tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post6024936183140838813..comments2024-02-14T02:30:36.732-05:00Comments on The Blog of Helios: Is The Linux Brand Poisoned?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978117986484281976noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-9341507005946757802011-12-27T19:33:16.205-06:002011-12-27T19:33:16.205-06:00I have known about Linux since it started. I neve...I have known about Linux since it started. I never had a computer that could run Linux. Shows what lousy computers I had. Then about Three years ago I started playing with Linux and have been using Linux for the last two years. I am trying to get a LUG started in my community. The several LUG's that were here the hosts of those LUG's all Graduated and moved on and currently there are no LUG's in this area. The only two that are close are both over three hours away - one way. I am not a guru, I would still consider myself a new user. There are so many that refuse to acknowledge Linux. That is because the people who maintain the Servers use Windows and don't want to use Linux. They paid good money to learn Windows.Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13768035950324249754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-35557471833905891782011-02-23T09:01:38.742-06:002011-02-23T09:01:38.742-06:00Whats the difference between Linux and windows hos...Whats the difference between Linux and windows hosting? Do i need Linux on my system to linux host?Brad Fallonhttp://www.freelinereport.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-84577384621673500442010-04-26T16:27:22.501-05:002010-04-26T16:27:22.501-05:00The name "Linux" carries around a bit of...The name "Linux" carries around a bit of baggage. This is unsurprising, because it was originally developed by geeks, for geeks. I think Ken is right-on with his assessment.<br /><br />Strong branding stands on its own. Go to Ubuntu.com. Do you see "Linux" --anywhere-- on that homepage?<br /><br />Here's some food for thought. Most sales pitches are won or lost in less than a minute. You have failed if you either accomplish nothing in that time (the customer's attention goes elsewhere) or if you scare the potential customer off. The best way to succeed in your pitch if you use it to build value in your product. Your job is easier if the customer has heard of your brand, so you don't have to take time out of your pitch to explain too much.<br /><br />Ubuntu might not be the perfect choice for each user, but it's going to work reasonably well for the overwhelming majority. Canonical's strength is in marketing and brand definition of what would otherwise be a less-than-remarkable Linux desktop distribution. Negative preconceptions might keep Linux off some desktops, but Ubuntu is more palatable.Scott Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03298278946546199368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-52807249717996959002010-04-24T15:41:12.877-05:002010-04-24T15:41:12.877-05:00That stuff about LUGS is sad but true more often t...That stuff about LUGS is sad but true more often than not. Very first install I did had video driver issues so I thought, hey, folks at the local LUG should be able to help. Plopped down, some introductions made along with letting everyone know I needed a hand. The <i>entire</i> meeting no one even said "I feel your pain," much less give me any pointers. <br /><br />Even trying to have a civil conversation on some of the mailing lists, you get run over with more people wanting to drill you with how wrong your question/assumption/answer/work/choice of friends/spelling/life are, rather than having a decent debate. Geek ego overruneth. I've learned to lurk instead of being active anymore, and only communicate directly to a select few that actually have manners and scruples. <br /><br />Dare I say, this crap happens in many circles. It does get magnified on the 'Net when people say stuff behind a keyboard they wouldn't dare say in person. <br /><br />Glad this crew has their heads on straight.FelixTheCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05365833098913665635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-68470220428176554882010-04-24T09:14:28.119-05:002010-04-24T09:14:28.119-05:00This leaves the rest of us (to do linux marketing)...<b>This leaves the rest of us (<i>to do linux marketing</i>). I'm thinking of Linux User Groups. Lugs are the natural forum for marketing to small and medium sized businesses, since lug members are in that community everyday.</b><br /><br />I've attended LUG meetings in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and Denver. In my first visit to every one of them, I was ignored by most at best and rudely ignored even when asking a question during the meetings. The general attitude was if you are not interested in what we are interested in, just leave. Most of them were showing off their raid arrays or sharing bash scripts and talking about some obscure hardware problem. Not one of these groups had any interest in a new user focus. They were all exclusive geek boys clubs. Having any of these groups try to market Linux would be a disaster. Not that any of them would have any interest in doing so. I've seen better social skills in behavioral problem groups.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-30019547684289838902010-04-23T12:05:03.957-05:002010-04-23T12:05:03.957-05:00There wasn't a Windows image available for my ...There wasn't a Windows image available for my work PC, so I installed Kubuntu on it myself without consulting with IT. I was worried that I might get into trouble for doing it so I talked to my boss(Director of Software and Product Engineering) and he said that he was glad I did and he wasn't concerned about it because it's now a Linux box and it's solid as a rock! :)Killerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08299058528792311946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-43253449663676595792010-04-23T09:58:57.395-05:002010-04-23T09:58:57.395-05:00""Windoze sucks HARD!". But everyth...""Windoze sucks HARD!". But everything mundane you have to do on a daily basis looks better/nicer with it."<br /><br />Everything? Not hardly. Most users spend most of their time in a browser. I contend that Firefox is Firefox. What about Firefox in Linux looks better in Windows. Nothing. Now are you talking about the "polish" of Windows programs as opposed to Linux? Ok, I can give you that and give you an example.<br /><br />I use Linux every day on my computers but was over at a friends house for a party. They wanted to watch a DVD connected to their computer via the television. The "DVD Now" program that popped up was gorgeous. I remember thinking how much better it looked than the old Mplayer or VLC in Linux. Five minutes later the DVD program crashed and they spent 30 minutes trying to fix it. Finally someone installed VLC and the movie played to the end without issue. I guess you are willing to sacrifice function and working status for pretty glassy bobbles.<br /><br />"You just throw it there and you use it. YES you have to reboot each other day - occasionally you may lose your work - but that's it - is in the life style of the planet."<br /><br />Your troll status just exposed itself. You not only have to reboot every other day, you have to run resource-consuming anti virus and spyware crap that slows your computer down and often screws up the registry. Don't make excuses for a product that is proven to be inherently insecure and buggy. I haven't rebooted my Linux machine in over 40 days. I haven't lost a bit of work. For me it is NOT the way of the world...maybe for your world, yes.<br /><br />The rest of your post is just trollish drivel. Ken has hundreds of kids using Linux on a daily basis without problem or crash. Fact is there are very few problems that require a second echelon administrator to fix...most of them are simple. You did not possess the knowledge to fix problems in windows at birth, you had to learn how to fix them. Same with Linux. Most people are simply too lazy to do something different, even if it is better. Linux is the PERFECT system to use for just email and browsing purposes. No virus worries, open most any attachment with impunity and nothing slows down to a crawl becuase your antivirus is "checking your system". Oh, and I suppose you are extremely comfortable with the EULA you had to agree to to use Windows. That alone is a sad, sad thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-35836273165838503392010-04-22T16:24:18.240-05:002010-04-22T16:24:18.240-05:00Well... good luck with your Ubuntu 10.something. U...Well... good luck with your Ubuntu 10.something. Ubuntu is nice but is too the wild jungle. There is no law there. Everything changes as you breathe !<br /><br />I use professionally Linux and I am happy with. But for reading mail, writing docs or browsing the net everybody in the Co. uses Windoze. Not because is better than Linux as OS - far from that. And I can say hand on heart: "Windoze sucks HARD!". But everything mundane you have to do on a daily basis looks better/nicer with it. And is uniform and is the same for everybody. You just throw it there and you use it. YES you have to reboot each other day - occasionally you may lose your work - but that's it - is in the life style of the planet.<br /><br />Linux may brag with its reliability and functionality and many other qualities... It is not user friendly. And becomes really unpleasant when you have a problem. <br /><br />So let's be pragmatic - let Linux to professionals. Use Linux for work/serious_stuff and Windoze to play, email and browse the net.<br /><br />Have fun,<br />s.t.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-91332223947681917062010-04-22T12:19:36.044-05:002010-04-22T12:19:36.044-05:00"Hence the reason I said that I hate Windows ..."<i>Hence the reason I said that I hate Windows servers. I love Linux on servers and it's the only thing I will support.</i>"<br /><br /><i>Kevin</i><br /><br />If you do not mind my asking, why do you prefer Windows for your desktop? I use Windows almost exclusively for gaming because GNU/Linux with Wine is not yet perfect. Have you considered multiple desktops? My laptop, for instance, is a triple-boot system.<br /><br /><br />"<i>Clearly, only a tiny minority of Linux users ever need to worry about compiling software.</i>"<br /><br /><i>Timothy</i><br /><br />I do not disagree with this. I also fail to see how this relates to anything I have said (typed). Please enlighten me.<br /><br />Does Linux Mint have the latest version of every program? Do its default repositories contain no packages that are outdated? Are extra repositories available that contain only the latest packages without the need to compile anything? Do you know of another GNU/Linux distribution that does require one to compile from source?<br /><br />The fact that a particular distro does have the latest version of a particular program chosen at random has nothing to do with what I have said (typed). The fact that not every version of every program on every distro requires one to compile from source has nothing to do with what I have said (typed). The fact that most GNU/Linux users do not need to worry about having the latest version of every program on every distro has nothing to do with what I have said (typed).<br /><br />My point is that <b>IF</b> you want the latest versions of the programs on your system, you need to know how to compile from source because you will eventually run into that scenario.<br /><br />That is it. That is all there is to it. Yes, I agree that having the latest versions of all the programs on your system is not necessary. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it would be a terrible waste of time for most users. I would recommend that most users avoid tracking the versions of all of their programs. It is not necessary for most programs. There are a few programs across which I have run that require compilation, and Kevin listed an example of one that caused grief for him. But that is the extent of the topic thus far because everyone else has lost it. Or perhaps never found it.<br /><br /><br />I am going back to waiting for Ubuntu 10.04...Gavinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-85820037037886311832010-04-22T06:02:33.172-05:002010-04-22T06:02:33.172-05:00@Gavin
I am currently running Linux Mint and am u...@Gavin<br /><br />I am currently running Linux Mint and am using Firefox 3.6.3 which I most certainly did not compile from source. I added the ubuntuzilla ppa to my sources list. Adding a ppa is not the same as downloading an exec file, but it is not any more difficult. I copied and pasted 3 commands into a terminal to get the latest version of Firefox. <br /><br />Perhaps the typical user would be intimidated by this procedure, but in my experience, the typical user is not usually interested in having the latest version of Firefox or any other software. All that person wants to do is write an email, edit a photo, or do some other activity.<br /><br />Someone who is concerned about getting whatever marginal benefit the latest software version is supposed to provide is no a person who is just concerned with using the computer as an appliance. I know, because I am that type of person. Yet, in spite of spending far more time than I should, messing with my computer instead of just using it to get things done, I only have one program on it compiled from source -- the latest org-mode for emacs. <br /><br />Clearly, only a tiny minority of Linux users ever need to worry about compiling software.Mr. Doranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04537676376580261337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-33124297177059075042010-04-21T23:49:22.964-05:002010-04-21T23:49:22.964-05:00@Gavin--
Hence the reason I said that I hate Win...@Gavin-- <br /><br />Hence the reason I said that I hate Windows servers. I love Linux on servers and it's the only thing I will support.<br /><br />Microsoft (Apple,etc) isn't interested in complying with standards so much as controlling them and/or making them suit their own product lines for their own interests. <br /><br />Just look at how IE8 can't even pass the ACID3 test. It doesn't comply with W3C standards very well and security? Forget it. <br /><br />No browser is perfect but IE is a bit like driving through the backstreets of East St. Louis with a Cadillac and $100 bills in the windows.Kevin (Whizard72)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17588463367019332598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-10775677023760397382010-04-21T18:31:30.350-05:002010-04-21T18:31:30.350-05:00sirj77 - Have you thought about cutting off your p...<b>sirj77</b> - Have you thought about cutting off your personal flow of tech support for Windows? If you do not fix it, no one will come clamoring at your door. Just a thought.<br /><br /><br /><b>joineric</b> - I would personally like to see GNU/Linux come into prominence, if only to see how it would stand up to the general public en masse. But of course there is also the point to consider that GNU/Linux benefits to a certain degree from being on the fringes. I do not know which is more beneficial for GNU/Linux in general, but I suspect some part of the organizational structure would have to change if popularity were to experience a huge up-tick. Canonical is a decent reference full of possibilities (but not rules) as to what could happen. Still, I would like to see the rate of progress increase a bit. Not massively so, but a bit.<br /><br /><br />The companies that make use of Linux, or GNU, or FOSS et al, are companies first and foremost. That tethers them a bit in terms of what they can do. Or what they think they can do. And of course being companies means they have a few suits at the top making important decisions. Necessary for a <b>company</b> but not conducive to pure tech & research. Not to mention they are still quite small compared to M$ or Apple. The list of excuses is long, even if it makes <i>good business sense</i>.<br /><br />I also find it annoying when they develop closed-source software and run it on top of open-source software. Yes, I know they can technically do that, but it is still really annoying! I also dislike it when they commoditize the software to be "certified" to run on particular hardware. What does it matter what hardware I have as long as everything is supported?<br /><br /><br />Windows servers are just plain confusing. Why does M$ have so many tools for fixing & maintaining & migrating? How about doing it correctly the first time? How about not changing the format of data every time a new product is released? How about: Convert -> Import -> Start? How difficult is that when you are the one who wrote all the software and determined all the data formats? I do not understand.<br /><br />And why is it that M$ (and others like Apple) have difficulty writing code for explicit protocols? Is DNS really that complicated? Is POP really that obfuscated? Or do the suits think that adherence to world-wide protocols is simply not their style?Gavinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-30407206477539272862010-04-21T18:28:46.213-05:002010-04-21T18:28:46.213-05:00What it comes down to is change is too hard for mo...What it comes down to is change is too hard for most people and companies.msounheinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14518200228243805812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-87169073848962810502010-04-21T16:53:03.710-05:002010-04-21T16:53:03.710-05:00There's a few sources of Linux marketing ingre...There's a few sources of Linux marketing ingredients including one radio spot put together by Ken and others. The voiceover is available to anyone that wants to use it in their local market and there's plenty of royalty-free music you can use. I don't have a link to the audio file but it's on here somewhere. <br /><br />Big companies don't market Linux, barely even whisper it, but they'll sure as shootin' sprawl "We recommend Windows!!" over every single stinking product web page. Remember that video from the Linux Collaboration Summit we had in Austin a couple of years ago, where the panel said, "We don't advertise components, just our solutions!"?? Yet, even to this day, they will still cram as much MS advertising they can muster into every crevice. <br /><br />I'm cynical.FelixTheCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05365833098913665635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-19773928787765812962010-04-21T13:31:14.623-05:002010-04-21T13:31:14.623-05:00Heh... All it takes is educating people about the...Heh... All it takes is educating people about the alternatives. While there's annoyances- my wife and stepkids all are using Linux these days. The family had all heard of Linux but wasn't sure of things until they tried it. Largely, they've not turned back. Less hassles. More muscle available out of the machines than with Windows7 or Vista.<br /><br />All it takes is education of the alternative. And I can tell you, Ken, while I can't state how I know this, there's changes afoot in at least one of the major OEMs right at the moment in that space, if I've been told right. And I'm hoping so...means more market share for things like Caster and the other stuff I've ported or am porting. ;-)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08044880130114937498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-71420092781216414072010-04-21T13:01:25.349-05:002010-04-21T13:01:25.349-05:00"The direct quote (that will be keeping me up..."The direct quote (that will be keeping me up at night): 'I HATE open source!'"<br /><br />I'd hazard a guess that he's gotten some heat over his decision to NOT use Open Source within the company. Especially with the current state of the economy. I think I'd be testy, too, after having to defend my increasing software licensing and maintenance budget for the unpteenth time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-5647624248456544962010-04-21T11:38:13.733-05:002010-04-21T11:38:13.733-05:00@Edward -- I couldn't agree more. Linux and OS...@Edward -- I couldn't agree more. Linux and OSS is a grass roots movement and that's not a bad thing. If it had been some corporate initiative, then we'd still be stuck with limited access and/or choice, restrictive EULAs, etc. <br /><br />But because it is a grass roots effort and thanks to the foresight of folks like RMS, it is open. The down side of that is it lacks certain resources... like a marketing department. <br /><br />People have considered appealing to the LUGs, but such an effort still requires focus and consistency. To that end, your strategy is the most sound that I've heard. <br /><br />Focus and consistency are key in a marketing effort. If members of a sales force all make up their own talking points, the competition will find out and rip that effort apart for lack of credibility. So in that sense, variety works against a marketing effort.<br /><br />Like I said in my earlier post, the content to begin a genuine marketing effort is available. There also is plenty of supporting evidence to validate our claims. But we still need a way to focus the effort. If we could get several LUGs all presenting the same info, I think we'd start to see some results.<br /><br />There is more rationale to support this strategy than I care to go in to here.<br /><br />If anyone would like to discuss this further, feel free to contact me at paul at concertedsystems dot com.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-11719265244614307012010-04-21T10:57:03.118-05:002010-04-21T10:57:03.118-05:00"You know people who OWN exectutive assistant..."<i>You know people who OWN exectutive assistants ?</i>"<br /><br /><i>Thomas Mc.</i><br /><br /><br />Hahaha!<br /><br />Yes, I have one in a drawer somewhere. I should probably feed him again, come to think of it. Very low maintenance pet, though. Just give it some paperwork every now and then and it will not run away! =PGavinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-46178309720370265172010-04-21T10:20:43.216-05:002010-04-21T10:20:43.216-05:00Corporations, being profit-driven, want to increas...Corporations, being profit-driven, want to increase their margins. Take Dell for example. Dell practices what I call "double-tilling", trying to decrease its license costs by using Linux while avoiding to offend Microsoft and keep the third=party OEM revenues coming.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-43881926342659656152010-04-21T09:54:24.348-05:002010-04-21T09:54:24.348-05:00I forgot to mention I'm a new Linux Journal su...I forgot to mention I'm a new Linux Journal subscriber and that I will be applying for membership to the Linux Foundation soon to take advantage of the student membership discount. Finishing my degree in computer science, my aim is to obtain official Linux certifications and increase expertise on the Linux server/LAMP stack and use that as my foundation for a career using Linux and open source solutions.Kevin (Whizard72)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17588463367019332598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-54106394299011251762010-04-21T09:48:42.837-05:002010-04-21T09:48:42.837-05:00First of all, Let me say this: I **HATE** windows ...First of all, Let me say this: I **HATE** windows servers. I always have and I don't see that ever changing. Windows servers have the same long-term performance issues that the client systems have. They're not secure, RDP is a security hole, They can't handle nearly as much load as an equivalent linux server and that's not even an opinion. <br /><br />I know of one story firsthand where an unresponsive windows server running IIS was 'temporarily' replaced with an experimental LAMP server that was a generation behind in hardware spec and it started running the intranet and extranet on the same box, under heavy load, faster then the windows server had ever been. <br /><br />I know of some high traffic sites that just recently replaced their LAMP server hardware that was running on Pentium II CPUs. <br /><br />I'd be willing to bet that I can build a LAMP server utilizing the Intel Atom 330 cpu (dual core, hyperthreaded) that runs cooler, quieter, uses less power, and has more consistent performance than a Windows IIS server using an Intel Xeon.Kevin (Whizard72)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17588463367019332598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-81205268569227355832010-04-21T09:48:42.838-05:002010-04-21T09:48:42.838-05:00I recently had to work on a computer for a friend ...I recently had to work on a computer for a friend that had viruses. I recovered her files wiped the drive and found out she couldn't find her windows cd. I always have some linux live cd's with me as part of my "tool box" when I work on computers, and I made the offer to install linux. They had no idea what linux was (not surprising), but were open to the idea of very little virus and spyware problems. The deal breaker... she couldn't run her MS Works. I tried to explain that OpenOffice was free and just as good, but to no avail. I have had to fix her computer twice because of viruses. I might have finally gotten her to stop using IE and Outlook, but it's hard to get people to change their ideas and habits. Even if they don't like what they have, they don't like change, even if it is better for them.sirj77https://www.blogger.com/profile/04806210493984271702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-69020727924893809612010-04-21T09:40:45.292-05:002010-04-21T09:40:45.292-05:00In 1995 I started using Slackware installed from a...In 1995 I started using Slackware installed from a floppy because those were the only books being sold. We have come a long way since then because Linux is superior in some ways. But freedom is freedom, and one option only is never free (as in speech). Linux is probably somewhere in every major corporation today, most stock exchanges and banks, Brazil, etc. use it as their OS because it is superior. These people know about Linux and will choose accordingly. If we allow people to choose, then Linux will get it's fair share, eventually, as the FUD and ignorance is shown to be what it is.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14945929801203000349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-27985467335118213862010-04-21T09:20:26.013-05:002010-04-21T09:20:26.013-05:00As others have said. Its a marketing problem and t...As others have said. Its a marketing problem and the big corps that benefit from Linux are less than interested in marketing it to the general public. Thats because they would have to fight Microsoft and they would rather not do that.<br /><br />This leaves the rest of us. I'm thinking of Linux User Groups. Lugs are the natural forum for marketing to small and medium sized businesses, since lug members are in that community everyday.<br /><br />What Linux really needs is a healthy and thriving community of lugs, with several in every city. Out of this community we can craft a national lug organization funded by its member lugs. Such an organization would have the wherewithal to produce Linux marketing materials that can then be customized and used by local lugs to educate the local home and business user community.<br /><br />This is the way we have to do it. The big corps won't do the marketing for us.<br /><br /><br />emkEdwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01364838643709478896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33801994.post-50552291169392424602010-04-21T02:49:18.560-05:002010-04-21T02:49:18.560-05:00I would not worry about the many people who couldn...I would not worry about the many people who couldn't answer that Linux is a operating system. I guess if you asked "what is Windows" you'd get similar response.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com