April 1 conficker worm protection

[SyberBitch]

I never ever turn my computers off, work or home. Some of them are well well over 4 years old. You really do not need to turn them off and I agree with D on this one. Our computer techs say the same thing.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question328.htm

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000390.htm

And add to the 'power saving' stuff, what I said about 'wear and tear' on the moving parts, as well as the fact that leaving a computer ON ²⁴⁄₇ bakes the components over time.

It's a long standing argument and people will continue to disagree about it. Sure, computers CAN run for years being left on, but I've also had to work on a LOT of computers with parts that failed from overheating, or friction over time, or a myriad of other things. The fact is, computers DO wear out and using up those 'running hours' is just taking chances.

[The Antagonist]

Syber, here are a few more links for you I got from my friend. He said to weed through the obvious "I hate Microsoft" negative comments and judge for yourself.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=719

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=3789

http://content.zdnet.com/2346-12554_22-277290.html

[D]

Syber, here are a few more links for you I got from my friend. He said to weed through the obvious "I hate Microsoft" negative comments and judge for yourself.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=719

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=3789

http://content.zdnet.com/2346-12554_22-277290.html

Barf, Gag, LAME. I've already played with several demo and beta versions of Windows 7.

A) The WinSXS folder bloat has NOT been fixed.
B) The visual effects are nice, but are definite resource hogs.
C) With no applications it takes up a huge hunk of HDD space even BEFORE you start installing apps and the SXS bloat kicks in.

Now, compare this to Linux
Full install of the Mandriva PowerPack 2009.0 DVD
A) Even with several versions of commom libraries (basically what WinSXS achieves with Windows DLL libraries) the full install size is still only around 8-9GB
B) Visual effects can be very nice here too, and you have 2 options for the driving engine. Yet takes very little resources, can be used on a 1GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM without a serious performance impact. I love streamlined code baby.
C) Comes with many USEFUL SOFTWARES THAT ARE NOT THE 60-90 day demo crap that comes with new windows based PCs. Such as Brasero burning software. Video editing. Photo editing. Etc... etc... etc...

I'm gonna also post from a discussion I've been having elsewhere now:

PS. Just one more Linux vs. Windows nose tweaking:
(This info is for 32bit versions only, for 64 bit versions of XP info is same, for 2003 double everything. Number o CPUs means PHYSICAL CPUs. If they're all Quad Core CPUs, you'd multiple by 4 to determine max number of Virtual CPUs)
Windows XP Pro Max CPUs: 2
Windows XP Pro Max RAM: 4GB
Windows Server 2003 Max CPUs: 32
Windows Server 2003 Max RAM: 2GB-64GB depending on Edtion (of which there are 4)
Windows Vista Max CPUs: 2 (on business Edition or better, otherwise only 1)
Windows Vista Max RAM: 128GB
Windows Server 2008: I don't know stats for this, but I figure they're about double Vista for RAM and at least 64 CPUs
Linux Max CPUs (THUS FAR): 1024 in a single machine, 2048 in a cluster
Linux Max RAM: 4TB. Yes, Terabyte. Thats 4096GB.

As you can see from this, Windows can't even begin to touch Linux in base performance. Yikes. Add to that Linux's rock solid stability (I had a Linux system up for several YEARS with no reboots, you're lucky if Windows can go 3 months) and Windows just isn't a challenge.

Now, to add the Server 2008 specs, since I found them in the meantime
Windows Server 2008 Max CPUs: 64 (which, unlike the other version is a CORES limit, instead of a physical CPU limit)
Windows Server 2008 Max RAM: 4GB to 2TB depending on edition
Windows Server 2008 R2 Max CPUs: 256 (which, unlike the other version is a CORES limit, instead of a physical CPU limit)
Windows Server 2008 R2 Max RAM: 4GB to 2TB depending on edition

I would also like to make this note:
Vista Home Premium at IDLE takes MORE resources and generates MORE heat than any version of Linux I've tested does under php capable webserver with MySQL server backend 10 user load. That is fucking DISGUSTING. Windows is trash. Plain and simple.

[The Antagonist]

OK I have questions.....

Linux has been a consideration for some time. But what about browser compatibility/visuals? Right now using different browsers you get different results.

Making web pages is a nightmare, never mind graphics and how they are to be sized and placed and how they're rendered.

Does Linux allow me to see things equally all the way around? If I design a site or create a skin for a forum software on a Linux OS, will it look like I saw it on my system on EVERYONE else's including Mac?

I don't understand what all was saying in the links I put up for Syber to see - I got them from a friend who is boasting about the system. I also know there ARE a ton of stupid bells and whistles I could definitely do without like the slide show wallpaper - I mean really, who needs that?!

Another thing with Linux systems - software used? Can I install any and all my windows based software on it? I've a lot of very expensive programs I cannot do without. Especially my Adobe CS4 suite. I've heard about the Brasero but I'm not usually crazy about preinstalled software because they seem to be 'baby' versions of things, meaning something you learn on like training wheels on a bike.

Basically aside from the 'egghead' side of things that you explained, what about the end user side? What would I need to learn to work around? Readjust? Make concessions for?

[D]

OK I have questions.....

I might have answers

Linux has been a consideration for some time. But what about browser compatibility/visuals? Right now using different browsers you get different results.

Making web pages is a nightmare, never mind graphics and how they are to be sized and placed and how they're rendered.

Does Linux allow me to see things equally all the way around? If I design a site or create a skin for a forum software on a Linux OS, will it look like I saw it on my system on EVERYONE else's including Mac?

Ok, this one is kinda always an annoying answer. Hopefully, as with most modern forums and sites designed in php, it is rendered dynamically. In which case, yes there will be MINOR variations in how it is seen, but not by much. And remember, resolution makes a difference here too. Linux has several good browsers, but just like under Windows I use Firefox.

I don't understand what all was saying in the links I put up for Syber to see - I got them from a friend who is boasting about the system. I also know there ARE a ton of stupid bells and whistles I could definitely do without like the slide show wallpaper - I mean really, who needs that?!

The answer is, no one. And if you do, there are many small well written apps around to do it without the bloated version embedded into Win7. So, MOO. This type of thing has been around since Win95.

Another thing with Linux systems - software used? Can I install any and all my windows based software on it? I've a lot of very expensive programs I cannot do without. Especially my Adobe CS4 suite. I've heard about the Brasero but I'm not usually crazy about preinstalled software because they seem to be 'baby' versions of things, meaning something you learn on like training wheels on a bike.

Well, you can use many Windows softwares on Linux using Crossover Pro/Games. The Photoshop CS4 is one of those, so I'm sure the whole CS4 suite is, but check the website for Crossover.

As for software, this isn't "preinstalled" software like Windows. Not in any way shape or form. To continue with my current example, Brasero is a full featured burning software on par with Nero or Roxio. However, Nero is available for Linux as well (I have NeroLINUX 3) so there are options. In fact, NOTHING that comes with Linux could be considered "baby" version by any stretch of the imagination.

Basically aside from the 'egghead' side of things that you explained, what about the end user side? What would I need to learn to work around? Readjust? Make concessions for?

There WILL be learning you'd need to do. Many things are done differently, but done well. And you CAN ask me questions. I'll gladly give you my Yahoo IM if you need help. Which you can use in Linux via the Pidgin Multi-Protocol IM client. But as I said in our PMs on this, you can download Mandriva One and test it out without needing to install. Live CD OS versions are such a wonderful thing.

In my opinion though, the biggest thing you'd have to learn is installing software and user management. In Windows, if you install software, it can always be used by anyone on the system, they just might have to create their own shortcuts for it. The exception to this is if you make "your files private" which makes your folder under Documents & Settings (Windows XP) private to anyone except Admin level users and you "install" your software under that instead of in the Program Files folder. In Linux, you're ALWAYS installing on a per user basis unless you install as the root (admin) user. Most programs come with an INSTALL.txt or README or README.txt file that tells you how to install for user (yourself) and all users (via root). Though for programs you install from the command prompt yourself (and yes, in Linux you'll use the command prompt, which is actually called a shell in Linux speak, a LOT) the most common procedure is:

1. login as yourself
2. type './configure' to run the configuration script, which detects variations in your system and finds out where all its dependencies are
3. type 'make' to compile the program from its source code
4. type 'su' to "switch user" to the root user but remain in your current directory
5. type 'make install' to automatically install the program's binary files into the proper path for all users (normally /usr/bin)

But again, this is just an example. Shoot me an email and I'll send you a pdf of Linux For Dummies, which will help you a lot even though its not the most up to date version of it.

And of course, most Linux systems have a form of package manager to make installing software easy. Mandriva uses the RPM system, and has a GUI frontend for it. Red Hat uses it as well, since they invented it (RPM: RedHat Package Manager). Fedora uses RPM or YUM. Debian uses its own and on and on. You normally WONT need to compile from source if there is a package available for your system. Though sometimes you might want to for a specific version.

Now, I'd like to point out that the "use windows software" issue would come up with the Mac as well. Any more questions, hit me up.

[D]

I meant to point out in my previous post that being able to install software JUST FOR YOURSELF is a BENEFIT. Why clutter up the main system directories with stuff no one else is going to use? Eh?

And on user management and security. Linux makes Windows look like a child's toy. Linux's built in firewall is more potent and powerful than most firewalls you can BUY for Windows. Hacking a Linux system is exponentially more difficult than hacking Windows. And 95% of viruses only affect Windows. So you're relatively safe there as well.

[The Antagonist]

OK I'll have more questions later.
I'm dealing with a flu/headache thing today and I cannot talk egghead in this frame of mind.

There is a lot to think about.

[Duchess]

No wonder those bitches always charged me an arm & a leg to have my pc looked at in times of trouble ~ they needed to pay for their degrees in gibberish.

I don't think I understood a word in a couple of those posts.

[D]

No wonder those bitches always charged me an arm & a leg to have my pc looked at in times of trouble ~ they needed to pay for their degrees in gibberish.

I don't think I understood a word in a couple of those posts.

You want the book too Duch? It explains Linux in far less geeky terms than I can imagine. And I'm actually quite cheap. $35/hr compared to the average of $75/hr around here. The flip side is that I don't have to pay for a store front since I work out of my home, so I have less expenses. If it was non-Linux stuff you didn't understand I'll do my best to degeekify anything you want to know about. Though I thought the hardware maximums were pretty straight forward. As is the heat/wear comparision of Vista and Linux. But that could be a case of me being too geek to be able to think in laymens terms...

:kiss::

[Duchess]

Thanks but, no thanks...It would be in my best interest to just let the professionals do their jobs...Liquid & Ant have both been generous with their time whenever I have questions or needed some hands on help...

[D]

I never ever turn my computers off, work or home. Some of them are well well over 4 years old. You really do not need to turn them off and I agree with D on this one. Our computer techs say the same thing.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question328.htm

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000390.htm

And add to the 'power saving' stuff, what I said about 'wear and tear' on the moving parts, as well as the fact that leaving a computer ON ²⁴⁄₇ bakes the components over time.

It's a long standing argument and people will continue to disagree about it. Sure, computers CAN run for years being left on, but I've also had to work on a LOT of computers with parts that failed from overheating, or friction over time, or a myriad of other things. The fact is, computers DO wear out and using up those 'running hours' is just taking chances.

If you set up your power saving features PROPERLY, it *IS* better to leave your system on 24/7. Period. As long as you make sure your HDD, monitor, and what not all shut off after a period of inactivity (I usually do 10 minutes on HDD, 5 on monitor) and have a system standby or hibernate set for after say a half hour, you're fine. Of course, thats assuming you don't leave them all on to RUN things like I do, in which case you want them to have NO power saving setups.

And FYI, that 486DX is COMPLETELY ORIGINAL except I ADDED a T-Base10 NIC to it. Sure, you couldn't do that with modern components because the quality just isn't there anymore. But I can take current stuff and get 5 years or so of constant running out of it. With a 2 years swing either way. So, bite me. Leave your stuff on at least from the first time you get up in morning until you go to bed. And if you only sleep 4-6 hours like me, may as well leave it on ALL the time.

[D]

Ok, since Antagonist asked about websites looking/behaving the same under Linux, I thought I'd demonstrate with our wonderful (read: Pile of Moose Shit) Mock. ::stir::

Here is a pair of screenshots I took today, of me on Mock, and you can see that it looks about the same as it does when I'm on Windows. Though, in reality I should post screenshots from Firefox under XP to compare to, I'm too lazy.

I just posted, and this is the view of that post.


Back to the top! So you could see what the menus and such are like.


I decided to edit in some more info. As you can see, it is quite similar to Windows, except the Menu and Program bars are separated. Also I'd like to point out one of the BEST features of the Linux desktop. Workspaces. If you look there in the lower right corner, you'll see 4 boxes, only the first of which is occupied. These are your workspaces. You can change the number, but 4 is the default. Basically this allows you to have 4 desktops in one. If I open an application in Workspace1, then switch to WS2, I have a clean desktop again. This allows you to have many apps opened without cluttering up the Program bar too much. Which I've always hated in Windows since I'm a HUGE multi-tasker. It isn't unusual to catch me with 10-15 apps open at a single time, ESPECIALLY when programming.

I don't have any set up in these screenshots, as this is a new install, but you can also create custom menus on the Menu bar. Something you can't do easily in Winblows. You'll see three menus there now, plus some Icons (which you can do in Windows, its called Quicklaunch toolbar there) for software. Usually when I customize my bar I end up with 4 or 5 menus, and a half dozen to a dozen icons.

These are just a few of the highlights of Linux. And now, I suppose I'll mention a downside. Despite being configured with the correct driver and working fine in Windows, my sounds is not working on this machine. Of course, it is most likely user error, despite everything showing in the green. And I know that once I take the time to figure it out, it'll work fine. You may wonder why I'm pointing out a negative... well, because simply I'm honest. And Linux is NOT perfect. But, 90% or more of the time, it is FAR better than Winblows can ever hope to be.

[Sinister]

Shrink your fucking picture; you've blown the shit out the margins, D.

[D]

Shrink your fucking picture; you've blown the shit out the margins, D.

Holy christ, get a better resolution then
That IS shrunk, for 1024x768

[Sinister]

Shrink your fucking picture; you've blown the shit out the margins, D.

Holy christ, get a better resolution then
That IS shrunk, for 1024x768

It's still blown by quite a bit for me, but I'll work on the resolution tomorrow whenI can think without the sleepiness overtaking my brain!! ::lmao::

[The Antagonist]

Hey D, gimme a screenshot of the reply area!
And the reply area in PM's.

[D]

Hey D, gimme a screenshot of the reply area!
And the reply area in PM's.

I'm back on the Windows side (I have a dual boot setup) atm to play a game, so I'll take a screen of this, and then later of the Linux of it, and post them both for you so you can have a comparison.

[The Antagonist]

I'm in no hurry, thanks.

[D]

Here you be. A side by side comparison between the 2 OSes using the same browser. They look the same to me. Or close enough to the same to not even matter.

Windows Post Reply/Quote


Linux Post Reply/Quote


Windows PM Reply


Linux PM Reply

[The Antagonist]

Just as I suspected. You're missing the same buttons on the reply area in both systems and browsers. This is because it was coded with IE 6 as it's 'guide' (not sure of proper terminology here).

This software for some reason is NOT cross browser compliant. I am sure many softwares have caught up by now but the originator of the code insists it's all browser compatible where I know it is not. FF, Opera, Safari just to name three all show the same as you showed.

But he insists it's the browsers and not his software. Bullshit. Granted there IS a cross browser coding issue that SHOULD be fixed IE: some standard be adapted so things show the same in all browsers but we already know it's this software in this case.

Thanks for the images. More to think about now.