Linux Articles

[SrDriver]

As a Linux user let me be first to say that I don't badmouth any operating system and use Windows on occasion. Linux is still a very small % of desktop use in the United States.

Link Regarding Government Linux Use

Venezuela federal law requires open source software

Several other developing countries are moving in this direction.

Seems that one of the most popular Linux Distributions is Ubuntu which is based on Debian.

By using Wine one can run many Windows Applications.

I like both Linux Mint (Gnome Version based on Ubuntu) and PCLinuxOS.

Have used - installed Windows VISTA on a couple of systems without issue. No issues with their old legacy hardware like printers, etc.

I find the Linux version of "The Gimp" works for me for graphic work. Several Windows programs can be run under Linux using "Wine".

Big factor in many countries is cost of both software - hardware.

 

[Mystic]

I find it very interesting that if a government somewhere in the world (like Venezuela) starts to demand and force the use of Open Source and Linux software that everybody seems to think that is fine. Nobody brings up that there should be freedom of choice and people should be allowed to use whatever O/S they want to.

Nobody seems to take into consideration what may be behind all of this. Has it occurred to anybody that this might be some attempt to take another jab at the USA?

And what sort of an outcry would there be in the USA if Microsoft software was mandated by the government in the USA? It would be a different story then.

In the case of Venezuela the cover story is that Open Source and Linux software is cheaper. But at least one investigation that I have heard of brings into question the cost savings. In fact, in one of the two links you supplied there was questioning of actual cost savings. Go back to the first link (Link Regarding Government Linux Use) and read through it again.

It is interesting to me that it is okay to force the use of Linux and Open Source software but everybody can't stand the 'monopoly' of Microsoft in the USA. The fact is in the USA Microsoft won the war for desktop O/Ss either fairly or unfairly through competition. Linux wins in Venezuela by being mandated into use by a government.

 

[benjamming]

Mystic,

The governmental agencies are required to use the software. Businesses and individuals aren't required to use any particular s/w based on the link.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
I find it very interesting that if a government somewhere in the world (like Venezuela) starts to demand and force the use of Open Source and Linux software that everybody seems to think that is fine. Nobody brings up that there should be freedom of choice and people should be allowed to use whatever O/S they want to.

Nobody seems to take into consideration what may be behind all of this. Has it occurred to anybody that this might be some attempt to take another jab at the USA?

And what sort of an outcry would there be in the USA if Microsoft software was mandated by the government in the USA? It would be a different story then.


Are you really that thick, or are you just putting us on?

Tens of thousands of government agencies and businesses all over the world, including a good share of the US government, require the use of MS products in their operations. Have you ever tried to do business on large scale with the US government without using MS software?

I worked for a large defense contractor. There was no way we could function in our day to day communications with our US government customer without using MS software. Our contracts required deliverables in MS format, many of which were comlex enough that saving in MS format with other software didn't cut it.

Then I consulted for a 3 employee R&D company. We had to use MS software for our reports to the US government.

Venezuela like many other government agencies (usually at the city, large department, or school district level) all over the world is switching from MS to open source.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Here in TN, the state uses Novell Netware and SuSE Linux as their file/print/basic services package while Windows servers are relegated to application serving. Mostly all clients are Windows of some flavor and Microsoft Office is the office package.

So if you're not using MS software, you'll be out of luck.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn
Here in TN, the state uses Novell Netware and SuSE Linux as their file/print/basic services package while Windows servers are relegated to application serving. Mostly all clients are Windows of some flavor and Microsoft Office is the office package.

So if you're not using MS software, you'll be out of luck.



Mystic will launch a campaign for your freedom.

A large business or government organization where the employees used whichever software they personally preferred would certainly be an interesting place to work.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: XS650


A large business or government organization where the employees used whichever software they personally preferred would certainly be an interesting place to work.

We could call it the IT full employment program.

 

[Mystic]

Yes, here come the personal attacks. Where I work we use Unix with a special GUI supplied by a software developer. We used Unix for several years and gradually the desktop computers started to use various versions of Windows. First came Windows 3.1 (terrible) and then later versions of Windows. We still use Unix servers and Windows servers. The newer servers are Windows servers and if we had the money the old Unix servers would probably be replaced and not because of some sort of mandating of O/S by anybody. Nobody is mandating that we use Unix or Microsoft or Linux or Apple or whatever.

Right now Vista is being evaulated by the IT people. We can't start to use Vista on the desktop computers because the old Unix servers apparently will not work properly with Vista. And where I work the Unix and Windows computers have to be able to communicate with each other. It is the old Unix computers that are holding things up. But the very smart lady who does much of the programming will probably be able to fix everything.

My brother-in-law is the senior engineer at a company that builds equipment for national defense and the space program. He has been involved in the launching of several military and NASA (including Space Shuttle) satellites and space probes. He used to use an Apple Macintosh computer. Yes, you heard that right-a Mac. Nobody told him he could not do that. I don't think he uses a Mac anymore but he used to.

When the stealth attack aircraft was under development one of the people involved in developing that aircraft used a Mac. The old DOS computers could not handle a lot of the graphics.

We communicate very well with various governmental agencies with both our old Unix servers and our Windows servers. People would like to get new Windows servers if they could not because of some dislike for Unix and not because of some mandating of O/S but rather because-have you seen those new Windows Server 2008? Those are hot! Better than Windows Server 2003.

This website uses Linux I believe. Linux is common for a server for hosted websites.

I have not seen any mandating of O/S. I have seen where it is necessary to be able to communicate with other people. Since 90% of people use Microsoft Office and 90% of people use Microsoft Windows it is easier to communicate with Windows and Office. But you can use Microsoft Office for the Macintosh on a Mac. They just now are coming out with version 2008.

I have heard stories of the FBI and some other governmental agencies using Apple and IBM OS/2 for security reasons. The US Army to some extent is using Mac OS X Server. I visit Apple oriented websites from time to time and I came across a recent article about that. It was at the AppleInsider, MacMinute, or MacDailyNews websites.

A major credit company uses Mac OS Server. And according to what I have heard Adobe Software uses OpenBSD servers.

Linux servers are commonplace. Unix server sales seem to be on the decline. Windows server sales are increasing.

Do they 'require' the use of MS software or is it a good idea so that they can communicate well? Strange they never forced my brother-in-law to switch from a Mac. He was involved in several, and I do mean several, military and Space Shuttle and space satellite and space probe missions over a period of many years. That seems like pretty high level stuff to me. Nobody told him anything.

Macs are still used by various newspaper and magazine companies and in the creation of websites. Oftentimes the reporters are using a laptop computer with Windows and Office and when you go in where the newspaper is actually put together they are using Macs.

Go ahead and launch another personal attack. I have my own experience and I know people who were involved in governmental projects at the highest levels. My brother-in-law was involved in governmental work every bit as high level as what you did.

The difference between you and me is that I don't attack people personally.

 

[XS650]

What color is the sky on your planet?

 

[Mystic]

Can you reply in a polite and logical manner to what I say or are you capable only of personal attacks?

Did you notice the reply to your post above where the person who wrote the reply says at the STATE level they are using Novell and Susie?

I have never seen some governmental type show up anywhere I worked and dictate the use of computer O/S. I worked for a steel fabricator in the past and we bid on governmental projects. As long as we did the work within budget and acceptable to the governmental agency nobody said anything about the equipment we used to build whatever we built.

Same thing where I work now. We do a lot of governmental work and nobody shows up to check what computers we are using.

Now if something is being built for the government, like attack helicopters, they may want certain types of computers in attack helicopters. They have the right to say what computers are used in equipment they are paying for. The government does not care what equipment is used by a company to build that equipment as long as the work is done within budget and to specs.

Why don't you answer the reply by the person who works for a state and uses O/Ss other than Windows? Are you going to insult him also?

If the best you can do is insult me personally then I win the argument. How many Space Shuttle, military satellite, NASA satellite, and space probes were you involved in? My brother-in-law was involved in several and he used a Mac and nobody told him he could not do so. He used a Mac for several years. .'Nuff said.

 

[Crashbox]

My employer- the state DOT- mandates MS Windows and other "level playing field" software for the PCs we use at work. The various engineering, CADD, etc. programs require the use of MS Windows. I believe the servers now are all Windows as well though they used to run Novell a while back.

On the other hand, a large private school very near my house runs Linux for its servers; the IT guy (whom I know fairly well) really appreciates their stability and low TCO. And as I've mentioned in the past here I run Linux at home and I also have it installed on my laptop PC.

Nobody tells me I have to run one or the other, though I wish the programs I had would run on both platforms!

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Mystic


My brother-in-law was involved in several and he used a Mac and nobody told him he could not do so. He used a Mac for several years. .'Nuff said.


The topic was software. Go get someone to explain the difference between software and hardware to you and get back to us.