FLOSS flies through space to rescue an old venerable probe for some new manoeuvres...


After decades of silence, a vintage spacecraft says hello to Earth

A group of space enthusiasts and vintage hardware experts walk into a radio observatory. They contact a 36-year-old spacecraft to ask how it’s doing... It’s no joke — that’s the latest news coming from the ISEE-3 Reboot Project, a crowdfunded effort to repurpose NASA’s International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE-3), launched in 1978...

... Could ISEE be contacted? The initial response from NASA was no — the original hardware required to communicate with the spacecraft was long gone, and it would be too expensive to rebuild the components from scratch...

... the original hardware used to contact ISEE-3 was thrown out decades ago ... They wouldn’t be able to spend the millions NASA was quoting to rebuild original hardware from scratch, so they turned to an alternative: Software Defined Radio (SDR).

... small SDR boxes are often “orders of magnitude” cheaper than the original hardware they replace. The devices take a raw radio signal and feed it to a connected computer. Using a free, open-source software package called GNU Radio, any run-of-the-mill computer can interpret the signal and decode it according to specifications the user enters. Whereas the interpretation of ISEE's radio signals used to be done using bulky hardware, it can now be achieved virtually...


Rather a fun and extreme example of rather than "pigs might fly", we have Gnu-in-space! All by the power of GNU and FLOSS freedom to develop ;-)


IT is what we make it...
Martin

Gotta admit, that was a pretty cool thing to do !!

T.A.

Back to something much more dull and down-to-earth:


Fail Client: How Linux Fails At The Corporate Desktop

My work takes me in and out of busy offices all day long. I see...

... I will tell you what is holding Linux back and the answer is simple...



Is that really all just a question of your outlook?...


IT is what we allow it to be...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

It's obviously a lot more than just Outlook and Exchange, but you and other Linux geeks will never comprehend the reasons so it's of no use trying to explain them. ;-)

Though you should be happy Martin as last month Linux had a humungous rise in use in the desktop/laptop arena (probably due to Google's Chrome OS) of 0.04% (now taking 1.62% of market share), but still no where near M$'s worst OS's (Vista, Win8/8.1) and Win7 has now passed 50% of market share. :-)

Cheers.

It's obviously a lot more than just Outlook and Exchange, but you and other Linux geeks will never comprehend the reasons so it's of no use trying to explain them. ;-)

Though you should be happy Martin as last month Linux had a humungous rise in use in the desktop/laptop arena (probably due to Google's Chrome OS) of 0.04% (now taking 1.62% of market share), but still no where near M$'s worst OS's (Vista, Win8/8.1) and Win7 has now passed 50% of market share. :-)

Cheers.

I have been running visat on my daily driver since Aug. 2009 and have never had any problems with it. Have never had to reformat it once. Unlike that TPOS, ME.

But we are starting to see more and more hacks into the OTHER operating systems.

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[/quote]

Old James

It's obviously a lot more than just Outlook and Exchange, but you and other Linux geeks will never comprehend the reasons so it's of no use trying to explain them. ;-)

Though you should be happy Martin as last month Linux had a humungous rise in use in the desktop/laptop arena (probably due to Google's Chrome OS) of 0.04% (now taking 1.62% of market share), but still no where near M$'s worst OS's (Vista, Win8/8.1) and Win7 has now passed 50% of market share. :-)

Cheers.

I have been running visat on my daily driver since Aug. 2009 and have never had any problems with it. Have never had to reformat it once. Unlike that TPOS, ME.

But we are starting to see more and more hacks into the OTHER operating systems.

James, maybe I should've added this link, http://netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0&qpct=6, and maybe instead of using "worst" I should of used "flopped", but Vista only ever achieved a max of 19% market share way back in 2009 due to it being a power hungry resource hog. I myself built a Vista rig back in early 2007 and though I no longer own that rig I had no problems with it and the person who now owns it is still impressed by its performance, but facts are facts as it was never well received by users.

Cheers.

I should have stated that Android is starting to see more attacks against it.

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[/quote]

Old James

I should have stated that Android is starting to see more attacks against it.

Gosh I can't think why!!

Couldn't be because it is the most popular now could it??

Android dominates 81 percent of world smartphone market

Not a lot of point in bothering to hack a Windows phone that only has a 3.6% market share.

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I should have stated that Android is starting to see more attacks against it.

Gosh I can't think why!!

Couldn't be because it is the most popular now could it??

Android dominates 81 percent of world smartphone market

Not a lot of point in bothering to hack a Windows phone that only has a 3.6% market share.

And that is my point. When by some miracle Linux gets 80% of the market I would hazard a guess that they to will be hacked into left and right.

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[/quote]

Old James

Debian Developer switches to Mac, doesn’t look back (and yes, we should be worried)

http://blogs.dailynews.com/click/2014/07/15/debian-developer-switches-mac-and-yes-worried/

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... And that is my point. When by some miracle Linux gets 80% of the market I would hazard a guess that they to will be hacked into left and right.

Linux systems have a scary majority of the market in the important areas of IT and the internet including near 100% for the world's top supercomputers and again close to 100% for the other extreme at the bottom end for network devices such as routers and wireless access points. All on fundamentally the same Linux kernel. All beautifully clean to maintain and develop.

There is very strong Marketing and over a decade of perceptions to overcome for the one last bastion of Microsoft on the desktop, and the big push to "mobile computing" and "cloud computing" may well make that area irrelevant...


Meanwhile, Linux is here and welcoming to all those willing to try an uncluttered non-Marketing-advertising-infested experience of computer freedom.

(I've recently been having to do some development work involving Windows 8 and I'm amazed people put up with the intrusive Marketing and advertising and overt branding 'notifications' on there - incredible normal people get any useful work done!)


IT is what we make it,
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

And here's a giant leap for freedom and freedom of information:


UK government officially adopts Open Document Format

Microsoft insurgency fails...

The United Kingdom government has formally adopted the open document format (ODF) as the standard format for government documents...

There's some pointed language in the announcement, which includes a canned quote ... to the effect that “Using an open standard will mean people won’t have costs imposed on them just to view or work with information from government.”

That language can easily be interpreted as a not-so-veiled swipe at Microsoft, which tried to mobilise its UK partners to oppose the ODF push on the grounds that open source tools can already handle Redmond's preferred OpenXML format. ... a decision to go with ODF means citizens can get their hands on free software designed to work with ODF, rather than having to purchase commercial products.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude's canned quote says “We have listened to those who told us that open standards will reduce their costs and make it easier to work with government”.

The new standards came into effect immediately...


Aside:

Note that "OpenXML" is so convoluted and turgid that even Redmond does not fully support it! To my mind, with the difficulty in implementing "OpenXML", the 'Open' description is very dubious also... (Also, "OpenXML" was previously known as "ooxml"... Another Marketing shift for the name change?...)

In comparison, I see the "ODF" format as a far more focused and truly open and dedicated document format.


IT is very much what we allow it to be...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Meanwhile, Linux is here and welcoming to all those willing to try an uncluttered non-Marketing-advertising-infested experience of computer freedom.

Get the Linux developers to allow me to use ALL my current program AND games and I may think about it, until then I will stick with WINDOWS.

Just to clarify, I use Linux EVERY day to surf the web and send emails on a PC I just haven't got round to re-installing windows on(just for fun) because its free, works fine for that,ask it to run any of my games or paid for software and it fails big time.

Great for day to day things not good for real time.

---

Meanwhile, Linux is here and welcoming to all those willing to try an uncluttered non-Marketing-advertising-infested experience of computer freedom.

Get the Linux developers to allow me to use ALL my current program AND games and I may think about it, until then I will stick with WINDOWS.

The "Linux developers" would be very happy for that to happen, but they are not going to do that for you and they are not going to do that for Microsoft. There is also a very big "no-no" in that my understanding is the Microsoft licensing is incredibly draconian and restrictive so as to stop that from happening.

You do have the WINE environment on Linux that directly supports a good range of 'well behaved' Windows programs/applications. Note that usually you will need to have bought the necessary Windows software licensing from Microsoft still and be mindful of any restrictions.

And you can always run Windows on a Linux Virtual Machine as is done in many datacenters! (Note that Microsoft has contributed a lot of code into the Linux kernel for running virtual machines for Windows...)

Just to clarify, I use Linux EVERY day to surf the web and send emails on a PC I just haven't got round to re-installing windows on(just for fun) because its free, works fine for that,ask it to run any of my games or paid for software and it fails big time.

Great for day to day things not good for real time.

For paid-for games, take a look at Steam and also the various Indie Bundles?


And you can buy software for Linux if you wish, including support.

There are even some multibillion dollar companies that are primarily Linux only.


IT is what we make it...
Martin


[edit]

OK, here goes with a first page selection from Google (just another of those small companies that built itself up on Linux)...


Why Linux is Better - Nicely graphical for at-a-glance comment. Could also be made into a card game!


Why Arguing That Windows is Better Than Linux Makes You Look Silly


Why Linux trumps Windows every time

[/edit]

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Sorry Martin I have 6 Windows PC that I am totally happy with, plus one Linux machine I use for odds and ends, I know the situation and am happy with my lot.

I have to admit only posting what I did to see your reaction, the company I used to work for was 100% Windows until a switched on developer noted that Linux was free, within a year the main operating system for the new user terminals was Linux, not because it was any better, but because it was free.

That is the only reason it is used as much as it is because of the bean counters.

Thousands of Windows licences costs!!

Thousands of user terminals running Linux, free!!

Priceless

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Get the Linux developers to allow me to use ALL my current program AND games and I may think about it, until then I will stick with WINDOWS.

The "Linux developers" would be very happy for that to happen, but they are not going to do that for you and they are not going to do that for Microsoft.

SNORT. They can't even agree on an executable format. Every program has to be re-compiled for every version and flavor. No "make" no "config" no "yum" and no command line. Chaos reigns. Until this issue is solved linux will be an also ran for anything that doesn't run software off a ROM chip, like a phone or a router or a car. You have to make it so sophisticated that an idiot can run it, which might be why you have to go to the Google Store or the App Store to load stuff on your phone; some single vendor has to have control.

Oh, and just because Martin will scream, I'm typing this on a UNIX(r) system. That 100% compliance with the standards does make a difference.

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SNORT. They can't even agree on an executable format. Every program has to be re-compiled for every version and flavor. No "make" no "config" no "yum" and no command line. Chaos reigns...

snort... There's a FLOSS program called that... ;-)

Sounds just like your usual trolling.

Compare and contrast with this pretty demo here for installing software on a Linux system:

Ubuntu Software - How to Get It

Chaos? Really? All looks easy enough.

The only chaos is perhaps the pretty picture being used as the desktop background in the YouTube vid.

Oh, and just because Martin will scream, I'm typing this on a UNIX(r) system. That 100% compliance with the standards does make a difference.

No scream... (There's another FLOSS program called that! :-) )

Just smirking at your feeble trolling.


And yes, standards are good just as cooperation is good and greatly profitable for the community and the world.

Shame that is often not done in the proprietary world...


IT is what we make it...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Software center?! So you like corporate tracking and data mining. I thought you said this was FLOSS.

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SNORT. They can't even agree on an executable format. Every program has to be re-compiled for every version and flavor. No "make" no "config" no "yum" and no command line. Chaos reigns. Until this issue is solved linux will be an also ran for anything that doesn't run software off a ROM chip, like a phone or a router or a car. You have to make it so sophisticated that an idiot can run it, which might be why you have to go to the Google Store or the App Store to load stuff on your phone; some single vendor has to have control.

Totally agree ! I posted here years ago that this fragmentation was one of the major factors holding Linux back.

A Linux program should run on "Linux". The user should not have to wait until the developers of "X Flavour" Linux get around to updating their repository so a version of Program Y, that has been customised for that distro, can be run.

Some distros are notoriously slow updating their repositories.

T.A.

I had 1, and only 1 Linux in my life. I got so angry at it, I smashed it real hard, broke the harddrive I think... No Linux ever again for me...

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rOZZ
Music
Pictures

Software center?! So you like corporate tracking and data mining. I thought you said this was FLOSS.

Perhaps you need to get real? Very good trolling there...


One of the reasons that GNU/Linux systems suffer so little (if any?) malware is that for each "Linux distribution" (which is why they are called "distros"), the software that is prepared for them is held in personally digitally signed repositories. And people personally care about that, so you tend not to get any 'malware silliness'.

Those repositories can be accessed directly. Or you can use a nice friendly graphical tool with nice friendly names that is in a more familiar language for those that have gained their education from Marketing material or from just using other systems.

You have a choice.

You even have the freedom to design and shape your own installer tool.


And that is all in the open so that you can look and see for yourself what happens and how.


As for how your internet service provider monitors you and for how various websites and web advertisement panels track your every mouse click... That is for another thread.


IT is what we allow it to be,
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)