RE: [OT] Switching to Linux (was: Microsoft takes on ACT)

["Robert C. Leif" <rleif@rleif.com>]

From: Bob Leif
To: Michal Nowak et al.

An XML based GUI that was powered by Ada including the use of protected
types and tasking could be much easier to use than Windows. This XML GUI
would also be much more reliable and efficient than Windows. 

Incidentally for normal mortals, I highly recommend EasyDesktop
www.microseconds.com
It employs a revolutionary GUI based on words. No icons. This makes it
very easy to use for those of us who were educated with a Western
alphabet.

As for the device drivers, writing them in Ada should facilitate their
reuse in multiple similar products, such as graphics boards. Eventually
XSL FOP could be part of the driver for both printers and graphics
boards.

-----Original Message-----
From: comp.lang.ada-admin@ada.eu.org
[mailto:comp.lang.ada-admin@ada.eu.org] On Behalf Of Michal Nowak
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2002 2:23 AM
To: comp.lang.ada usegroup->mailing list gateway
Subject: Re: [OT] Switching to Linux (was: Microsoft takes on ACT)

On 2002-05-26 at 09:37 Preben Randhol wrote:

>The point is that the Linux developers have to figure out for
themselves
>how a device works unless the company developing this device wants to
>share their documentation. Now device drivers are made for Windows by
>the companies producing them so installing some brand new hardware can
>be much easier on Windows.

Yes, I know that. That is real pain for Linux users. I signed a petition
some months ago directed to hardware manufacturers. It was a request
that
they notice growing Linux community and cooperate with Linux developers
to create device drivers. It was on
http://www.libranet.com/petition.html
but it seems it is closed now. However Polish version still exists. 
I hope they succeeded in collecting enough signatures to be noticed.

>When speaking about the ease of installation, on seem to forget that
this
>may not be so important. Example: my father uses Linux because of all
>the Windows viruses and all the problems he got using Windows. I
>installed Windows for him as he had no computer experience. And later I
>installed Linux. All he has to concern himself with is to use the
>computer for that he wants to do. He doesn't have to bother with the
>underlaying drivers etc... And he has no problem with Linux compared to
>Windows.

I do not claim that Linux is unusable for non-cs people, but there was
my observation. What I saw is, if they had no "click-click-do-all-for-me
-graphical-wizard", they fell lost/are too lazy(?)/want more convenience
in using system. It reminds me some post we had on CLA concerning GUIs
- "click-click-do-all-for-me-graphical-environment". Well...

Cheers,
Mike

"In the world of machines, virtual machines,
dominated by software ...
                  ... a new culture is born"