Linux Zealot contributes to the Open Source Community

Stories

Diaries

Polls

Users

Web Adequacy.org

Home

About

Topics

Rejects

Abortions

This is an archive site only. It is no longer maintained. You can not post comments. You can not make an account. Your email will not be read. Please read this page if you have questions.

Poll

Votes: 54

Linux Zealot contributes to the Open Source Community

Author:

dmg

Topic:

Linux Zealot

Posted:

Aug 05, 2002

Comments:

Up until now, Linux Zealot has contented himself with being a Linux user and advocate for the GNU/Linux and Open Source communities. All that is due to change. In this episode, Linux Zealot puts his limited coding skills to good use, emulating his hero, Eric Raymond, as he attempts to attain the "egoboo" from his peers that is supposedly the currency of the geek world.

Mac Bigot provides some much needed support.

More stories by

dmg

	America wages psychological war on Iranian soccer team
	Wicca - a scientific, Christian approach to the problem
	Reparation and reconcilation - the time is right.
	Is it time women covered up at work ?
	The Malaise of the Middle Classes.
	Christianity isn't working in the USA; Is Islam the answer ?
	European Union eclipses US in games market - what next ?
	SUV's Bigger and Better - The Ultimate American Dream
	Sports- The direct cause of Racism in America today.
	US in recession. What should we do about it ?
	Marion 'Suge' Knight to be released - Young white rap fans in danger ?
	Building your dream PC. What the experts don't tell you.
	How to increase the lifespan of your PC.
	The Democratization of Status. Rap music is to blame.
	World Trade Center - Capitalizing on terrorist atrocities.
	You are not Irish, They are not Republicans. Please stop sending them money and guns.
	A Taliban Warlord answers YOUR questions.
	Anthrax - Please, PLEASE change your name.
	The US Constitution - past its sell-by date ?
	Anthrax - Some factual corrections, but no apology.
	Some help for all you aspiring Santas.
	Fuck Cunt Shit Piss Cocksucker Motherfucker Tits
	DMG's spicy chilli-lemon chicken with toasted cashews
	The Semiotics of modern 'Popular' music - Symbolism and Discourse
	Linux Zealot - The Internet's most controversial cartoon superhero
	My Vacation Dilemma. How can I be an ethical tourist ?
	Linux Zealot learns a valuable lesson.
	Internet Licenses: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
	Linux Zealot sticks to his guns.
	Great Britain must keep the pound.
	Torture - it's inevitable, so lets do it right !
	The supposedly civilized Europeans. (A WARNING TO ALL AMERICANS)
	Sigmund Freud, Linux and The Narcissism of Minor Difference
	America - Land of the free ? Or home of the DEPRAVED ?
	British engineering genius and the Homosexualist Socialist conspiracy
	Linux Zealot attempts to get laid.
	Which is the best way to predict the future ?
	God Bless you your Majesty, adequacy.org salutes you!
	The History of Rap.
	Theater Review: My Fair Lady
	Linux Zealot vs the RIAA.
	A Guide to the United Kingdom for Americans.

Linux Zealot has a bright idea.

He shares it with his friend Mac Bigot

Mac Bigot is curious and intrigued

Linux Zealot does not have all the answers.

Wanker 0.01 is relased on an undeserving world.

	And given that LZ is writing Open Source (3.66 / 3) (#5)
	by because it isnt on Mon Aug 5th, 2002 at 12:28:57 PM PST

	instead of GPLed Free Software, it will only be a matter of minutes before someone releases "NeoWanker", which is an identical package but with the copyright strings removed and is riddled with spyware. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	We shouldn't overlook the dangers of OSS... (none / 0) (#6)
	by Anonymous Reader on Mon Aug 5th, 2002 at 03:34:49 PM PST

	On itself it seems like a harmless enterprise, people who like to write software for others to use and at the same time feel abit like a real software developer. However I wonder what the dangers of this all will be. All these apps written by novices, distributed over unsecure channels such as freshmeat.net . Since still alot of big networks have not upgraded from unix to windows XP because of the ignorance or lack of training of the old generation IT'ers, or because of economic recession switched to linux, these oss apps might receive wide spread adoption and thereby endanger the very foundation of the internet, considering their poor design and availability of the source to hackers. Also take into account that the open nature of the oss community makes it very accessable for terrorist groups and foreign goverment agencies. The last one I point to Linus Torvaldski's ties with the former KGB. And just imagine how safe our airspace will be if Al-Quada programmers are designing our security and navigation software... So linux enthusiasts, such as LZ, might look upon opensource as harmless, or even something something good. They do not realise that with their naive actions they play right into the hands of the enemies of democracy.

	Not quite... (none / 0) (#7)
	by gordonjcp on Mon Aug 5th, 2002 at 04:54:31 PM PST

	With open-source software you can look at the source code for yourself. You can check for security holes in open-source software quickly and easily, unlike closed source, where the first thing you'll know about is when a "script kiddie", most likely using the common hacker operating system Windows 98. It only takes 10-15 minutes to completely check for malicious code in an open-source package. Contrast this with Windows itself, which has portions written by the Scientologists. It's extremely likely that members of Al-Quaeda already work for Microsoft, and may have already put backdoors into Microsoft's products.

	Bollocks gordonjcp (none / 0) (#8)
	by dmg on Mon Aug 5th, 2002 at 05:11:35 PM PST

	With open-source software you can look at the source code for yourself. You can check for security holes in open-source software quickly and easily Perhaps if you are a skilled developer in whatever language the program happens to be written in. You fail to mention that if you take this approach to its logical conclusion you end up doing a full source-code audit of the compiler and the OS itself. Lets face it, Linux sucks. No amount of free access to the source code is going to change that any time soon. In fact Linux's only hope of a future is if Lienuss Torovildeoze decides to do the decent thing and port it to the Win32 .Net platform, where it would be a useful addition to the Windows platform's enormous portfolio of applications. time to give a Newtonian demonstration - of a bullet, its mass and its acceleration. -- MC Hawking

	boy are you stupid (none / 0) (#11)
	by detikon on Mon Aug 5th, 2002 at 08:28:13 PM PST

	You fail to mention that if you take this approach to its logical conclusion you end up doing a full source-code audit of the compiler and the OS itself. You really know nothing about software development do you? I supposed whenever MS or anyone else writes an app for Windows they must audit the entire Windows source code. Can you say duh? I knew you could. Lets face it, Linux sucks. Ah yes the old "it sucks because it sucks and that's why it sucks" argument. In fact Linux's only hope of a future is if Lienuss Torovildeoze decides to do the decent thing and port it to the Win32 .Net platform, where it would be a useful addition to the Windows platform's enormous portfolio of applications. Two things. First it's Linus Torvalds. Secondly you obviously have no fucking clue what the hell .NET even is do you? It's a series of web services and promises of this and that in which Microsoft has even come close to delivering. Another things is that interest in .NET is still relatively small. More interest is in offerings from IBM, Sun Microsystems, and even Novell. Hell Novell's ZenNetworks can do everything Microsoft "promises" .NET will do and more. The only difference between the two is that ZenNetworks can do it now. Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

	Exquisite (3.00 / 1) (#16)
	by Anonymous Reader on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 06:56:09 AM PST

	"It's a series of web services and promises of this and that in which Microsoft has even come close to delivering." Worthy of the real dekiton.

	sorry small typo (none / 0) (#23)
	by detikon on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 12:38:49 PM PST

	I didn't cath this earlier. It should asctually read: "It's a series of web services and promises of this and that in which Microsoft hasN'T even come close to delivering." Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

	No, you were right the first time... (none / 0) (#25)
	by gordonjcp on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 01:00:47 PM PST

	... they have come close to delivering it. Close, but not quite there yet. Windows is pretty, it installs quickly and easily, but it's not really very useful for anything. The Minesweeper game is pretty good though. I would probably use Windows if it did any of the things I want, but it doesn't. Even the things I do occasionally use it for (web browsing and email) it doesn't do very well.

	Bollocks to that. (5.00 / 1) (#26)
	by because it isnt on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 01:43:16 PM PST

	I had to update the firmware on my CD-RW drive, and the only thing for updating it was a Windows app that needed some "vxd" thing that didn't work in WINE. So I had to borrow Windows 95 from a chum and install that for 5 minutes. What a bastard, let me tell you. It all seemed so simple. I made a Windows FAT 32 partition with the GNU partition editor and downloaded a Win95 boot disk from the internet. First I discover that setup.exe won't install unless I boot from the windows partition and not the boot floppy. Then I discovered that Windows will never boot from an IDE slave drive, even though my BIOS can do that. So I have to break open my computer and swap some jumpers about. Then I discovered that FDISK.EXE does not actually make your partition bootable when you make a bootable partition with it. I had to use a "freeware" MS-DOS application which did not come with source code. And I trusted it with my precious 120Gb hard drive. Oh, the horrors! When I finally got the install CD to work, I discovered it didn't recognise my graphics card and wouldn't even take my word for it that it was a 'standard VGA' card and therefore let me have 256 colours. Thank goodness the CD-RW flashing program didn't need more than 16. So, long story short Windows installs slowly and with great difficulty. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	Cool. (none / 0) (#30)
	by RobotSlave on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 04:58:02 PM PST

	How long do you suppose it will be before a point-by-point rebuttal appears? © 2002, RobotSlave. You may not reproduce this material, in whole or in part, without written permission of the owner.

	Windows "Standard VGA" really is standar (none / 0) (#31)
	by gordonjcp on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 06:13:08 PM PST

	It only does 640x480x16, just like the VGA spec says. Now if only it could do plain ordinary VESA, you could have a reasonable looking, but unaccelerated, display right out of the box. Another wierd thing is how so many graphics card drivers have fancy backdrops and coloured buttons, that don't display properly when you've only got the plain ordinary VGA driver loaded. Hint - when are you going to be installing drivers?

	I think you need to shut up (none / 0) (#9)
	by detikon on Mon Aug 5th, 2002 at 08:10:59 PM PST

	On itself it seems like a harmless enterprise, people who like to write software for others to use and at the same time feel abit like a real software developer. Who is to say they are not? Can you prove that all or even a majority are unskilled? All these apps written by novices, distributed over unsecure channels such as freshmeat.net . Who says they're novices? How do you explain the corporate input to the OSS community? What about RealNetworks new open source Helix? Since still alot of big networks have not upgraded from unix to windows XP because of the ignorance or lack of training of the old generation IT'ers, It could be more along the lines that WinXP is nothing more than a desktop OS no matter what flavor it is (HE or Pro). Unix on the other hand is a client/server OS. Also please explain to me why Microsoft has been so unsuccessful in proving that some nimrod taking a 10 week MCSE certification prep course is just as good as someone with a real degree. Also take into account that the open nature of the oss community makes it very accessable for terrorist groups and foreign goverment agencies. What's your point? Anyone with the right tools can do the same with Windows. Does having access to the source code really change how a terrorist might do wrong? And if terrorist have access to the source code don't you think corporations would too? I love this bullshit argument against OSS. It so shitty and full of holes. The last one I point to Linus Torvaldski's ties with the former KGB. And you're able to prove this? Amazingly you lack any real proof. I love this argument that usually leads to linking to an obviously fake photoshop'd pic of Linus TORVALDS. Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

	RN are involved? (none / 0) (#14)
	by fzr on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 05:43:50 AM PST

	Now I'm impressed!

	Care to back up your baseless assertions ? (none / 0) (#15)
	by dmg on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 06:43:59 AM PST

	WinXP is nothing more than a desktop OS no matter what flavor it is (HE or Pro). Unix on the other hand is a client/server OS This is standard lunixist FUD. If Bill Gates said something like this about Linux, you lunixists would be up in arms. But apparantly FUD is OK if it comes from the 'right' side of the fence. Windows XP Pro is just about the most rock solid, value for money, stable platform out there for everything but the most obscure applications. Sure it has a few minor glitches, but compare this to Linux where you cannot even cut-n-paste between applications! I think you will agree, Bill has a winner on his hands with the XP family of products. time to give a Newtonian demonstration - of a bullet, its mass and its acceleration. -- MC Hawking

	you are not telling the truth, Mister (3.00 / 1) (#17)
	by Juan Fernandez on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 07:03:36 AM PST

	Even taking into consideration that Linux was originally developed as an illegal hacker tool wich purpose was stealing money from ATM banking networks, we have no choice but to admit that nowadays that KDE stuff resembles old good Windows 3.1 pretty well. I couldn't manage to cut and paste between aplications yet, BUT a friend of mine told me he heard about some guy whose friend can indeed cut and paste between applications using a hacker extension for KDE called GNOMAD, so your statement is not true.

	FUD? Nope truth (none / 0) (#24)
	by detikon on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 12:55:10 PM PST

	My statement was that Windows XP is nothing more than a desktop OS. This of course was in response to the statement that corporations have failed to upgrade their Unix systems to WindowsXP. Funny thing as Unix and unix-like OSes are designed to for both the clinet and server. WinXP on the other hand is an OS whivh is limited to the client-side. Now why oh why would a major corporation risk killing off servers for multimedia desktop systems. Of course I should have expected this from someone who [according to his bio] believes that MCSE is a job title rather than a patheitc certification. So basically the statement holds true. So rather than respond intelligently you have wasted your time once again writing ignorant stupidity. Windows XP Pro is just about the most rock solid, value for money, stable platform out there for everything but the most obscure applications. It's obvious you've never used any other platform. Then again maybe you have some multiplatfrom experience. That is if you consider the MS definition of multiplatform. Windows 9x, Me, W2K and XP. Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

	XP is more than a desktop (5.00 / 1) (#32)
	by Anonymous Reader on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 06:57:12 PM PST

	You can do internet connection sharing and firewalling with it, so it's clearly in the server class of operation systems. Add to that the good security reviews it has gotten since its release and it's a wonder anyone even considers unix nowadays. Windows does the samething now, without the fuss of editing gargantuan xml files every time you want to change your ip.

	Are you sure.. (none / 0) (#34)
	by DG on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 08:49:01 AM PST

	Have you used xp? Do you know anything about networking or computer systems? ok windows 98 can share connections too, so can macos 9. are those server os too? The "firewall" in xp is nothing more than a bad filter proxy that is close to useless.. that doesn't make it anywhere in the server sector, xp is braindead compared to 2k.. have you ever used an unix based system or are you just talking out of your ass? © 2002, DG. You may not reproduce this material, in whole or in part, without written permission of the owner.

	oooh wow (none / 0) (#36)
	by detikon on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 10:45:22 AM PST

	Internet connection sharing can be done by pointing an system to another. Any client system can effectively act as a gateway. However in this case computer acting as the gateway must be on for the other to get anywhere. Using a router is not considered the same as ICS. A computer doesn't have to be a server to act as a firewall. The firewall in XP is shit. Also if you use a router, switch or hub only the machine with a firewall will be protected. It will not protect those on the rest of the LAN. Using Microsoft ICS (typically one machine connected directly to another) it might be. File sharing can be clinet to client. Using a standard protocol such as TCP/IP will accomplish this. However if you plan to network an NT box (NT, W2K or XP) with a 9x or ME box you must use NetBIOS (which opens you up to attacks). This is where most people fail when trying to get these to machines to "talk to each other". Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

	beware! trojan horses ahead! (none / 0) (#38)
	by Juan Fernandez on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 11:02:56 AM PST

	"...File sharing can be clinet to client..." Jesus, Mister, it is scary that clinet's servers (www.clinet.net) are in fact being redirected to somewhere in Finland. It is an amazing coincidence that Linoxorrius Torvaldecepetres developed and released his famous lunix worm from machines hosted there too. Some of you may be thinking this is not wrong, maybe there is a legitimate clinet domain, maybe .com or even .edu but it is not the case, clinet.net is the only clinet domain currently on use. So Mister I'm afraid you were trying to bullshit the Honorable adequacy's audience and point them to a server full loaded with trojan horses for that very Noble architecture (XP) you shouldn't have ever dared to mention.

	oh you know perfectly well... (none / 0) (#40)
	by detikon on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 11:59:53 AM PST

	...that was a simple typo. CLIENT to CLIENT. OK? Good. Of course you could also use peer-to-peer or argue that in some small way (if you like buzzwords) that it's a client/server model. Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

	Just a simple question (none / 0) (#42)
	by Juan Fernandez on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 12:24:37 PM PST

	Oh sorry, as this is not my native language I tend to make little mistakes... the result of a poor third-world education, you know... well, the thing is that you admitted to add typos to your writings, then I ask: how many other typos are there in your comment? it is utterly annoying not to be able to properly estimate the amount of credit I should give to that piece of literature of yours. Typos on technical documents are a pain in the ass, both for me and for the whole Good Christian Patriot Community out there.

	How to deal with Good Christian Patriots (none / 0) (#44)
	by The Mad Scientist on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 02:10:01 PM PST

	Divide them to two about equally armed groups; it doesn't matter if it is by the allegiance to any particular faction of their favorite religion, or by the subregion they live in - any suitable difference will do. Convince each group that they are better than the other group. (This is usually easy.) Convince each group that any suitable evil (or set of evils) is created, caused, or aggravated by the other group. Continue to escalate the tension between the groups for some time. Use any suitable means. It is only matter of time when the conflict begins. Lean back. Watch. Have fun, knowing there will be much less of self-righteous Good Christian Patriots when it will end.

	Jane Elliott! (none / 0) (#45)
	by because it isnt on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 02:20:05 PM PST

	I thought you were dead! Well, you nearly are. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	How (none / 0) (#63)
	by Right Hand Man on Thu Aug 8th, 2002 at 06:46:28 AM PST

	How do you intend to divide them to two armed groups? ------------------------- "Keep your bible open and your powder dry."

	Question.. (none / 0) (#46)
	by DG on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 02:50:03 PM PST

	Are you agreeing with me or disagreeing with me? © 2002, DG. You may not reproduce this material, in whole or in part, without written permission of the owner.

	Answer.. (none / 0) (#49)
	by Juan Fernandez on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 03:55:52 PM PST

	No idea, in fact. I didn't read your comment, just trolling. Anyway with such stupids questions coming from your side I seriously doubt it would be worth the effort to read it.

	What's wrong with being user-friendly? (none / 0) (#52)
	by MessiahWWKD on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 04:17:31 PM PST

	The "firewall" in xp is nothing more than a bad filter proxy that is close to useless.. that doesn't make it anywhere in the server sector, xp is braindead compared to 2k.. You say XP is braindead to use compared to 2K like it's a bad thing. Why do geeks hate ease-of-use so much when it comes to computers? Funny how they don't show any hatred toward user-friendly acne cream or stories that don't require a brain to understand. Guardian angel, heavenly friend, walk with me 'til the journey's end.

	User-friendliness (none / 0) (#55)
	by The Mad Scientist on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 06:29:20 PM PST

	You say XP is braindead to use compared to 2K like it's a bad thing. DG said XP is braindead, not braindead to use. I suppose he talks about the internal architecture, not about the user interface. Why do geeks hate ease-of-use so much when it comes to computers? Because it gets into the way. What's user-friendly? Having a command line prompt to let me do whatever I want with a few keystrokes instead of having to mouse around. Having a good help system (--help and man are sufficient reminders) to assist my memory. Having the possibility to whip up my Nokia Communicator and telnet home and check my mail, or program my VCR. From a moving car, nothing less. Having all configuration done by the means of commented text files that I can back up before testing changes, that I can copy from machine to machine, that I can edit manually or generate automatically by a script as I desire. Having tools to trace processes and monitor their system and library calls. Having tools for checking status of the system and processes. Having them on all machines so when the user complains over the phone, I can dictate one single line of command with a pipe to grep for what I am looking around, and immediately know what's happening, instead of navigating the user through the maze of menus and icons. (On a side note, users are able even to edit using vi when guided over telephone; once they understand that even the single characters can be important, and get used to me using NATO-standard spelling alphabet when dictating commands, they are able to serve as excellent voice-controlled terminals.) Having text editors optimized for doing real work instead of playing with fonts. Encouraging the users to think in logical styles instead of luring them into manually specifying physical styles. Having error messages that actually tell you what is going wrong. Having a meaningful system log. And much, much, much more. Windows are many things, but user-friendly they aren't. Not even touching their pricing and licencing. Where do you want to be forced to go today?

	Don't hate Windows because of your emptiness. (none / 0) (#57)
	by MessiahWWKD on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 08:16:19 PM PST

	DG said XP is braindead, not braindead to use. I suppose he talks about the internal architecture, not about the user interface. Windows XP is based on the 2K kernel. Therefore, by saying what he said, he proved that he knows nothing. Because it gets into the way. True. User-friendliness does get in the way of malicious hacking and piracy, but for meaningful tasks that are done with computer, they are much more efficient than customizing millions of text files. I should remember that your kind uses computers to fill an emptiness inside your souls and not as the tool they are. Guardian angel, heavenly friend, walk with me 'til the journey's end.

	Interesting list. (none / 0) (#58)
	by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 08:20:38 PM PST

	Windows can accomplish everything on your list, a whole lot more that isn't on your list, and some things that cannot be on your list. I do not know where you learned to hack, but my vocational instructor taught me two things: (1) operating systems run software; (2) the latest Lunix software is that software written for Windows ten or more years ago. I guess I'll never understand Lunix.

	I share your pain. (none / 0) (#59)
	by Anonymous Reader on Thu Aug 8th, 2002 at 01:29:41 AM PST

	What I don't understand is why all Windows programmers and users are either mongoloids or child molestors. It is very strange that Microsoft's flagship operating system would only attract them.

	Things which cannot be on your list. (none / 0) (#60)
	by Anonymous Reader on Thu Aug 8th, 2002 at 01:44:15 AM PST

	In a field stands a girl with blonde hair. She's thinking about her operating system -- a thought bubble containing its image is visible above her head. Girl: This is me, thinking as usual about Microsoft Windows™. Microsoft Windows™ is super. Microsoft Windows™ can do anything. Image changes to Microsoft Windows™ singing and playing a guitar, Microsoft Windows™ riding a moped and Microsoft Windows™ posing with a football before returning to the first image. Girl: Oh, it's GREAT, it really is. When "POW!" up pops my Fairy Godmother with her "I'll give you three wishes" routine. Wish number one is easy. Microsoft Windows™ comes out of the thought bubble and materialises beside her. Girl: Next, I wish we were both at the seaside. Scenery changes to a beach scene. Then their clothes change to swim-wear. Girl: "Come on, Microsoft Windows™, let's swim," I say. Microsoft Windows™ gestures dismissively. Girl: "It's just not my scene, man," says Microsoft Windows™. What it really meant was, it COULDN'T swim. Girl in sea, whistles for her fairy godmother. Girl: Still got one wish left, remember. Girl whispers in fairy godmother's ear. Then another operating system materialises besides the girl. Girl: Meet Linux... Linux: Hello! Girl: ...it swims like a fish! They swim off.

	About the Linus Torvaldski (none / 0) (#39)
	by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 11:57:05 AM PST

	(quote) "How do you explain the corporate input to the OSS community? What about RealNetworks new open source Helix? " I'm sure that if Microsoft themselves would help develop Linux, the OS itself would improve dramatically. However, as Microsoft policy makers recognise, the benefits of this for the community are only shortterm. As most business analysts have been saying for some time, on the long run opensource licenses like GPL and LGPL kill innovation because companies are no longer rewarded for their research and development. And with RealNetworks with their "new opensource Helix" I can only think of other "successes", such as Netscape and Apple with their opensource Quicktime. In other words, this might be a sign that now is not a good time to buy RealNetwork stocks. (quote) "Microsoft has been so unsuccessful in proving that some nimrod taking a 10 week MCSE certification prep course is just as good as someone with a real degree. " It's because Microsoft products have a intuitive GUI. Because the os itself for example can determine what irq's and i/o blocks hardware uses, it's less relevant for MSCE expert to know these kind of things. Now if we take RedHat, which is one of the few opensource businesses who make a profit. A large share of their earnings come from selling course certificates. However, a side effect of this is that RedHat has no interrest in making an easy to use operating system, since then they will loose one of their main sources of income. To make an anology, all this reminds me abit of why the muskett replaced the bow. Bows were alot cheaper then guns, since ammunition and resources to make and use a bow were widely available. Bows shot just as far as guns and we're just as deadly. However musketts became popular because to train someone who could use a bow many years were required to be able to use a longbow effectively, opposed to only a few weeks to train someone to be able to use a muskett. In other words, Microsoft has better products because you don't need to know everything about your hardware and software to make them work. Afterall, companies run servers not for the sake of running servers, but because they want to sell services to the public.

	Repost: What you seem to overlook (none / 0) (#41)
	by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 12:01:37 PM PST

	(Repost to make it more readable) (quote) "How do you explain the corporate input to the OSS community? What about RealNetworks new open source Helix? " I'm sure that if Microsoft themselves would help develop Linux, the OS itself would improve dramatically. However, as Microsoft policy makers recognise, the benefits of this for the community are only shortterm. As most business analysts have been saying for some time, on the long run opensource licenses like GPL and LGPL kill innovation because companies are no longer rewarded for their research and development. And with RealNetworks with their "new opensource Helix" I can only think of other "successes", such as Netscape and Apple with their opensource Quicktime. In other words, this might be a sign that now is not a good time to buy RealNetwork stocks. (quote) "Microsoft has been so unsuccessful in proving that some nimrod taking a 10 week MCSE certification prep course is just as good as someone with a real degree. " It's because Microsoft products have a intuitive GUI. Because the os itself for example can determine what irq's and i/o blocks hardware uses, it's less relevant for MSCE expert to know these kind of things. Now if we take RedHat, which is one of the few opensource businesses who make a profit. A large share of their earnings come from selling course certificates. However, a side effect of this is that RedHat has no interrest in making an easy to use operating system, since then they will loose one of their main sources of income. To make an anology, all this reminds me abit of why the muskett replaced the bow. Bows were alot cheaper then guns, since ammunition and resources to make and use a bow were widely available. Bows shot just as far as guns and we're just as deadly. However musketts became popular because to train someone who could use a bow many years were required to be able to use a longbow effectively, opposed to only a few weeks to train someone to be able to use a muskett. In other words, Microsoft has better products because you don't need to know everything about your hardware and software to make them work. Afterall, companies run servers not for the sake of running servers, but because they want to sell services to the public.

	Questionable.. (none / 0) (#47)
	by DG on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 02:59:31 PM PST

	I have to disagree about microsofts products being "better". I mean come on you can't sit there and tell me its a good thing that you don't need to use your brain as much.. All courses on x86 hardware should teach about irqs. Why? becuse what if you are putting in a piece of hardware that requires an irq, believe me setting irqs is better then you get no conflicts later, and if you admin you will have to Btw mcse unless they have become better, teachs some off the wall stuff about networking.. i wipe my ass with mcse certs © 2002, DG. You may not reproduce this material, in whole or in part, without written permission of the owner.

	Reply to Stupid Post (none / 0) (#50)
	by MessiahWWKD on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 03:57:14 PM PST

	I have to disagree about microsofts products being "better". I mean come on you can't sit there and tell me its a good thing that you don't need to use your brain as much.. I agree. It's always better to do things the hard way rather than the easy way if both ways lead to the same goal and the only thing gained by doing it the hard way is less time. I'm also sure that you, like the other jack asses who say stupid shit like this, are the type who would use a microwave, electric stove, or electric oven rather than cook food from a fire you made in your backyard using two twigs and a rock. Then again though, nerds tend to be too stupid to cook food and probably buy all their food at McDonald's. Guardian angel, heavenly friend, walk with me 'til the journey's end.

	Idiot.. (none / 0) (#54)
	by DG on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 04:29:37 PM PST

	I mean it's better to have basic hardware knowledge, than being stuck going "whats an irq and whats it do?" stop trolling, most companys still use systems that need the knowledge and still will © 2002, DG. You may not reproduce this material, in whole or in part, without written permission of the owner.

	I know you are but what am I? (none / 0) (#56)
	by MessiahWWKD on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 08:09:11 PM PST

	If you meant it's better to have basic hardware knowledge, why didn't you simply state that? I agree that more knowledge is better than no knowledge, but that doesn't mean it's better to do a task that requires much effort than the same task but in a way that is much easier and quicker like you stated. Most companies do want people with knowledge, but they also want what works without constant maintenance and heavy "brain" usage to perform simple tasks. Guardian angel, heavenly friend, walk with me 'til the journey's end.

	IRQs and such (none / 0) (#61)
	by detikon on Thu Aug 8th, 2002 at 01:58:09 AM PST

	Even with the GUI for Dummies found in Windows resolving an IRQ conflict by navigating through menus can take you just as long as any other method. That is if you know what you're looking for in the first place. Of course it can be a real pain when Microsoft drastically changes everything because it listens to the wrong customers. How many people were annoyed with Control Panel Categories? What about when they changed everything and brought us that MMC-snap-in bullshit? The MCSE is by no means considered or highly respected (at least not as it was when it was introduced/hyped and especially after the dot-bomb). People with real degrees are required to know things. To get an MCSE requires no prerequisite at all just good memory. You don't even need basic PC/networking knowledge. Of course this is obvious when you consider Microsoft's own IT people. Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

	Recycling is good (none / 0) (#51)
	by Juan Fernandez on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 04:04:44 PM PST

	"...i wipe my ass with mcse certs..." Well, I'm almost sure everyone on this site would agree with the statement "recycling is good" but, think twice, maybe you are taking it too far. In the other hand maybe I'm totally wrong and you happen to be kind of some Microsoft authority with just a funny way of signing. If that is the case, excuse me.

	Hmm (none / 0) (#53)
	by DG on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 04:22:05 PM PST

	I was refering to the fact that most microsoft certs don't teach you anything, hell if a car manufacturer did thier certs the same way, i could memorize the whole book, go in and take the cert test.. that doesn't mean i know shit about cars.. I find a test where you show you know how to do something better, like cisco they have you hook up routers and such, and i figure ford has people show what you learned © 2002, DG. You may not reproduce this material, in whole or in part, without written permission of the owner.

	LZ in the gym?! (none / 0) (#10)
	by Ernest Bludger on Mon Aug 5th, 2002 at 08:23:56 PM PST

	Has LZ been working out? His shoulders (first frame) appear to be broader than in previous instalments. He may have realised that his enthusiasm with respect to opensorce software just might not be enough to find true love (notwithstanding the last instalment where he did get laid).

	I'm not sure about the shoulder, (none / 0) (#20)
	by Narcissus on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 09:38:17 AM PST

	but his right forearm is certainly larger in the first frame. We can all easily assume that this is from his countless hours locked in his basement looking at pr0n. -------------------------------- Ok, who picked the flower???

	Indeed. (none / 0) (#35)
	by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 09:18:30 AM PST

	Have you seen LZ's right-hand fingers in the later frames? They're worn down into little stubs!

	where does Mac bigot get his shoes from? (5.00 / 1) (#18)
	by Anonymous Reader on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 09:21:51 AM PST

	I like them a lot

	I have no idea. (none / 0) (#19)
	by dmg on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 09:37:08 AM PST

	But he probably paid too much for them in some trendy city retail store. time to give a Newtonian demonstration - of a bullet, its mass and its acceleration. -- MC Hawking

	Personally, (1.00 / 1) (#21)
	by Anonymous Reader on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 10:31:48 AM PST

	I recommend Swear branded shoes and boots. Available at their fashionable Covent Garden store from £80+. I fell in love with the sm06 style and splashed out on a pair. I am now the envy of all my gullible fashionista chums. The shoes go very well with dark blue bellbottomed jeans, although you'll have extreme trouble finding jeans that are wide and long enough to cover the entire shoe, like you can do with smaller trainers. NB: Unlike Mac Bigot, I am not gay, do not have a goatee, designer yellow-tinted rectangular spectacles or a shaven head, nor do I own a Mac. Macs are dreamy, though. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	Mac Bigot isn't gay, he's Bi (5.00 / 1) (#22)
	by dmg on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 11:08:48 AM PST

	And Linux Zealot is gay, but he hasn't realised it yet, its been sublimated into linux-worship, although there are homo-erotic overtones within the Linux community, as the fanboy worship of Linus, RMS and ESR demonstrates. Mac Bigot dresses 'gay' because its impossible not to these days. time to give a Newtonian demonstration - of a bullet, its mass and its acceleration. -- MC Hawking

	Oh, so you've all just realised... (none / 0) (#69)
	by FifthVandal on Sat Aug 10th, 2002 at 02:24:27 AM PST

	...the evident truth in this seminal article. --- I was the fifth vandal on the grassy knoll!

	Feltching - rudest word in the English language. (none / 0) (#71)
	by dmg on Sun Aug 11th, 2002 at 04:22:51 PM PST

	Or so my friend once claimed. For those not in the know, "felching" is the act performed by two perverts wherein one sucks their own post-coital ejaculate out of the other's rectum. I was under the impression that its only "felching" if a drinking straw is employed, otherwise it is simply "rimming" albeit with a twist. time to give a Newtonian demonstration - of a bullet, its mass and its acceleration. -- MC Hawking

	Ahem. (none / 0) (#72)
	by RobotSlave on Sun Aug 11th, 2002 at 05:10:47 PM PST

	Without a straw, it is referred to as a "pearl jam." © 2002, RobotSlave. You may not reproduce this material, in whole or in part, without written permission of the owner.

	I thought it was 'cunt' that was rudest, (none / 0) (#73)
	by because it isnt on Sun Aug 11th, 2002 at 05:35:41 PM PST

	and that felching involved hamsters. Please correct me if I'm wrong. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	You are wrong. (none / 0) (#74)
	by jvance on Mon Aug 12th, 2002 at 04:36:33 PM PST

	The rudest word (and act) is "squicking." But keep going guys. With a little hard work and determination, you can get to where alt.tasteless was, oh, ten years ago. -- Adequacy has turned into a cesspool consisting of ... blubbering, superstitious fools arguing with smug, pseudointellectual assholes. -AR

	alt.tasteless was a circle jerk (none / 0) (#75)
	by dmg on Tue Aug 13th, 2002 at 03:15:24 AM PST

	packed with trolls, attempting to be controversial and endlessly whinging about Richard Gere and gerbils. The thing was, they all thought they were so tasteless in fact the rest of usenet just used to laugh at them and their pitiful little circle-jerk. Mind you, I did enjoy the story about the guy who cooked and ate his own foreskin. time to give a Newtonian demonstration - of a bullet, its mass and its acceleration. -- MC Hawking

	Not at all like Adequacy (5.00 / 1) (#76)
	by jvance on Tue Aug 13th, 2002 at 12:06:47 PM PST

	packed with trolls, attempting to be controversial and endlessly whinging... Hmmm... My favorite was the "invention" of squicking by Geoff "Fatboy" Miller. I never read alt.tasteless much. I did hang around alt.peeves some, though. I'd love to see a troll-off /flamewar between those guys and Adequacy. I know where I'd place my money. -- Adequacy has turned into a cesspool consisting of ... blubbering, superstitious fools arguing with smug, pseudointellectual assholes. -AR

	Something I read in 'The Prince'. (5.00 / 1) (#77)
	by because it isnt on Tue Aug 13th, 2002 at 12:36:49 PM PST

	I'd love to see a troll-off /flamewar between those guys and Adequacy. I know where I'd place my money. And then, once you had weakened each other, King Azzy would annex you both into the Empire of Meow. All hail the Nose! adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	I took a look at your 'Swear' shoes (none / 0) (#28)
	by Amitabh Bachan on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 03:35:21 PM PST

	and they appear to be the kind of footwear that appeals to pink haired Japanese girls. I would recommend Patrick Cox Wannabes as the gentleman's boutique shoe of choice. Of course an adeqacy reader could be trusted to buy black shoes but the linked site is German so what can you expect? If you are a pink haired Japanese girl then I apologise - 'Swears' are clearly where it is at for you.

	Ooh, you meanie. (none / 0) (#29)
	by because it isnt on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 04:21:43 PM PST

	I am not a pink-haired Japanese girl. I am a purple-haired Japanese girl (weekends only). Pink-haired Japanese girls would more likely wear cork02 or jetty01. Whilst we would be veering from the on-topic discussion of Mac Bigot's chic urban-casual style, I'll say that while I admire Patrick Cox's formal designs, I cannot bear to break away from my smart-casual upbringing, which Paul Smith's designs embody. I am not yet a Captain of Industry, so my need for formalwear is very limited. I have a pair of Loake's which I wear to job interviews and weddings and such. My advice? Buy British. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	Oh my ghod. (none / 0) (#37)
	by tkatchev on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 10:55:20 AM PST

	Those ugly things were fashionable something like three years ago. Get a clue and buy something up-to-date, will you please? -- Peace and much love...

	Interesting, (none / 0) (#48)
	by because it isnt on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 03:27:32 PM PST

	I'm sure I saw those Tatu girls still wearing them. That's probably just because they're third-rate Spice Girls knock-offs. On your advice, I have bought a trendy pair of shoes made out of potatoes. I hear these are all the rage in Russia. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	No self-respecting man (none / 0) (#62)
	by derek3000 on Thu Aug 8th, 2002 at 05:17:19 AM PST

	would wear shoes that big. Platform shoes are something my ex-girlfriend used to wear in bed. ---------------- "Feel me when I bring it!" --Gay Jamie

	I am a self-respecting man, (none / 0) (#65)
	by because it isnt on Thu Aug 8th, 2002 at 11:25:31 AM PST

	and I do wear shoes that big. So nyerr. The only time I wear my shoes in bed (not the platform ones, mind) is when I stagger home drunk and fall asleep with all my clothes on. Is that what your ex-girlfriend used to do? adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	Not exactly. (none / 0) (#66)
	by derek3000 on Fri Aug 9th, 2002 at 05:25:54 AM PST

	I'll tell you all about it when you're older. ---------------- "Feel me when I bring it!" --Gay Jamie

	Sorry, Mr sex goddess, (none / 0) (#67)
	by because it isnt on Fri Aug 9th, 2002 at 11:54:46 AM PST

	it does nothing for me. Without going into to much detail, I prefer feet to be naked rather than shod. I am not going any further down this road of discussion in a public forum. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	But, every self-respecting man... (none / 0) (#68)
	by tkatchev on Fri Aug 9th, 2002 at 01:55:48 PM PST

	...needs to have at least one self-respecting perversion! Simply put, it's the way to be nowadays! Welcome to the future, dude!! -- Peace and much love...

	I'm disappointed in both of you. (none / 0) (#70)
	by derek3000 on Sun Aug 11th, 2002 at 01:49:21 PM PST

	Why would you assume it was my idea? ---------------- "Feel me when I bring it!" --Gay Jamie

	"Tatu". (none / 0) (#64)
	by tkatchev on Thu Aug 8th, 2002 at 11:07:04 AM PST

	You know, that monstrosity is not exactly the pinnacle of fashion and style. -- Peace and much love...

	Scary (none / 0) (#43)
	by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 7th, 2002 at 01:57:54 PM PST

	They're almost identical to my pair of shoes from the same place :) -- spiralx

	Bruce Sterling is bang on the money. (none / 0) (#27)
	by because it isnt on Tue Aug 6th, 2002 at 03:02:44 PM PST

	In his recent talk he dropped his science on those assembled: Open Source "community" members who don't contribute anything are whining hypocritical whores. Open Source developers are all stinking hippies who expect you to fix their software's deficiencies yourself. Eric Raymond talks out of his ass. Microsoft Windows sucks and there's not much that they or you can do to change it. Unlike the denizens of Slashdot, I agree 100% with these points. I also note that Linux Zealot is not advertising any Linux propaganda on his T-Shirt. Can I asked the esteemed writers of the LZ series to consider filling this space with the text "cabextract is teh rawk". Of course, should I draw any LZ cartoons in the near future, I will be including this blatant plug myself. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	Watch what you say about Linux! (none / 0) (#78)
	by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 14th, 2002 at 12:19:24 PM PST

	You morons ought to shut up about Linux. Your idiotic comic strip goes to show that you don't know much at all about computers and would be helpless without Windows/Macintosh and corporate tech support. Linux, being open source, has many variants created by computer-savvy "geeks" and sold mainly to other "geeks" (Linux is too stripped-down in its original form to do very much). The "because it isnt" guy who made the last post is one of the most ignorant and annoying people I've ever come across. Who are you to call us stinking hippies?! Oh yes, we DO think you should learn how to fix computer problems yourself. It's not as hard as it seems, and it eliminates the need to call up some tech-support nerd and ship your comp back to the factory when it so much as hiccups. Do you really want to be ignorant and make crude and offensive stereotypes of people? How about we Linux users take your comics and RAM THEM UP YOUR ASS?!

	I love it. (5.00 / 1) (#79)
	by because it isnt on Wed Aug 14th, 2002 at 01:07:59 PM PST

	Some points: I am a stinking hippy. I expect you to fix my software's deficiencies for me. Bruce Sterling is right and you know it, you whining fuckbaby. ADVERT As it happens, I've just released cabextract 0.6. This has been missing one of the three CAB compression methods ever since I started writing it, mainly because the only way to get it is by reverse engineering 80x86 code. I hate 80x86 code. Give me 680x0 code any day. Now, a uber-x86 hacker called Matthew Russotto came along, took the LZX decoder out of cabextract for his own nefarious purposes, then very kindly wrote a Quantum decoder for cabextract. This is how life should be! Would I have got Matthew's help if I'd kept my source all to myself and said "this is my source, you can't have none!"? No, of course not. Would I have been able do the Quantum 80x86 code reverse-engineering all by myself? Not without spending a truckload of money on a copy of IDA Pro, or the equivalent amount in lined paper and pencils for doing the reverse engineering by hand. So, moral of the story - you need cabextract. cabextract is great. Go and download cabextract right now. adequacy.org -- because it isn't

	ummm... (none / 0) (#80)
	by meebus on Thu Aug 22nd, 2002 at 07:34:12 AM PST

	... has nobody else noticed how much this `comic' sucks ass? I mean, honestly, it's really awful. I'm not trolling, it's just true. - meebus

	You just don't get it. (none / 0) (#81)
	by dmg on Fri Aug 23rd, 2002 at 06:28:05 PM PST

	Not all web comics are hilarious at first sight. They require a 'geek' mindset. In a sense, if you are not 'one of us' you are not 'in on the joke'. I am assured by my co-editors that "Linux Zealot" is infact pant-wettingly hilarious, and lets be honest, I respect their opinions far more than I do those of a mere poster to adequacy. Sorry if this comes off as elitist, but I call it as I see it. If you genuinely cannot see the humor of Linux Zealot, it might help you to enjoy the cartoon if you pretend it is a satire on lame web comics. Then its very lameness becomes part of the humour. I know this approach has worked for others. time to give a Newtonian demonstration - of a bullet, its mass and its acceleration. -- MC Hawking

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest ® 2001, 2002, 2003 Adequacy.org. The Adequacy.org name, logo, symbol, and taglines "News for Grown-Ups", "Most Controversial Site on the Internet", "Linux Zealot", and "He just loves Open Source Software", and the RGB color value: D7D7D7 are trademarks of Adequacy.org. No part of this site may be republished or reproduced in whatever form without prior written permission by Adequacy.org and, if and when applicable, prior written permission by the contributing author(s), artist(s), or user(s). Any inquiries are directed to legal@adequacy.org.