2004.07_Moving Targets.pdf

Welcome

COMMENT

Moving targets

Dear Linux Magazine Reader,

We pride ourselves on the origins

of our publication, which come

from the early days of the Linux

revolution.

Our sister publication in Germany,

founded in 1994, was the first

Linux magazine in Europe. Since

then, our network and expertise

has grown and expanded with the

Linux community around the

world.

As a reader of Linux Magazine,

you are joining an information

network that is dedicated to

distributing knowledge and

technical expertise. We’re not

simply reporting on the Linux

and Open Source movement,

we’re part of it.

A few weeks

ago, I had a

small car acci-

dent. The result

of which was the

car was written

off. The car had

done wonderful

service. Of all the cars I have owned and

driven this was only the second that was

one of those cars where it just keeps

going. Yes, I had replaced the tires and

brakes, but the engine and major parts

had seen me through 150,000 miles and

looked like it would remain so. Getting

over the grief of its demise, I went to buy

another car. Like most things, this was a

juggling act between the short time

needed to buy and the cost.

Decision made, car bought. Like most

forms of technology, car manufacturing

has advanced. New features that were

once luxury items are now common-

place. After only a few weeks driving, I

start to wonder how I ever lived without

them.

Is Linux advancing too fast? I ask this

question because I keep talking to people

who say that they do not use Linux

because they have tried it in the past and

did not think it as good as their current

setup. When I ask them when they tried

Linux, the usual answer is a couple of

months ago. This usually means over a

year ago, though in some cases this is

many, many years ago.

Other proprietary Operating Systems

release on average every two years.

Linux for a major distribution is released

about every six months. The rapid rate of

change has meant that we have not only

caught up to other systems, but sur-

passed them in functionality. Unfor-

tunately, unless you can persuade some-

one to keep trying Linux they are stuck

in the recent past, believing that Linux is

not advanced. I am guilty to some extent

of perpetuating this myth for some.

When they visit, they can see machines

that have old text only systems.

This is not because I am too mean to

download a copy and burn a CD, I have

enough distros to make a small moun-

tain. It is because the systems work and I

have no need to change them. Other

machines have the latest distributions,

but these particular computers are sub-

ject to such frequent change that I can

never remember the new features that

they have. All the computers on my main

network get upgraded about once a year.

It is just bad timing that visitors

always see the machines just before

upgrade or when I am still fumbling may

way around new menus and applica-

tions. In the future, I will try to keep at

least one machine with the latest fea-

tures to convince others and also to

remind me how much everything has

advanced. This week, I managed to free

some time and get my hands on four

new distributions.

The old distributions had just kept

on going. Yes, I had replaced security

patches and hard disks, but the kernel

and major parts had seen me through

hundred of days and looked like it would

remain so. Getting over the grief of the

old distributions demise I went to load

another system. Like most things, this

was a juggling act between the configur-

ing time-cost and the new features on

offer.

Decision made, distros downloaded.

Like most forms of technology, Linux

has advanced. New features that were

once cutting edge development items are

now commonplace in the main core of

the systems. After only a few weeks of

running these, I start to wonder how I

ever lived without them.

Have fun playing!

John Southern

Editor

Online Event Calendar

Our website now features a world-

wide Linux Event Calendar. In addi-

tion to an extensive event listing with

links to the event websites, you will

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Use this page as your general refer-

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Readers/Events

www.linux-magazine.com

July 2004

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