Re: Knoppix'S days over?
Le 31 Juillet 2007 21:06, Klaus Knopper a écrit :
> Hi Gilles,
Hi Klaus!
> I guess you try to check on me if I'm still alive
We all llike to know you're alive, not so much because of you, of
course, but because of Knoppix :)
> with those kind
> of questions you already know an answer to. Well, I am. ;-)
I wished I knew the answers.
> On Tue, Jul 31, 2007 at 08:33:56PM -0400, gilpel@altern.org wrote:
> Can anybody explain why 14 GB of disk space are needed to
> install Knoppix?
>
> Maybe, because there are roughly 10 GB of software on the Knppix
> 5.2 DVD, and you will probably want to have 4 spare GB in order to
> save some of your own work after installation? :-)
Of course, to me Knoppix is still a CD... Don't say I don't provide
some easy questions to answer!
> > This doesn't look good:
> >
> > "After copying KNOPPIX to hard disk a GRUB bootloader can be
> > installed. An existing bootloader will be overwritten.
> > If the *bootloader is installed, only the KNOPPIX installation
> > can be booted*. Booting other installed operating systems or
> > adding KNOPPIX to an existing bootloader is not implemented."
>
> I's just a description of the new "0wn" installer at the time it
> was first written for that release.
I hope it works better with the next.
> Knoppix still boots and works fine from DVD without harddisk
> installation. You try. ;-)
As I've explained, I'm not satisfied with any installable Linux
Live-CD at the present time, not any Linux distro, I would say. So I
really hope Knoppix installs neatly.
> > No mention of multimedia support either.
>
> Why do you have to explicitly mention multimedia support, doesn't
> every OS have that nowadays?
Oh yeah! If you want to install multimedia with Debian, first you must
have heard about http://debian-multimedia.org/ (Don't forget the
dash. Then read the instructions, then get Marillat's key, then
download the codecs, then the interface, then, then, then... then
hope and pray that it finally works.
But, most probably, it won't. You've heard of my "sux" experience I
suppose? You know the dreaded "Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by
server" whose solution is nowhere to be found on Debian's site?
Well, it's full of such hurdles all over the place and because nerds
always think "Well, of course, you just use sux!" as if it was
self-evident and there was no need to talk about it. It seems that
the only way to get newbies to use Linux is to kick nerds asses until
they figure a way to make things work automatically. Otherwise, they
don't get it.
In the present case, it souldn't be too hard. You include the software
that's needed -- which would mean there would be a Knoppix CD edition
for newbies who want their films and a DVD developer's edition with
all the rest of the paraphernalia. I would believe most developers
nowadays have DVDs anyways.
If you're afraid of legal issues, you may even include a script to get
the software, codecs and interface, and indicate that, in some
countries, the use of such packages might be completely illegal and
checking with local authorities is advised. Of course, this would
mean no MM viewing except Flash with the Live-CD, but too bad. A
commented link in /etc/apt/sources.list to Marillat's site, and
Marillat's key, of course, and you're done.
Where's the legal problem now?
> Btw, is Windows already capable of
> playing standard ogg-theora videos or ogg music files with no
> additional third-party software? Does it come with a free
> professional multimedia creation and processing software?
No on all counts.
> Which
> international standard do "windows" multimedia files conform to?
None.
> Will I still be able to access my texts, videos and music 10 years
> from now, without any
> incompatibilities or digital restriction plugins that keep me from
> accessing my own files?
Not sure at all.
Now, may I ask what your point? You remind me of the pope. The old
moron is so obnubilated by his thuth that he doesn't see what's
happening in the real world. While he teaches that sex is only for
married couples, highschool kids are having sex as just another way
to spend time and fill the emptyness of their lives. Don't you think
he'd be better off teaching the real basics about a good school
system? You know, like Socrates proposed: masters choosing pupils and
vice-versa, and working together as long as they feel necessary.
Well, you're just the same. What's the reality? The reality is that
Microsoft has made deals with both french and english national
television in Canada -- radio-canada.ca, cbc.ca -- with private
television -- at least ctv.ca, probably others --, with the BBC, etc.
So what? Are you going to explain would-be Linux users that they
shouldn't watch television, that if they still want to, they'll have
to work their ass off finding and installing all kind of softwares,
edit configuration files and so on whereas they only have to make a
click in Windows?
Hey, wake up, buddy! That's not where we're at. Recently, the state
television in Canada said it wanted to make their programs more
easily accessible to viewers. Apparently, to do so, they required a
new console that, evidently, needed ActiveX.
Of course, now that MPlayer plays WMV very well that's another hurdle
for Linux users. Thare's apparently an ActiveX plugin for Firefox,
but nobody will want to use it. So you have to pick up the url in
Mplayer, copy it in Firefox, edit the beginning and end to get only
the part ending in asx, and so, reopen MPlayer with this working url.
Who will accept to go through this pain?
But why the hell does Radio-Canada/CBC need access to your computer's
commands, your system, in order to show videos? Couldn't Java have
done the same? What could their arguments possibly be? That's what
I'm trying to find out at the present time from people with some
technical knowledge in the matter. I want to have strong and complete
arguments to explain the situation to politicians who have hardly
heard the word Linux.
But nerds don't give a damn. You know, just the same as the pope
thinks if he prays, he will win, the nerds think if they write neat
code, they will win. Who's finally picking up the marbles?
After 15 years of development, Linux's market share on the net is
0.7% :
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/
report.aspx?qprid=2&qpmr=15&qpdt=1&qpct=3&qptimeframe=M&qpsp=101
and who's profiting from people's disappointment towards Vista? Apple,
of course:
"Apple's amazing earnings, and a "product transition"
"Apple released its quarterly numbers today, and as CEO Steve Jobs
would say, "Boom!" Profits hit $818 million, 73 percent greater than
those of the same quarter last year; the number surpassed both
Apple's and analysts' forecasts.
"The highlight was the Mac, which is a brand of computer that Apple
makes in addition to music players and phones (Mac is a short name
for Macintosh, inspired by a kind of Apple). Mac sales grew by a
third over the year (more than two times the pace of the rest of the
industry), and they made up 60 percent of the firm's revenue this
quarter."
<http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007/07/26/apple_earnings/index.html>
But people like me being ranters, not believers, nobody picks up the
marbles and move them forward. Linux is like Apple with lots of
Wozniak and no Job, lots of Allen and no Gates. And it goes nowhere.
Everybody prays and shouts "Alleluia!", but nothing happens.
So, be kind, stop your preaching.
> > Herr Doktor Nikolaus Klepp might very well be right then. Maybe
> > Klaus' interests have shifted and "Knoppix days are quite over".
> >
> > http://lists.debian.org/debian-knoppix/2007/07/msg00019.html
> > Well, certainly he'll keep doing something right, but it's really
> > too bad for Knoppix.
>
> Well...
>
> Is there some kind of statement behind this, or are you just trying
> to keep me busy with long explanations or justifications on why I
> am also doing other projects besides Knoppix?
No, I'm sure whatever else you're doing is worthwhile but I do believe
what is of utmost importance at the present time is making Knoppix a
most usable product for the vast majority of people. With a good
installer and a script to get multimedia support, that would be
pretty much it.
AFTER THIS, only standard maintenance for new equipement, 3D,
whatever, will be necessary. There will be place for other projects.
The sites for taking care of newbies' problems are already in place.
I will find the keyboard I presently use and send it to you.
Incorporate it and I'll try it. As you usually do, you may forget
about alpha and beta releases, but I believe you should send a
release candidate to a handful of people.
15 years of development and 0.7% of users. To me, it's getting really
late. I hope it works out this time.
Gilles Pelletier
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