The open source revolution

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GNU/Linux on the Desktop: Triumphs and Tragedies

Posted by apexwm on 8 May, 2012 13:58

I've posted many times about moving users from Windows to GNU/Linux, and of the successful migration experiences with it over the past several years. However my latest migration ended up failing, and I ended up having to return the user back to Windows XP mainly for a game that refused to work in Wine and VirtualBox, and would crash on startup in both scenarios. I put in a few hours, and could not get it to run.... Read more

Further lessons of closed source software

Posted by apexwm on 24 April, 2012 14:27

Recently I was on the task of getting some scripts together for handling FTP commands to run several time a day to move files around. Unfortunately, the platform that was already in place is a Windows 2008 R2 server. But, being optimistic we moved forward on the project. After digging around we soon found out that the list of options is slim on solutions for doing FTP transfers from scripts on Windows. There... Read more

Success is in the future of open source software

Posted by apexwm on 28 March, 2012 13:35

Recently I read an article from Wired Magazine about the creator of the Linux kernel, Linus Torvalds. The article portrays him as a family man, yet when it's time to get to work he does just that. And we already know this, as he is the chief of the Linux kernel which as we know is a lot of work. But, as with the nature of open source software, he takes a lot of pride with his work, which is clearly evident as... Read more

Linux support for Macs still strong (as usual)

Posted by apexwm on 19 March, 2012 18:30

Recently I've had the pleasure of digging out a couple of old Mac computers to demonstrate to a few family members out of curiosity. I am definitely a believer in educating the next generation on computing of the past, and how we got from there to where we are today. So one of the computers I fired up is a Macintosh Quadra 900. As usual, it booted right up without problems after sitting for probably close to 8... Read more

Two Different Apples (of the past and present)

Posted by apexwm on 9 March, 2012 17:45

Normally Microsoft is on my radar but lately I've been seeing events regarding Apple and some of them bug me. Two very recent stories came out:

Apple caught in a price fixing scheme for e-books

Apple threatens to sue bankrupt Kodak

These moves are very Microsoft-like. They bug me. Does Apple feel that it needs to start crushing and/or undermining the competition now? They are gaining market share in... Read more

Harnessing the power of SSH

Posted by apexwm on 5 March, 2012 15:49

One piece of software I regularly use on various systems is SSH. It is a very powerful and useful protocol for remote and encrypted connectivity internal or external to your network. One thing that makes it extremly powerful on GNU/Linux systems is that it directly connects you to the shell on the host/remote system, which allows complete system administration. In addition, it is very easy to set up and by... Read more

Another Windows XP to Fedora 16 Linux migration

Posted by apexwm on 17 February, 2012 14:20

Recently I've had the pleasure of replacing yet another Windows XP computer with Fedora Linux (version 16). The user is a relative of mine, and finally became tired of dealing with malware every month or so by simply browsing the web. So at his request I put Fedora Linux on the PC and wiped XP away from it for good. He had already used GNU/Linux on other PCs.

As stated in a previous post, I came across some... Read more

Fact: Open Source Software saves money

Posted by apexwm on 31 January, 2012 19:34

I've hit on this subject many times, where open source software for business can rise over proprietary software.

Just today, I ran across an experience with Microsoft Excel. A need for generating Code 128 barcodes in Excel came up. Immediately upon looking, there are naturally additional plugins for Excel that will do this. And there are several of them out there, all developed by a different party. They... Read more

Windows security breaches on the rise

Posted by apexwm on 24 January, 2012 15:15

It seems like every year, near the closing of the year, Windows viruses and malware seem to creep up from nowhere. Late 2011 was no exception. Beginning in November, Windows viruses and malware started to appear and we experienced a few get through on Windows 7 64-bit with full Symantec Endpoint Protection running, with users running Internet Explorer. Yep, they slipped right on through multiple layers of... Read more

Retrieving data from a corrupt Windows NTFS drive

Posted by apexwm on 18 January, 2012 17:30

Many of us have probably dealt with a corrupt hard disk at some point or another, and may have experienced some data loss with it. This is unfortunate, and steps can be done in advance to prevent data loss, such as making sure a good backup is running properly. But, things happen, and when the hard disk is bad physically or the filesystem on it is corrupted, a sinking feeling comes over you when you realise that... Read more

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About this blog

My thoughts on why businesses and individuals need to start thinking about switching away from proprietary (and high maintenance) software like Windows, and look at open source and free software instead like GNU/Linux. All articles are based on real world and everyday experiences with Windows and GNU/Linux, for both business and personal use.

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ZDNet UK / Blogs / The open source revolution

The open source revolution

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6 Netbook Upgrade - SSD IN, Windows OUT

5 Watchdog: TalkTalk's broadband speed test misled users

4 Waterstones to sell Kindles with in-store offers

2 The Idle Self-employed

2 Microsoft's score card for Smoked by Windows Phone

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