You know the type. The technical reporter that tries to do something on GNU/Linux, cannot figure it out and thus states to the planet the equivalent of Chicken Little saying, “The sky is falling!”, regarding GNU/Linux. We see them over and over coming back to the same point, “Until ‘Linux’ solves [insert the technical reporter's failure to do something here], it won’t be ready for prime time.” What a crock of compost.
In this case the technical reporter in question is Preston Gralla over at Computerworld Blogs. Specifically his recent article I just finished reading titled, Installing Firefox 3.6: One more reason Linux isn’t ready for the prime-time mass market. The problem here is that Mr. Gralla and those like him seem to think it is absolutely necessary to have the latest release of [insert software here] on [insert Linux distribution here]. When that is absolutely not the case in the majority of situations.
I run Mandriva 2010 at the moment on my desktop system here at the ERACC Intergalactic Spaceport and Karaoke Bar, otherwise known as my home office. I have been running releases of Mandriva for several years now. At first I too wanted to always have the latest, cutting edge release of every package out there. After a while I came to understand that if Mandriva package maintainers saw that a patch was necessary for an application I run then they would patch the version in the distribution and release the patched version in the update repository. If there were a new version of a software application that had security implications for a desktop user, then after testing the new version it would be included as an update for the life of that desktop release, usually 12 to 18 months. Long term desktop releases would get these updates if needed for their lifetime as well, usually 3 years. Then the next time I install updates I get the patched or new version.
I have come to appreciate and accept this. After all, it is highly unlikely that a zero day exploit would be found that could crack my Mandriva system from a user-space application, like we see happen so often on Microsoft systems. The default security in a GNU/Linux system makes creating a zero day exploit that can “pwn” a GNU/Linux desktop system slightly less difficult than a single person being the first to find the next Mersenne Prime[1][2] with pencil, paper and an abacus. Is it possible? Maybe, by a long shot. Is it likely? Not really. As a result, I can just be patient and wait for the new or patched software to appear in my update list. If I really want to be on the cutting edge, along with all the problems that may imply, I can install Mandriva’s Cooker version. This is the untested, it may break, it may slap you around with a large trout, developer version of Mandriva. Not recommended for the faint of heart and those who like their system to “just work”. Or I can go with a distribution like Gentoo Linux.
Honestly, I do not really want to be on the cutting edge. I want stable, known to be working with my distribution, software packages. For that I can wait for the updates or the next major Mandriva release. Regarding Firefox versions, I just updated to Firefox 3.5.7 a week or two ago using Mandriva’s updates. I do not see a pressing need to get Firefox 3.6 Right Now. I can wait for it. Mr. Gralla and his ilk can too, once they figure out how this GNU/Linux thing really works. Of course they can also stick with Microsoft and keep getting “pwned” with web based drive-by exploits that take advantage of Microsoft’s poor design decisions.
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Although i dont agree with mr Grallas article (there are plenty of other options other than getting the latest version from the official repository), i also dont agree with the position you give here.
Repositories are a wonderful tool, that allow updating almost all the software in a machine; there is no equivalent in the windows world, Windows Update only updates (some of) the Microsoft software, and the best aggregator i fond (FilleHippo) only had the most popular.
However, it has also its drawbacks; security updates lag behind the upstream (although not as bad as windows with its Patch Tuesday approach), and major updates are left for the next distro release, which can take 6 months or more.
The approach you describe (stability over new) may suit a corporate mentality, but it is completely out of touch with most domestic end-users expectations, not to mention being against the linux development mantra of “release early-release often”.
Linux savvy user wont have a problem here, they will just bypass the package manager and compile the new software if needed, and can deal with any conflicts may arise; most users cannot do that, though.
The only solution i find is that the distros make such testing repositories easier to find and use, and especially have different update standards and priorities for some popular software, so that the time it takes to get the latest version of that software is minimized; this also necessarily implies a better connection with the upstream (like starting real testing when RC versions are released).
You know, it never ceases to amaze me how people can think that all operating systems should behave as Windows does, and I work in IT! Other OS’s don’t and they most likely never will behave as Windows does – and that’s a good thing. I, for one, run OpenSuse because it doesn’t behave as Windows does – it behaves more logically.
If that hack Gralla had bothered to do what he does when he has issues with Windows (either do a little research with Google or talk to a knowledgeable person) he would have found several very easy solutions to his imaginary problem. Of course, as you say it’s the “The sky is falling!!!” mentality because something designed NOT to work like Windows actually doesn’t work like Windows. Sheesh!
From Mr Gralla’s bio
“Preston Gralla is a contributing editor for Computerworld, and the author of more than 35 books, including “How the Internet Works,” “Windows XP Hacks,” and “Windows Vista in a Nutshell.”
The titles of his books, say it all
Funny thing.. I read the article refered to, and I went and installed the latest FF..
Here is what I did.. In my Liubnx guru way..
1) Download the reccomended version from getfirefox.
2) Unpack the archive into myhome folder
3) Double click thefile named firefox.
I realist that my three years of intensive trraining as a Linux guru put me so incredibly far ahead of mere journalists, but come on.. It’s hardly rocket surgery..
The sky is falling syndrome is due to their fear that people will abandon Windows and put them out of work. They have nightmares that if something other than Windows catches on, they might have to learn a different way of doing things. That is the total sum of it.
Mozila sucks, go to http://www.opera.com and you will get packages for major distributions , mozila ofers only tar.gz,
Be patient with them, most of them are Americans. With what passes for journalism and politics in America today, hysterical paranoia is normal.
Only difference is what they are hysterically paranoid about, and who “THEY” are.
Usuallyit has something to do with who signs their checks.
Restrict your audience to the sane, if possible.
I challenge Mr. Gralla to install a fresh copy of XP or Win7 plus all the software equivalents that comes with (say) Linux Mint7. Go on, do it. Then connect your printer, Wi-Fi, webcam and soundcard – in less that 40 minutes.
Then, and only then, do you try and tell me how wonderful Windows is, and how bad Linux is.
Carl (comment #17), thanks for reading.
Did you mean to insult the entire American continent? Probably not. You probably mean the USA so I will go with that. Since I am a U.S. citizen I am not too fond of your implication about my fellow citizens being insane. If you have anything constructive to say, then say that. Let’s keep the USA bashing in some place where it is appreciated. This is not that place. Thanks.
All, further anti-USA comments will be summarily deleted.
How is this really a Linux issue? When software won’t install on Windows, do you call MS? Probably not; you call the software vendor. I see this as a Mozilla problem, not a Linux problem.