Can Ubuntu 9.10 Outperform Mac OS X 10.6?

[Apopas]

At least the use of Linux is quite widespread in technical universities, with Linux-only labs and courses that even touch kernel development. That said, the Microsoft deal was really, really moronic. Guess that's to be expected of the current government...

You are greek mate? Then you know the case well, though I believe it was just one mans fault this agreement, but anyway here isn't the best place to judge politicians.
Maybe Linux is quite widespread in technical universities but when I was in NTUA I remember the central library's PCs were running window$? Why? They were used just for surfing after all.

[BlackStar]

You are greek mate? Then you know the case well, though I believe it was just one mans fault this agreement, but anyway here isn't the best place to judge politicians.
Maybe Linux is quite widespread in technical universities but when I was in NTUA I remember the central library's PCs were running window$? Why? They were used just for surfing after all.

Yeah, there are a few of us, greek lurkers here.

The central library installed Linux systems a few years ago (running SuSE, IIRC) but those were removed last year (probably) due to low usage. It also had a few systems that ran Windows NT 4 last time I checked, but scarcely anyone uses those anymore. The good thing is that every PC lab I've been to is running some form of Linux, as are most libraries. The same holds for the VR lab (which also sports a nice one-wall CAVE), while the whole network infrastructure is built on BSD and Linux.

[Apopas]

Yeah, there are a few of us, greek lurkers here.

The central library installed Linux systems a few years ago (running SuSE, IIRC) but those were removed last year (probably) due to low usage. It also had a few systems that ran Windows NT 4 last time I checked, but scarcely anyone uses those anymore. The good thing is that every PC lab I've been to is running some form of Linux, as are most libraries. The same holds for the VR lab (which also sports a nice one-wall CAVE), while the whole network infrastructure is built on BSD and Linux.

Wow, I coudln't imagine Linux was going so well in Greece.
So in the library installed few SuSE systems only? The current PCs that they are still used what run?

[deanjo]

On the other hand we have the free software movement and the model they promote. I remember few years ago an interview with one of RedHat's key guys. Along with other words he had said
"who says GPL is bad for enterprises? Look us, in a matter of time we doubled our stock and now we are in a position we could not imagine. Without GPL we would have been struggled at the very begining from some colossal company and disappeared from the earth".

***snip***

than the previous years.
Anyway, to finish I'll say that the amount of money is about standard, the matter is to move it around and nothing more. The current model doesn't help at all to that.


Well, I believe is realistic every national school in the universe to use OSS

While that's nice and all with using Red Hat as an example it also serves as an example of how dominant even in opensource 1 company can get and influence the direction of a product. RH's contributions to linux have been invaluable but as time goes on you can also see they are having more and more influence on it's direction. Also keep in mind that as big as Red Hat is financially they are also one of the first ones to admit that there is no money in linux desktops.

http://www.infoworld.com/t/platforms/red-hat-ceo-questions-desktops-relevance-in-linux-debate-807

This is a common song among the big distro's. So who do they look at for that almighty dollar? The exact same profiteering private companies. Those are the exact same companies that you have issues with. Now you make it so those companies don't exist there goes the funding to keep developing. One hand feeds the other. Without those corporate entities do you really think that IT would have exploded as it has over the last 35 years? Personal computing was a hobby to a select few. Fortunately someone had the sense and showed the world that software could be profitable and thus stimulated development and growth of the industry. In educational use that maybe fine to use free software but if your planning on building a future career in the industry and live comfortably you have to also see where closed source apps have their place. Lets face it, as far as linux has come, there are many applications and fields that it simply lacks any presence in.

Also Red Hat when it comes to share of the software industry doesn't even come close to ranking as a large software company.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/18/global-09_The-Global-2000_IndName_17.html

Even companies that specialize in a specific product crush Redhat such as Intuit, CA, VMWare, etc. (Red hat has a current market value of roughly 700 million which is pretty small in the software world and to date I don't ever recall Redhat being able to dish out dividends). So while RH may be HUGE in linux circles, it is very small compared in the IT industry scale.

[krazy]

While that's nice and all with using Red Hat as an example it also serves as an example of how dominant even in opensource 1 company can get and influence the direction of a product. RH's contributions to linux have been invaluable but as time goes on you can also see they are having more and more influence on it's direction.

This isn't true at all. The recently released report on who writes linux (see tables 9 & 10) actually shows the opposite. Overall RH has contributed 12.3% of changes to the kernel, while since 2.6.24 that percentages has actually decreased slightly to 12.0%. Also since 2.6.24, independent developers have contributed 21.1% and IBM, Novell and Intel have all contributed 6+%. I'd say that's hardly dominant.

This is a common song among the big distro's. So who do they look at for that almighty dollar? The exact same profiteering private companies. Those are the exact same companies that you have issues with. Now you make it so those companies don't exist there goes the funding to keep developing.

What do you mean by that? Do Red Hat and Novell get handouts from proprietary software companies? IBM and Intel certainly don't.

[deanjo]

This isn't true at all. The recently released report on who writes linux (see tables 9 & 10) actually shows the opposite. Overall RH has contributed 12.3% of changes to the kernel, while since 2.6.24 that percentages has actually decreased slightly to 12.0%. Also since 2.6.24, independent developers have contributed 21.1% and IBM, Novell and Intel have all contributed 6+%. I'd say that's hardly dominant.


What do you mean by that? Do Red Hat and Novell get handouts from proprietary software companies? IBM and Intel certainly don't.

A large number of independent developers working on the kernel work as well on proprietary software to pay the bills. Also how many of those developers have received scholarships from organizations such as google, microsoft, etc for r&d and scholarships then use those techniques in the kernel or other opensource projects? I have to cut this response short (time for work) but as far as handouts go you might want to see who Novells largest customer has been the last couple of years and check their portfolio of solutions. You will find many proprietary solutions in there catalog.

[thefirstm]

Microsoft funding the development on the Linux kernel? I think not! Microsoft is scared to death of Linux. Just look at itsbetterwithwindows.com.

[krazy]

A large number of independent developers working on the kernel work as well on proprietary software to pay the bills.

How can you possibly know where and how all those people are employed?

Also how many of those developers have received scholarships from organizations such as google, microsoft, etc for r&d and scholarships then use those techniques in the kernel or other opensource projects?

I don't know. You insinuate that many of them do, but provide no evidence. Google sells services, not software anyway, and runs linux based servers.. I fail to see the relevance.

as far as handouts go you might want to see who Novells largest customer has been the last couple of years and check their portfolio of solutions. You will find many proprietary solutions in there catalog.

I didn't say there wasn't. Those are products that they sell, they aren't looking to anyone else for money.

[deanjo]

How can you possibly know where and how all those people are employed?

Hang around the lkml and irc development rooms or go to pretty much any linux summit.

I don't know. You insinuate that many of them do, but provide no evidence. Google sells services, not software anyway, and runs linux based servers.. I fail to see the relevance.

Which is generated off of their closed source, highly protected search engine.

I didn't say there wasn't. Those are products that they sell, they aren't looking to anyone else for money.

MS has puchased a large amount of licenses from Novell. That capitol all filters down to the projects that Novell sponsors and as well as their freeing of patents.

[L33F3R]

Microsoft funding the development on the Linux kernel? I think not! Microsoft is scared to death of Linux. Just look at itsbetterwithwindows.com.

lol i have xp installed on my fathers netbook and its slower then a turtle on the highway.