What is Digg?190 Comments
- kylere, on 08/17/2008, -20/+108Umm this really has very little to do with Windows or not. It is about adding low end functionality for basic app usage without booting an OS. I realize this means that people will be able to not boot into windows, but it does not have them boot into Linux either. No one is going to want to use blackberry level functionality on a laptop full time, so it is a gimmick more than anything.
- DeviantDragon, on 08/17/2008, -1/+70I challenge you to a duel-boot!
- tossayo, on 08/17/2008, -3/+66From the title, it sounded like they just added the power button to the computer.
- DraxusD, on 08/17/2008, -14/+74Crappy article... way to twist two little gimmicky features into something anti-windows
- noahsawyer, on 08/16/2008, -10/+55I'll use a computer when I see the real benefits.
- Sithseth, on 08/17/2008, -5/+46The thing though is your mom, your dad, your grandparents, your relatives, and your neighbors - almost everyone - still uses windows. Windows isn't going to be out of the OS market for a long time, and when Microsoft really starts to feel a squeeze (that actually hurts) expect Microsoft to actually do something about it, instead of lethargically sitting there (like they seem to be doing now).
I'm a Linux user myself, but don't lie to your self. It doesn't make you special thinking you'll witness the fall of the OS giant, Microsoft, in your youth. And the sad part it is, there's probably a 9/10 chance that you are using windows right now, or have a windows machine in your home, and this is still going to get on the front page with you digging up the hipster "anti-Microsoft" comments.
-And this is coming from the man typing on an eeePC... COME ON!
Also, just using Firefox doesn't mean you're anti-Microsoft... they give Internet Explorer away for free with windows (like you didn't know that). - tomarocco, on 08/17/2008, -0/+40I accept...please excuse me while I don my dueling boots.
- bobwrit, on 08/16/2008, -9/+44This has been happening for some time now. This step is that they're finaly booting XP off of their PC's. The've had Ubuntu duel booting with XP for about a year now on their PC's. Also I found an article on why Microsoft is slipping in their OS buisness: http://www.programers.co.nr/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3 ...
- benologist, on 08/17/2008, -7/+37Shhhh it's about linux. Just like the EeePC isn't about having a very small, cheap laptop that happens to be running linux, it's about linux.
- effinboy, on 08/17/2008, -2/+28essentially this is Dell's version of Splashtop... ( http://www.splashtop.com ) you'll still be able to use whatever main OS you wish. And boot to it by default if you wish to. It isn't "blackberry" functionality on a PC. It's a fully configurable version of linux embedded in static memory on the mobo.
- strangewill, on 08/17/2008, -3/+25As a Linux user, I can also agree that fanboys make me cringe, but doesn't change the fact that the OS itself has a lot of real benefits.
Though I still think it's hardly Windows replacement material for a lot of people (some tasks still aren't properly supported/are too complicated or are too unstable, such as media center deployments, making it compatible for gaming, etc.) but in the cases of people who surf the net, watch videos, and such simple tasks, I say "why not?". - hugolp, on 08/17/2008, -5/+25Modern Oses dont need a lot more of memory or resources. Thats just a lie. Vista is slow and heavy, it doesnt matter how much you try to convince yourself that its justified. Its not. Its just bad implementation of an OS.
- SlvrEagle23, on 08/17/2008, -3/+23You know, there are far too many comments to this article that sound like the users have the same level of familiarity with spelling, punctuation, computing, and life in general as Yahoo! Answers users.
What the hell happened to this place? - chaoswings, on 08/17/2008, -9/+28I understand that we all hate MS over here because we like to think of ourselves as rebels freeing the market with open source. But people need to stop spreading FUD and bashing Microsoft when it's not warranted. Microsoft has tried to control the market by putting forth its own proprietary formats and that is BAD, the same goes for putting crapware on your PC when you purchase it. They should be taking a lot of heat for that and rightfully so.
But please stop spreading the Vista FUD. Vista fixed a lot of their problems with the service pack and in my case vista boots MUCH faster then XP ever did. I have never gotten the BSOD since using Vista. If you are still using a Pentium III don't start bashing Vista saying it is slow.. Vista was meant for PCs with 2GB or more RAM and dual core. It manages memory far better then XP ever did you just have to meet the standards.
They way people talk its like they want to go back to windows 3.1. I'm sure it will go lighting fast on a modern PC. Modern OSes do more so you should not be surprised that it produces a larger memory footprint. Towers cost $700 you don't need to sell your organs to get a good PC. - Audacitor, on 08/17/2008, -9/+28http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/
Are those enough benefits for you? If someone really handed you an operating system with completely new features different from anything else in the past, you'd complain about how hard it is to use, and how it needs to be more like Windows. - netneutrality, on 08/17/2008, -1/+19Um, you do know Dell sell computers with Linux right?
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/l ... - JBmtk, on 08/17/2008, -0/+18lets see.....a 'Z'....a 'Q'....another 'Q'..........annnnnd a batman symbol.
- slugicide, on 08/17/2008, -0/+17Linux on a chip is still Linux. And Linux is an operating system.
- netneutrality, on 08/17/2008, -0/+16What is this, Hangman?
- mikelieman, on 08/17/2008, -0/+16Embedded Firefox?
- moocow1452, on 08/17/2008, -3/+17You kid, don't you? 90% percent of the time I'm on the computer, I could be using one of these. Web Surfing, Email, Skype, Word Processing, DVD/Music Playage. The only reason to boot into windows is Photo/Video Editing, and Gaming. Not to mention, it boots up heckuva fast.
- GregFD3S, on 08/17/2008, -1/+15Microsoft was a huge part of making the computer what it is today. Yes, they need to change a few things, but I don't know why everybody wants them to be destroyed.
- Mac fanboy - burkhartmj, on 08/17/2008, -3/+16Has anyone noticed that the majority of anti-MS articles have been spewing from Computerworld? I stopped reading anything from them like a month ago because of their far-fetched and unfounded predictions of MS crashing into the ground.
The advances this article talks about are great, because they extend battery life and provide the most basic of functions from a computer with a boot time a fraction of Windows. but these are in no way replacements for ANY major OS. Being a technically savvy and fairly nerdy guy, Ubuntu 8.04 has been hell on my Dell XPS M1530 because of all things the touchpad, and it's a common issue. Until Linux doesn't have issues such as this, there's little hope for it to overtake Windows. And for God's sake people, let go of the anti-Vista bullcrap you've happily accepted because of using it for a few minutes on release day. After a year of updates, SP1, and most companies updating their drivers for it, Vista is a completely solid OS, and honestly better than XP. I dualboot with XP and Vista on my laptop, and spend more time in Vista because I just have a better experience with it. Same with Vista and hardy heron, though that coulda been because it was useless without a mouse.
I know I'm gonna get buried to hell and back, but whatever, the truth hurts. - Myztry, on 08/17/2008, -1/+14Just because Microsoft got convicted of anti-trust doesn't mean they don't still have signifiicant power over the vendors.
Persoanlly I think it's good that Michael Dell is helping to loosen the grip off the racketeers and provide more choice. - dimension128, on 08/17/2008, -2/+14@chaoswings:
"Second, if you start running similar services on linux it can be just as slow."
Not that I want to say your right or wrong about vista. I don't use it, never even touched a pc with vista on it, so I have no say.
But I run a desktop that I use for playing dvd's and all of those things, plus it is the main mythtv server with 2 tuners. I play games on it all the time, including counter strike source. It hosts many servers, apache, mysql, teamspeak, proftpd, bnetd (actually pvpgn now), alien-arena, ut2004, openarena, and more. All of them I just leave running all the time (Not that every one of them are being 'used' all the time), but they are always up.
And I use compiz as well.
And it is by no means a great computer, its not even dual core. Its just a puny little hyper-threaded Intel. Show me a moderate windows pc doing all of that AND giving you a smooth every day desktop experience 'WITH playing games.
Unless I'm missing something here? Only 'similar services' I can think of that windows has, and I would never see on my box are things like DRM. - inactive, on 08/17/2008, -1/+13I guess I'll have to switch to BSD once everyone starts using Linux.
- gordmoo, on 08/17/2008, -1/+12"The Latitude ON feature uses a low-power Intel Arm processor (just like the new Eee PCs), flash storage and Linux (SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10) separate from the laptop's main CPU, hard drive and Windows OS." -- yes it does have them boot into linux...
- LeeSoong, on 08/17/2008, -1/+12HP had a good start to this:
Ignoring the C: drive OS,
the BIOS and ROM of the notebook PC contain a mini program that allows the user to:
Play movies, CDs, and MP3s from the DVD player.
Search the C: Drive directory and play music / video / photo files directly, without loading windows.
If PC manufacturers would just put 3 functions in rom:
1. Video & Music playback
2. Internet connection and web browsing
3. Web Email support.
- most people could skip the OS all together. - LowFuel, on 08/17/2008, -3/+13Hasn't Wake-on-LAN been around for a decade or so?
- Pixelpaws, on 08/17/2008, -2/+11I find this comment highly offensive.
- EmailAddress, on 08/17/2008, -0/+9call me old fashioned, but I close windows.
- norman619, on 08/17/2008, -6/+15Get real. Windows isn't what's in the way of Linux being adopted by mainstream users. It's the fact that major software vendors do not support Linux due to the very small market share it has. Only geeks will buy Linux based computers until this fact changes. No one wants to have to give up the applications they know and love and have to learn a whole new set of applications. In many cases there are no Linux equivalent apps.
It's a serious issue Linux needs to address is it will ever have a real chance of becoming a mainstream OS. - CaptOblivious, on 08/17/2008, -2/+10What color is the sky in your little world?
- compu73rg33k, on 08/17/2008, -3/+11No, that's actually why I do solely use linux - I'm not a ***** retard. Support OSS if you know what's good for the future.
- SlvrEagle23, on 08/17/2008, -3/+11Are you?
- JoshuaH, on 08/17/2008, -0/+8I'd like to buy a vowel.
- JustinTX, on 08/17/2008, -1/+9After working in various IT departments for about eight years I decided to quit IT and never have another thing to do with Microsoft. Period. I've got a Linux box that I use for what games are available (I've been an id Software fan forever). Day to day I use an Intel Mac Mini.
I do not miss Microsoft or Windows... and no, I'm not retarded. - Coded1, on 08/17/2008, -1/+9I think you might have gotten it wrong. The idea of Linux is not to be a defacto system in its self like Windows is. It is not meant to be taken out of shrink wrap and installed like Windows. What Linux is, is a a group of people who tackle problems and publish their solutions, they all work on the same piece paper which is called a kernel. With Windows it is very complex and in many cases very costly to feed instructions to the kernel so writing for a mobile device could happen but since you need supporting layers of software to complete each transaction slower processors have a hard time living up to the users expectations. The only problem many people face in providing such a system is one of two things
1) Where do I get the money to hire the engineers to design and implement such a thing
or
2) How can I learn how it works so I can do something similar on my own.
#2 is where Linux comes in. The kernel its self will not make any device do anything at all it just sits there and burns cycles but what it does do is make it so if you want to have a UI running on it you can rip off a piece of X windows or some other windowing server take it down the bare bones and see how it plays out. It basically means what ever you need to know or do that Windows can't do you can piece it together with out the same degree of engineering.
So yes I understand you don't understand much about Linux and you may have had difficulties with it but really this is something that is going to make the difference between Intel and Dell being stuck with one OS or having an out that will allow them make something of their own that they can tailor to their system it does not mean its all going to be about penguins and the standard (although many) Linux apps but they can do what they want what ever that is and they have the ground work to get it done thanks to those who published their solutions and ideas. - Giga, on 08/17/2008, -0/+7Abacus all the way, baby.
- TheWindBlows, on 08/16/2008, -4/+11You fail me...
- mikelieman, on 08/17/2008, -0/+7It's *ALL* about your particular workflow.
e.g.: Excepting use as a convenient ssh box when booting into knoppix is too much trouble, I haven't needed a windows box of ANYTHING since November of 2001.
Some people use a particular application as part of their chosen workflow which dictates their platform. Others are too hidebound to change *anything* they do.
Others are more flexible in experimenting and adjusting their workflows to optimize their experience. - schoate09, on 08/17/2008, -0/+7@ Epitaph
Oh, that was lame. - benologist, on 08/17/2008, -0/+7It's just a stripped down "instant on" environment that lets you do common tasks without going through the battery-taxing boot process.
- dandonia, on 08/17/2008, -8/+14That is a ridiculas site and if you went through it you would see what I mean.
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Some of the answers on the site are legit, others are a stretch at best.
"Need new software? Don't search the web, search linux" What's the difference? Seriously you still have to make your way to the add/remove applications, you still have to search for the software you want, you still have to download that software and install it. How is that easier than searching the internet for the software you want, downloading it and installing it?
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"Why copy software illegally if you can get it for free?"
Installing an open source arts package is not the same as installing Photoshop. They might do very similar things but if you work for a company that uses photoshop and they want you to have photoshop experiance - they are not going to care about your gimp experiance. Regardless of working Gimp is available on windows anyway and so was 95% of the list. The other 5% was made up of free software on windows or software with free alternatives that weren't listed. Also - Kazaa is on the list WTF? Did the linux community forget that the majority of software written is for windows?
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Some of the sections that are true are stretched across several boxes to make you think it does more than it does. For example - "Forget about viruses" on one section and "Linux protects your computer" on the other.
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"Choose what your desktop looks like"
It showed 4 images below and I could replicate them all in windows and even make them look nicer. I have infact had all of them before on my xp machine.
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"Proprietary applications for Windows or Mac OS are also, most of the time, sold in local stores, in boxes, whereas you can download the vast majority of software for Linux from the Internet, for free (again, a whole lot of saved paper and plastic!)."
REALLY? 99% of software these days can be purchased online. It doens't matter what your OS is, it is down to the developers. If I wanted to create an amazing program for linux tomorrow and I decided to sell it, I choose how I want to sell it. How can they list this crap as reason linux is better?
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"Millions of CDs are pressed to hold Windows or Mac OS"
The ten ubuntu CD's that came through my door when I ordered it just shows how crap this reason is. But if they can play the whole "better for the environment card" using ***** responses then how about Windows is better for the econemy. Microsoft are one of the richest companies in the world. Bill Gates paid more tax in the last 10 years than most digg users put together will pay their whole life. Microsoft employ thousands if not millions of people across the globe and windows is the main platform for software developers in the world. Before windows computers were restricted to businesses now we have them everywhere. Windows has done more for the world than any other OS ever will.
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"Use MSN, AIM, etc with a single program" errr tell me there is one on Windows. If there isn't hell I'l make one and distribute it for free."
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"Too many windows use workspaces" Doesn't Mac have spaces? Isn't one of the windows power tools a space manager?
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"Play hundreds of games for free" - Yeah because windows doesn't allow people to access hundreds/thousands/probably millions of games for free. Could this list get any more ridiculas. oh wait
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"Keep an eye on the weather"
If I want to know what the weather is like I will look outside. If not I could use my windows machine to naviage to a weather channel, I could use a side bar gadget that comes with vista, I could use a mac machine to do both. How the hell is this a linux exclusive? You need to be hooked to the internet to use this app and the last time I checked you could set your home page/active desktop to a weather site.
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"Microsoft is an USA company, and its success is great for the American economy.
But if you don't live in the USA, when you buy propietary software (eg Windows), about a half of the money goes directly to the software company's HQ (eg Microsoft's): that money leaves your country, while the other half stays in (sales commissions, etc.: no technical benefits). Your country is not producing anything, and you don't even need qualified people to sell boxes. That leads to IT professionals with no high level knowledge who only install and configure proprietary software without the option of modifying/learning/customizing it.
With Free Software (eg Linux), the economy (and IT professionals' knowledge) of your country could improve, since there could be a lot of small/medium companies customizing solutions, providing support, consulting, etc.
People who know how to do things and retain money in your country will benefit from it, rather than people who just sell boxes with a predefined sales pitch, sending your money offshore, leaving IT professionals without real knowledge about how things work."
This has to be an American who wrote this. What a crock of *****. Microsoft's offices and employee's are all over the world. They have factories all over the world and they need IT experts/software engineers all over the world. I can't believe anyone would think Microsoft is bad for other economys. I am a software engineer, I build programs on windows and from the money I earn, I pay taxes. Then when I buy something from the shop, I pay taxes again and without Windows I would be out of a job until I learn how to program for linux and gain experiance again. M$
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"Get a great music player"
lol. iTunes is on Windows and Mac (is it on linux it doesn't mention them on the apple site). Even when iTunes wasn't on linux. Windows media player worked fine and so does MPC and a million other programs.
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There are two semi good reasons to use linux on that site. How it handles fragmentation - though it's hardly an issue on windows anymore. You don't need to run independant virus programs - I can't remember the last time I noticed my virus protection package was there but it would be better if it weren't.
Then there is the real reason - IT IS FREE. Can't argue with that one.
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Under all the crap reasons there are three pretty good reasons to stay with windows.
* If you like modern games on you machine
* If there is proprietary software you can't live without (which there probably is)
* Your hardware is not supported yet (though chances are it will be)
oh and some crap about the printing industry
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Now, I ain't saying linux sucks or anything, I quite like it. But that list of crap that you cited really does. - norman619, on 08/17/2008, -0/+6infiniphunk:
Nice. You had nothing to counter my argument so you make a baseless personal attack. I'm afraid it is you who is the fanboy. I use whatever OS suits my needs best. I use Linux for my file and multimedia servers at home. My graphics and video editing workstation at home runs Windows since that is the only OS I can use that supports all of the applications I need to use to get work done and the applications I use for entertainment (games). Linux has its uses but one of those uses is not as my primary desktop OS. Your Linux fanaticism blinds you to this simple truth about Linux. Until mainstream software vendors start supporting Linux it will remain the OS of choice for tech-types and geeks. - slugicide, on 08/17/2008, -2/+8So, what's gimmicky about about Instant-On? Did I miss the press conference when Microsoft announced Windows-on-a-chip?
- PabloMac, on 08/17/2008, -15/+21I turned off Windoze almost a decade ago.
- PeninsulaBoy217, on 08/17/2008, -3/+8The funny thing is that if and when Linux gains widespread popularity on the desktop, all the fanboys will whine about how Linus "sold out to the man." :P
- MattBD, on 08/17/2008, -0/+5This sounds like an incredibly useful innovation. In effect, it gives you a basic second operating system that will boot a lot quicker and is useful for browsing the web and reading email (which, at the end of the day, is what a high proportion of people spend most of the time doing on the computer). The fact that it's Linux-based is irrelevant as it's already set up for you - I mean, if you buy an Eee PC with Linux installed, it's no harder to use than Windows, if anything it's probably easier.
It would also be extremely handy if Windows won't boot - you can still get online to research the problem. I would still use Linux for this anyway, as Knoppix is just about the easiest tool you can use for that, but this would make a great alternative as it would be faster.
I'm not sure if this is bad news for Microsoft or not. It's definitely good for consumers, and I could easily see people using this rather than booting into Windows for a significant proportion of their computing time. Most people don't need half the capabilities of their computers, to them it's basically just an Internet and email appliance, and something like this will do fine for that. -
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