The simple counter-argument to this is why bother worrying about
computing resources? Computers are DIRT-CHEAP to buy, people are
expensive. If a command line can allow you to work faster, great, all
the better. But arguing that KDE and Gnome are big and heavy is just
a reason to get rid of out-dated computers which generally cost
companies more in maintenance then buying new computers.
Seriously, beyond 3 years old PCs start becoming VERY expensive to
support. Either you need to buy extended warranties and/or contracts
from the vendor or you need to source the parts yourself (almost never
practical) or cannibalize PCs to keep them up and running. The latter
option can very quickly be ruled out because it increases the cost for
the most expensive resources a companies IT department can have, and
that is IT people themselves. Extended warranties/contracts from the
vendor are an option for up to about 5 years, but they quickly get
expensive.
So what is a 3-year old computer? For most companies that would be a
Pentium4 2.4GHz processor, 512MB of memory and a 40GB hard drive. If
this is your "low-end" system, you usually don't have to worry too
much about KDE or Gnome bogging things down. I run KDE on a similar
setup and it's pretty darn speedy.
All good and well, and those arguments make sense about old PCs, but that
is not the issue.
Imagine a screwdriver, JUST A BLOODY SCREWDRIVER.
You need one, but now all you can buy is an electric battery powered 5 gear
ultra high torque hyperspeed huge monster.
Sure, there are applications for that, but many more for the simple
screwdriver.
Funniest thing, my (new) neighbour (well the one who bough the house just a
bit around the corner... he had one of those pneumatic hammers...
I went to look what all the noise was about... his walls (most of it anyways)
he had torn down with it.....
And I wondered and I wondered.... ????
So, yesterday he was placing a big mobilhome in his garden... asked him...
'Yes it got a bit out of hand'.
So people like that should not be allowed access to power tools... just a
hammer would be bad enough.... LOL.
Makes you cry no?
So how does this relate?
Well, I compiled the new QT-4 2 days ago (You know that is what KDE (and open
suse) is build on.
It took several hours on a Duron 950, just for me to find out that is totally
different (making a new system) and incompatible with everything (other older
Qt applications) like for example the kernel xfonfig.
Just got 2.6.15.2 running now...... (menuconfig).
So all that new QT gives (check the demos) is some playing with graphics.....
layout...
Not worth the *****B*L*O*A*T*****
See, you claim about cost of PC maintenance contracts..... you seem to need P4
3.2 GHz dual core for email...
Sure most offices do NOT run video editing suites like I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All Suse desktop does is ape Billy's windows.
If you want to start an application you have to work through menus.
If you want to INSTALL something (from DVD) you have a select 'Yast' that
takes ages to 'update and read database'.
Take a simple xterm, one virtual screen in fvwm.
You want to save money in your office?
See, there are a thousand or more
(
bash I hit tab 2 times)
Display all 6696 possibilities? (y or n)
)
programs -or commands I'd rather say- already on this NEW system (now up 3
days), if you want 'something' to run, you type in an rxvt:
something
It is not even in the menus.
Suse-7.2 was good.. 9.3 was already annoying (I had to support my soft on
it), Novel now created a monster with 10.X.
Like a child with a water head.
Some people need the screwdriver.
And Novell Suse will get much worse with QT4 and KDE you will need a quad
core Opteron 10 GHz soon.
To do what ???????????
To do what I do right now on a Duron 950.
So again, with the 100$ laptop coming, it should run Xfree and fvwm and will
likely outperform much.
When I go to the shop I can STILL get a simple screwdriver.
PC Industry got it all wrong.... That 100$ laptop will give it the shakes when i t shows the emperor without
clothes.
Some facts:
This system is up 24/7 now since august 2000.
With the same Seagate hardddisks (Tyan mobo).
ZERO problems, and it is on a vibrating wooden floor (people walk on that floor).
It has been exposed to anything between 2 C and 39 C.
I added a new Seagate disk some month ago, it is now past 'burn in' so it seems to work reliably too.
So now I am making a new sytem on this disk, and switching to it (have switched) as I expect hda
to reach end of design time one of these days, and then will just replace it (all is backup'd).
(I can run any other - there are several- version of Linux on several partitions on qemu any time from within
Linux).
I still have some partitions where I could try the next Suse-10.X NON BETA....
But if this system is up and running 100% (install freetype gtk pango atk cairo from source to get gtk working...
etc etc.. some work), we have PANTELTJE Linux here!!!
So, as to PC lifetime, yes Billy the Gates has you buy a new OS and new apps every few years...
But really the spreadsheet does the same... since the 80ties.. video came, but you want to keep the
girls in the office typing no? ;-) high speed sex animation websites and 'BOSS" button? huh?
LOL
Yes we NEED H264 in the office TODAY to be more productive.
Not even for the company server, no.
Screwdriver, software is a TOOL to do a JOB and i ahev always written it for just that purpose.
And for the fun of it too, and it is no fun with a 4 hour compile QT.
It makes no sense, waite of resoruces, can be done better, different.
But thse companies (started with RatHead libc compatibility prpblems DELIBERATLY make things
so they have MARKET PROTECTION.
For that reason you see more and more simple Linux distors by people who just want performance,
a custom system,. no bloat.
grml.org is one for example.
These will win in the end, the bloatware will go Billy's way..
natural forces will clean this out.
Power consumption too.
What you electricity bill for runing 20 P4 3.2 GHz in the office + 3 high performance servers each year?
When it can be done with 10 cheaper machines (all of it)?
Substract difference and when the bean counters get the idea things will become more real.
it is a sys adm tool (well