulcan 'live long and prosper thing').
It also makes business owners think that it's wholly unreliable.

Sure, there are plenty of Windows nerds, geeks and freaks out there who're every bit as weird as those of us who type 'ls' instead of 'dir' at a command prompt but they have the marketing momentum behind …

run a spybot scan in safe mode.

Laplink Software PCMover Professional $59.95 Download Version

If you don't know it already, you can't upgrade directly from Windows XP to Windows 7 using the Windows 7 bootable media. Microsoft suggests upgrading to Vista then to Windows 7. That's an expensive undertaking. It's also quite daunting to consider moving from your old Windows XP computer to a new Windows 7 computer. You'll have to locate and reinstall all your programs and applications, transfer your files and reconfigure your new computer. Using one of Laplink Software's PCMover products, you can make the move with far less expense, stress and effort.
This review covers my own experiences in migrating from my old Windows XP PC to my new Windows 7 laptop.

I've used Windows XP for several years now and have installed several dozen programs, amassed over 100GB of files and customized my computer in such a way that would be difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate without doing a disk-to-disk copy.
I purchased a new Acer laptop (Aspire 7535-5020) that came with Windows 7 Home Premium. I immediately reinstalled the system with Windows 7 Ultimate N and downloaded Acer support files to put it back to a factory fresh state before continuing the migration from Windows XP to Windows 7.
I downloaded PCMover Pro from Laplink's website and installed it on both computers. The installation was smooth and quick on both systems.
Next, I fired up the PCMover software on the …

Everyone has posted their predictions for 2010 but here's the real scoop on what's going to happen in 2010 with Linux and Linux-oriented hardware and software products. Get ready to see the biggest increase in Linux adoption in history. You can say you saw it here first. These are in no particular ranking or order.

1. Cloud Computing - You're going to hear a lot about cloud computing in 2010. You'll hear a lot more about it beyond 2010 too. In fact, I've likened the term cloud computing to the term "trans fat" as the next most overused term that has no meaning for the people using it. Almost no one knows what's really meant by trans fat and, likewise, cloud computing has a good sound to it but media dorks won't know what it is.
Linux-based cloud computing is going to soar in the next couple of years, starting in 2010. Watch for it. Invest in it. It's here to stay.

Watch: IBM, HP, RackSpace, Amazon.

2. Virtualization - Linux-based hypervisors and non-hypervisor Linux-based virtualization will take the day. Virtualization on a large scale is cloud computing but on a more 'local' scale it is a money-saving technology that has much to offer those who adopt it. Hardware is more fully utilized by requiring fewer physical machines on which to run workloads. Utilization increases for the few pieces of hardware that take up valuable rack space.
…

Everyone has their predictions for the new year but do they often prognosticate using an animated video? The folks over at rPath created a clever video animation depicting their reasonable and humorous predictions for 2010. rPath might be best known for its online virtual appliance builder. You can also download rBuilder. They're also known for release automation, cloud computing, virtualization, self-service IT and much more.

If you'd like to see their cool webinar, hosted by your own DaniWeb Linux Guy, click on over to Linux Magazine and check it out.

I've built several appliances using their online wizard and have done so for a few years now. I only recently got to know them on a more personal basis from the webinar. But the 8 predictions for IT in 2010 is a must catch.

What do you think of their predictions? Did they leave out anything?

The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) took aim at 14 consumer electronics companies for violating GPL licensed products. This is the largest lawsuit of its kind ever filed. This lawsuit uses what Richard Stallman calls "tivoization" as its defense. Tivoization, if you recall from my post, "Does Linus Torvalds Hate Freedom?" involves the use of GPL licensed software with a product without allowing the user access to the source code and thereby preventing the user from changing that code--two very important stipulations of the GPL and in the definition of free software.

I also made the following observation in that same article:

It seems to me that manufacturers want the best of both worlds: They want to use something free but then want to turn around and violate the license by making it impossible for you to exercise that freedom. This is wrong. And I'm surprised that the FSF hasn't taken these manufacturers to task and to court over such practices.

I think that people have the false belief that free software, open source software and GPL software means that you don't have to abide by licensing terms. They feel that since the projects are community-contributed and allow a great deal of freedom that there are no restrictions or stipulation to which they must comply. This is clearly not the case.

Free does not mean free to abuse.

The stipulations are very clear. Any product derived from a GPL'd source must also provide the …

The Obama Administration vows to cut costs in part by using open source software (Software whose source code is made available to the user), cloud computing, virtualization, Linux and other low cost technologies. But, does the use of open source software put the government, its records and our national security at risk? The argument goes like this: "If the government uses open source software, then the government is at risk because the security flaws are exposed publicly." The argument continues with, "The use of proprietary software protects the government from security attacks because its code is hidden and not released to the public." There is, however, a significant flaw in the argument against open source software's use in government.

The assumption is that by allowing everyone access to the source code, you also open yourself up to more security risk. This is not the case. Open source software guarantees that by exposing its code that any security flaws will be fixed long before its proprietary counterpart's.

How can I make such a bold statement that would seem to defy logic and common sense?

By allowing everyone access to the source code for a program, you have a worldwide community available to fix any flaws in that code and return those fixes to the project. And, that's exactly what happens. With proprietary software, the code is hidden and not released to the public thereby limiting fixes and patches to the original programmers. Sometimes you need a fresh set …

What I'm saying is that the other two major vendors have budgets to advertise, offer discounts, etc. It's a constant attack on freedom to take up proprietary software instead of free software. Yes, you have a choice but we don't have a huge "in your face" voice like they do. It's an attack for which we currently have no defense.

From proprietary software vendors.

Do you need a reality check? Freedom isn't free. You have to work hard, and possibly even die, for it. Fortunately, free software doesn't require you to sacrifice anything but restrictions. Unfortunately, the powerful marketing machines constantly bombard and tempt you with semi-clever TV commercials, discount offers, inexpensive upgrades or feature hype in order to restrict your freedom. Purchasing proprietary operating systems and applications restrict you without cause. Actually, that isn't 100 percent true. There is a cause.

You're restricted with the intent of imprisoning you and making you conform to their version of reality. That's the opposite of freedom.

"Everybody's had to fight to be free."
--Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Refugee

GNU/Linux isn't prepared for a freedom fight. Our cause is only spread by word of mouth. There are no megabuck-backed TV commercials, no slick feature hype and how do you give a discount on something with no cost? Do you see how the opposition has the advantage in this freedom fight?

So, what can you and I do to oppose these relentless attacks on our freedom? I'm happy to provide you with options.

1. Join the Free Software Foundation (FSF).

2. Donate money to your favorite GNU and other free software projects to help with development efforts.

3. Spread the word within your network. Tell your friends, family, co-workers about GNU/Linux and the concept of free software.

4. Demonstrate your own experience with free software by …

Comment out that line with a semicolon and try again to see if it's php that's causing the problem. Post your results here.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) uses it. Elastichosts uses it. Google uses it. Yahoo uses it. Engine Yard uses it. Facebook uses it. "It" is Linux, of course. But what else do all these companies have in common? If you said "cloud technology," you're correct.

Perhaps the best known of all cloud vendors, AWS, makes the most of its resources through the use of Xen's Linux-based virtualization. AWS is the gold standard in the cloud-computing business. Although not the cheapest cloud solution, it's reliability, ease of use, stability and superb technology make it a wise choice for companies who need 100% uptime.

Elastichosts, a UK-based cloud computing company uses KVM on CentOS Linux for their cloud-computing delivery. KVM provides a fully virtualized server for more control and the feel of a physical server. Elastichosts offers competitive pricing and fast EU connect speeds.

Google has invested a huge amount of money in its Linux-based infrastructure to provide the world with personal and business applications such as Gmail, GoogleDocs, GTalk, Google Sites and Google Calendar and its vast internet search engine. They use Linux, MySQL and other so-called open source technologies to bring the best service, highest speed and most innovative web-based applications available.

One of the best kept secrets in cloud-based businesses is Engine Yard. If …

Linux works fine for you and me but not for them. They want iTunes, phone connectivity and compatibility with all their friends. Surprisingly few of their friends are Mactards...that seems to be the young college crowd but the high school/junior high set are all into Windows.

@Crash
Ha, no but I thought I'd let you know that I can write awesome prose as well as awesome tech analysis.

It was a cold November morning, leaves covered the now yellowed grass, the dog's water stood frozen, two little winter birds fluffed their feathers while sitting on a low tree branch outside my kitchen window and the smell of coffee began to fill my nostrils telling me that it's time to quell my yawns. The cold stillness of that serenity broke when I heard a blood-curdling scream from the depths of one of the caves at the other end of the house. A sound so irritating that it burned through my head like a laser beam. It was the cry of an Ubuntu Spelunker, a cave dweller, whose frustrations had left him on the brink of performing a river dance (clogs and all) upon the laptop that kindled his anger.

"What?" I asked in caffeine-deprived disgust, "What is it now?"

I heard an array of expletives and thrashing about that would make Seth Rogen blush (or at least give him dialog for his next film).

I'll paraphrase his rant to save you the burning sensation of his hell-bound diatribe. This laptop doesn't work! It won't print, these programs aren't compatible with my school and our project website doesn't work right with FireFox. Can you please fix it?

I looked at the little freckle-faced, red-headed four year-old with tears in his eyes and squeaked out a belabored, "Sure, I'll fix it." I had to say yes because that cute little face …

@veatnik

Wow, thanks for your comments. That is an excellent analysis. Are you sure you aren't RMS himself?

I was talking with my friend, Jason Perlow, yesterday and he told me that I should back off of the free software rants because he feels that I'm entering the gray edges of freakdom. We laughed about it but it made me think: When does a strong belief in something become extremism? I've had two conversations with Richard Stallman about free software specifically and freedom generally. My conclusion is that there's a fine line between freedom and freakdom. My goal is to find that line and explore its dimensions.

My first conversation with Richard Stallman (RMS) was a tentative discussion, lasting about 18 minutes, about the software and hardware that he uses. He did, in RMS fashion, climb aboard the free software train but I diverted him back to the interview focus as best I could under less than ideal circumstances (He was travelling by car in New Zealand during the interview).

The second conversation we had was about two weeks ago. He was home after travelling to New Zealand, Bali and who knows where else. It was more relaxed and I had two full pages of questions for an in-depth look at RMS and how he came to be the world's voice of free software and why people think he's a bit loony.

What I found was a man who is profoundly dedicated to a cause. RMS is the type of person you see on TV, mostly in shows about lawyers and crime-fighting who …

@cwrinn
You're right, Wubi is cool.

@ChuckWest
You should blow away Vista in favor of anything...even DOS 2.2.

It's hard for me to admit it but there are things, ten things to be exact, that I really hate about Linux. Sometimes I think it's just me but I do see other people stating a few of these in the forums so I'm at least not alone with some of these issues. These are in no particular order and they aren't just rants; they're legitimate problems and issues that I find annoying, destroying or cloying. Feel free to add your own to the list in the Comments section.

1. Too Many Good Distros - I hate the fact that it's so hard to choose among all the distributions (distros) to use. It's almost impossible to settle on just one for daily use. If you've seen my "10 Best Linux Distributions of 2009," you'll know why--they're all good. When I looked for a distribution to use for myself--other than virtualized ones, it was next to impossible. I finally decided on CentOS because of its basis in Red Hat Linux. It was a matter of familiarity. For most other server-oriented things and appliances, I use Debian--the King of Distributions.

2. Lacking Popular Application Support - No, Linux doesn't need to run Microsoft Office and I know about OpenOffice.org but still there's a barrier to application support for Linux. Now, a lot of the lack of application support isn't because of Linux necessarily but if you're a software …

Hey Windows fans, would you like to take Linux for a spin to see what everyone's buzzing about? It's easy to do in just five easy steps. You can test Linux for yourself without having to setup multibooting, worry about partitioning or installing over your current Windows system. That's right, you can. Try out that Linux power and coolness for yourself using these five easy steps. Don't worry, you'll never have to leave the comfort of Windows to do any of them--not even to a command line. Let's get started!

1. Download Virtual PC 2007 - Virtual PC 2007 allows you to install various operating systems as virtual machines and run them simultaneously with Windows. No rebooting required. Download this free application from Microsoft, install it and then proceed to Step 2.

2. Download Ubuntu 9.10 - Everyone agrees that Ubuntu Linux is the great Windows contender, especially for those who are new to Linux. Go to the Ubuntu Downloads page to download your free copy. The download is large (~600MB) so it might take a while, so be patient.

3. Create a New Virtual Machine - To install Ubuntu Linux, you'll need to setup a new virtual machine (VM) for it. This is just like building a PC on which to install a new operating system except that the hardware is virtual.
Open Virtual PC, click the New button, click Next, Create a Virtual Machine, name the new VM …

Unix Services for Windows isn't new for Server operating systems but this is for Windows 7, a desktop OS, and that is new. To get this functionality before, you had to install Cygwin. There have always been a few Unix utilities for Windows--even in the NT 3.5 days but nothing like this and certainly not for desktops.

I've done a bit of research on Windows 7 Enterprise to discover some of its new features and to uncover its secrets. From what I've seen so far, Microsoft has provided some interesting Linux-esque features that might accidentally boost Linux adoption as a side effect. The two primary features to which I refer are 7's ability to natively use virtual hard disks (VHDs) and the easy to add on UNIX-compatibility services and applications.

Once Windows 7 users get a whiff of those UNIX utilities and their power, the Linux sell is easy. To enable these utilities, one only has to go as far as the Control Panel and install new Windows features. Included in the mix are a native NFS client, Telnet client, Telnet server and Subsystem for UNIX Applications (SUA). SUA is a rather large download (~500MB) that includes a few hundred UNIX utilities and support programs.

After the customary reboot, you have what is in essence a hybrid system. It falls short of a Cygwin installation by a country mile but it's a step in the right direction. Speaking of Cygwin, I'm not exactly sure why Microsoft just didn't enable installation of Cygwin instead of a small subset of similar utilities. Cygwin's license is unrestrictive enough to allow it but that's the topic of another post, I suppose. A Cygwin installation perhaps makes their operating system too much of a hybrid and it might work a little too well. They …

If you weren't already familiar with the likes of GNOME, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, Enlightenment and others, what would you like to see in a Linux User Interface? Whether you call it a desktop manager, a window manager, an XGUI or user interface; what do you think it needs to be successfully adopted for regular users instead of Mac OS or Windows? Before you answer, assume that the end user is a non-technical person who just wants to turn on the computer and become productive right away.

Think in terms of applications, installing new applications, help files, updating, patching, malware prevention and customizing the desktop look and feel.

When you choose from all of the available window managers and desktops, what do you look for?

Personally, I'd like a system that is lightweight and fast like XFCE or LXDE but with the stability of GNOME, plus the KDE and GNOME libraries so that I can install any app available at any time. I'd like a smart system that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) into the desktop by learning the way I work and responding to those subtle and individual differences.
In fact, a system that incorporates AI into the core of the operating system is a good idea and one that's long overdue. If a car's internal computer can learn the way I drive and respond to that, then surely we should create a computer that does that for users. But these are just my thoughts on the …

According to an ongoing debate over the GPL version 3, he does. How can this be, since Linus Torvalds, creator and chief architect of the Linux kernel, knows about software freedom and free software? He doesn't have a problem with what Richard Stallman refers to as "tivoization," which is the practice of using software available under the terms of a copyleft license but prevents the user/owner from modifying that code through the use of protections. Stallman believes that this is a blatant violation of your freedom. Linus disagrees.

Stallman's argument:

One major danger that GPLv3 will block is tivoization. Tivoization means computers (called “appliances”) contain GPL-covered software that you can't change, because the appliance shuts down if it detects modified software. The usual motive for tivoization is that the software has features the manufacturer thinks lots of people won't like. The manufacturers of these computers take advantage of the freedom that free software provides, but they don't let you do likewise.

Some argue that competition between appliances in a free market should suffice to keep nasty features to a low level. Perhaps competition alone would avoid arbitrary, pointless misfeatures like “Must shut down between 1pm and 5pm every Tuesday”, but even so, a choice of masters isn't freedom. Freedom means you control what your software does, not merely that you can beg or threaten someone else who decides for you.

Torvald's rebuttal:

[Stallman] calls it "tivoization", but that's a word he has made up, and a term I find …

At my last, best count, there were over 550 individual Linux distributions. From the most generic, flat installs of the most common distros to ultra-specialized, multimedia-oriented to the eye-popping, fancy ones--they're all there for the taking. I found ten distributions from among the 500 or so that I know about to spotlight these for some special feature or set of features that will dazzle you or entice you to try them for yourself. Read on and get ready to download.
One word of caution: Some of these distributions are so clever and cool that, once you begin working with them, you just might lose track of time and forget what you're supposed to be doing.

In alphabetical order, my favorite ten special Linux distributions are:

1. 64 Studio - Ah, 64 Studio, based on Debian/Ubuntu, is one fine piece of work. This is one distro that you could lose a lot of sleep to--especially if you're the creative type. I'm so much of a multimedia wannabe that I burned almost ten straight hours just checking out everything and making a total multimedia fool of myself--I'll spare you the disgusting details of my romp. I discovered one thing very quickly: I'm not smart enough to be productive with 64 Studio. If you're a multimedia mogul, proceed happily with this one. It comes with 2D/3D graphics programs, animation software, publishing, web design, audio production, video editing and some stuff that I know so …

@debianedu
This is a quote pulled from the Trisquel site:

"Trisquel 3.0 STS "Dwyn", free software only
Trisquel GNU/Linux is a version of the Ubuntu operating system which main goal is to develop a fully free system that is easy to use, complete and with a good language support. It looks like they did it already, as they are endorsed by the Free Software Foundation itself."

All good alternatives but you have to admit that DSL is very cool and was easy for non-Linux types to use. I'll check out some of the others and perhaps drop Rob S. a note to see what's going on with him.

It's a fact of life that Linux distributions go extinct and it happens more often than our Linux fan base would like to admit. At last count, there are approximately 50 individual distributions that are now extinct. What happens to the poor unfortunates who adopt and use these defunct distros? Are they left in the cold or are there alternatives that are close enough that a relatively tech savvy administrator could migrate apps and dependencies to another distribution? Some of these distributions were excellent and very capable. Damn Small Linux (DSL) is a notable one that I used extensively and have written about. It's very disappointing to have a distribution pulled out from under you when you depend on it for productivity.

I know that operating systems come and go, developers get tired and sometimes technology might make some of them obsolete but it still stings a bit, doesn't it?

Sure, I could pick up on a project like DSL and do something with it but IANAP* and have little time for such things. Can't someone else grab it and keep it updated for those of us who love it? I would donate some buckazoids to the project to bring it back to life and to help keep it going.

I'm just a cranky individual but what happens to businesses that adopt distributions that go extinct? I've recommended DSL to businesses in the past. Now I have to go back and …

Thanks Crash, it was meant to be snarky and funny. Glad you enjoyed it.

Maybe the "official" Mono Tools goes to 11. Surely Miguel de Icaza knows about the free ones. He is the main guy for this toolset.

Today, Tuesday November 10, 2009, Novell announces a Visual Studio plugin that allows support for non-Microsoft operating systems that use .NET code development on a platform known as Mono via a new product called Mono Tools for Visual Studio 1.0. This is not a cost free toolset. In fact, it's really quite pricey--starting at $99 for the Professional (Individual) version. Of course, compared to the exorbitant price of Visual Studio, that's a mere pittance.

If you can afford Mono Tools, it's a powerful addition to your Visual Studio environment. Using Mono Tools, you can create and test your .NET applications directly on Linux--just as you would when using a Windows host. You can also build installable .NET packages for Linux and even bundle them with Linux appliances* for easy distribution.

The downside is that, it seems, you must be sold on the SUSE Linux distribution. From Visual Studio, you create your applications as SUSE rpm packages. I think that the tools should be distribution agnostic to appeal to a wider audience but perhaps that is a hangup that only I have. You should be able to select which type of package you want to use for your application and not live with the SUSE-only limitation.

Limitations (and pricing) aside, I think that Mono Tools for Visual Studio is an excellent set of tools for your Visual Studio development efforts.

What do you think? Do you think the SUSE-only …

Have you searched for Linux distributions that are 100% free? Did you find more than one that suited your needs? Well, here's a list of nine from which you can choose your favorite. Free means freedom to alter, redistribute, sell or release as a different product with no restrictions on you or your new distribution.

1. BLAG - Blag is an operating system. Blag has a suite of graphics, internet, audio, video, office, and peer to peer file sharing applications. Based on Fedora, Blag has just about everything you'd ever need for productivity and fun.

2. Dragora - Dragora is an independent distribution of GNU/linux based on the concept of the simplicity. It aims to be a multipurpose, stable and powerful operating system while maintaining the simplicity of Unix. The initial release of Dragora was June 13, 2008. Dragora GNU/Linux 1.1 was released October 8, 2009.

3. Dynebolic - A GNU/Linux distro that focuses on audio/video production with a host of applications such as Jack, SuperCollider, Csound, Fluxus and of course Pure Data with a great collection of externals (PDP, PiDiP, Gem, GridFlow, RRadical, PixelTango).

4. gNewSense - a GNU/Linux distribution based on Debian and Ubuntu, with sponsorship from the FSF. This is the distribution that Richard Stallman himself uses--so you know it's good because he could use any of them.

5. Kongoni - Kongoni is the Shona word for a Gnu (also known as …

@deadjournalism

My versions of Delta Force are old. I run Delta Force 2 (1999) and the last time I tried (2007) when WINE was still in its 10 year beta cycle, it didn't work* like I wanted. I was using CentOS at the time. I haven't tried it on Ubuntu as you did, so maybe it would work. Yes, I know about OO.o's compatibility with MS Office. I'll have to go back and look at how I called myself an expert. What I have found is that there are lots of experts but few with any expertise.
My problem, for the past couple of years or so, is that I don't have time to tinker endlessly with something.
My yardstick is that if I can get Program A running within a couple of hours with moderate tinkering, dependency satisfaction and updating; the product gets a thumbs up. If it takes longer than that, then it's too difficult for Joe User and will not get a good review from me.
I'm not getting slack, I just don't have a lot of patience for things that don't work.

Here's the other thing: Who says Linux is supposed to be good for everything? It's a great server operating system, extremely stable, reliable, long uptimes and relatively low maintenance but OTOH, user-oriented Linux can be quite tricky and frustrating.
I could manage to get just about anything working that I want to get working but I'm not writing …

I don't know who Bob Cringley is but if it took him 7 hours to install Windows 7, he needs to find a different profession or get better hardware. Ubuntu installs quickly too...as I said, once I see Windows 7 and Ubuntu 9.10 side by side in a month or two, it'll be easier to judge.

That's the last time I ran a Linux desktop as my primary desktop operating system. I have a dual boot Netbook with XP and Presto Linux plus I have several Linux VMs.

@EdenMar
I should have been more clear. I used SUSE and KDE with VMware to run a Windows 98 and a Windows NT VM. The computer had KOffice and was my primary workstation. Eventually, I had to reimage it with Windows and use VMware for Linux. That was 10 years ago.

Ubuntu's CEO, Mark Shuttleworth fired one over Microsoft's bow with a statement that the soon to be released Ubuntu 9.10 is ready to go head-to-head with Windows 7 on Netbooks. He also said that Windows XP is still hanging around on some Netbooks as a "ghost." Shuttleworth wants another shot at the U.S. market with his new Ubuntu 9.10 and Ubuntu One offering. Ubuntu One is a file backup and sharing service where registered users receive 2GB of free storage and 50GB of storage for $10 per month.

I hope that works out for you Mark. I really do. Ubuntu is the ultimate Linux distribution built upon the best parent distribution (Debian) available today.

There's just one small catch: Not everything works yet.

That's actually a pretty big catch.

Windows has the best driver and application support. It also has the advantage of having the favorite corporate Kool-Aid taste. In other words, big companies like Windows because it's created and supported by one of the world's best companies: Microsoft. I know what you're thinking: "He's a traitor" or "He's being paid by Microsoft." I wish it were true that someone was paying me some big buckazoids to say these things but they aren't.

I love Linux. It's my favorite operating system. I use it and support it every single day of my life--and have for the past 14+ years. I have a full system dedicated to it …

Funny and commendably sarcastic. Good work.

It's a cell phone for crying out loud. Do you get it? A cell phone. You know, you make and receive phone calls on it. It's a telephone that you carry around in your pocket. Who gives a rip whether it's equipped with a web browser, a file editor or an ice cream dispenser; it's a telephone. People who care about the operating system or applet X on a cell phone are either under the age of 18 or don't have anything better to do with their time.

I don't really care that my cell phone uses some version of Microsoft Windows or Linux or Mac or OS2. I just don't care. As long as I can make and receive phone calls, I just don't care.

I apologize to all my faithful readers who want me to rail against the oppressive Microsoft and its crashy Windows operating system and champion our collective free software fight but when it comes to the operating system on my cell phone; I just don't care.

I remember a day when telephones, cell phones included, didn't have (or need) an operating system. We survived somehow without one. We survived without browsing the Internet on our telephones and we're still here alive and kicking to tell you about it. We also didn't need to 'text' anyone--especially while driving.
Do you want to know why we didn't need to text someone that, "we're bored?" We didn't need to. We had a telephone that …

Yesterday was Microsoft's big day. Windows 7 was released. Did you go buy your copy already? Are you waiting? Whether you have or haven't doesn't really matter but I'm going to give you my five reasons why you should switch to Windows 7 and five more why you shouldn't. Both are compelling and perhaps might change your mind one way or another.

This list might seem odd coming from a guy who ordinarily writes on Linux topics, but as an IT professional I have to work with all operating systems and deal with their quirks accordingly. This is my list of reasons to switch and not to switch based on my experiences with both Windows and Linux--and more specifically Windows 7.

The Five Reasons to Switch to Windows 7:

1. It's new. That's right; simple enough. It's new. What's better than a new version of an operating system (OS)? Windows 7 is a new OS which brings a lot of new promises and hopes to a world that has either held on too long to Windows XP or had issues with Windows Vista. In either case, Windows 7 is a refreshing change and it's long overdue.

2. It's not Vista. Vista was Microsoft's biggest mistake since Windows Me--and no, I won't let it go. Windows Me was bad. Really bad. Windows Vista is also very, very bad. It's slow, it's clunky, it's often unresponsive and it is not a pleasure to use. Every computer, except one, …

LOL, I thought the song was hilarious. My daughter watches the show and the song is a spoof of the original. You'd just have to see it.

My "10 Best Linux Distributions of 2009" list drew a bit of disdain from some of my readers, so I thought I'd make it up to them by posting a list of Linux distributions that they like to use. Since I have no way of knowing which of these distributions is better or worse than the others, I've place them in alphabetical order instead of any real ranking based on quality, community, development cycle or other criteria. I want to show you, faithful reader, that I do indeed read your comments and take your feedback seriously. You have a voice and I thank you for using it--this is your list--by you and for you.

Since I'm not familiar with some of the distributions on this list, most of the information is taken directly from the distribution's own website.

1. Arch Linux - Billed as a lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Arch Linux is an independently developed, i686/x86-64 general purpose GNU/Linux distribution versatile enough to suit any role. Development focuses on simplicity, minimalism, and code elegance. Arch is installed as a minimal base system, configured by the user upon which their own ideal environment is assembled by installing only what is required or desired for their unique purposes. GUI configuration utilities are not officially provided, and most system configuration is performed from the shell by editing simple text files. Arch strives to stay bleeding edge, and typically offers the …