Google operating system?

[Anonymous]

Error: Word cannot save your document. Check that you have not run out of disk space or choose another drive"

It's a nice little feature that drives me mad. When editing diagrams or equations, it appears that MS Word keeps opening temporary files and not closing them until you get to the stage where it runs out of file handles and you can't save your work.

In a recent test by C'T, they showed that it is impossible to create a large document containing multiple large tables, different headers and footers and an automatic index in Word. They just couldn't get it to work at all. And I know all about that from personal experience. I've seen people cry about losing a week work against a deadline and no solution.

OpenOffice on the other hand, scored an A+ on all those counts.

Hehe that's one of the reasons why the scientific community prefers Latex; apart from it being just so powerful...

 

[StefanS]

As you might have guessed, that above was me...

 

[_xxx_]

What is Latex actually? I've heard the name a few times, but have no idea what it is.

 

[mjtdevries]

Pretend making HTML pages with notepad.

Latex is about the same, but then for word processing

 

[StefanS]

What is Latex actually? I've heard the name a few times, but have no idea what it is.

LaTeX is derivative of TeX. Similar to HTML you can use commands to format text. However, it offers many extensions crucial to mathematics, physics and engineering. It's fast, simple, powerful and always follows the scientific conventions (e.g.: difference m vs m). If you're studying anything tech-related you'll get into contact with it one day.

 

[_xxx_]

What is Latex actually? I've heard the name a few times, but have no idea what it is.

LaTeX is derivative of TeX. Similar to HTML you can use commands to format text. However, it offers many extensions crucial to mathematics, physics and engineering. It's fast, simple, powerful and always follows the scientific conventions (e.g.: difference m vs m). If you're studying anything tech-related you'll get into contact with it one day.

I've studied electronics with lots of programming and mechanics, but I never got in touch with it. We mostly used Windows versions of Matlab/Simulink/Stateflow for scientific/maths stuff, code generation and HIL and MS-Office for the usual paper crap. We also only had Windows workstations, except for circuit sim/dev and chip design which were running on Unix machines which were used for that and that only. Actually, only non-windows machines were those used solely for "special purposes" like the above.

 

[StefanS]

I've studied electronics with lots of programming and mechanics, but I never got in touch with it. We mostly used Windows versions of Matlab/Simulink/Stateflow for scientific/maths stuff, code generation and HIL and MS-Office for the usual paper crap. We also only had Windows workstations, except for circuit sim/dev and chip design which were running on Unix machines which were used for that and that only. Actually, only non-windows machines were those used solely for "special purposes" like the above.

Well, once you start writing papers and articles, there's absolutely no way to ignore LaTeX. E.g.: Every article in Physical Review Letters is written in LaTeX.
Moverover, there're some things you can't or at least not very effectively do in standard Wordprocessors (e.g.: string diagrams, etc.).
You'll seem already engulfed in the work process in the industry, so chances are slim to none that you'll ever encounter it.

 

[silence]

In a recent test by C'T, they showed that it is impossible to create a large document containing multiple large tables, different headers and footers and an automatic index in Word. They just couldn't get it to work at all. And I know all about that from personal experience. I've seen people cry about losing a week work against a deadline and no solution.

OpenOffice on the other hand, scored an A+ on all those counts.

i been using OpenOffice for months now and i simply dont see whats the big problem to move from M$ to Open Source solution.....

3 days ago my mom (she is translator) had to use my comp and she worked in Open Office Writter just like she used to do in Word on her comp.....she is 65 years old and she didnt need a single fucking minute of explaining...she just set by my comp, i showed her where the program is and she used it totally naturally like she did with M$ for last 15 years.....

BTW :: i use latest builds of OpenOffice 2 beta.....its really nice looking, it reads ALL M$ documents and i have ZERO problems when someone sends M$ doc to open it in OO and work with it.....



all this cost of changing to new software in big companies is more of a myth IMO then reality...a myth spread by M$ and the likes.....

fucking wordprocessor is wordprocessor.......

 

[_xxx_]

all this cost of changing to new software in big companies is more of a myth IMO then reality...a myth spread by M$ and the likes.....

fucking wordprocessor is wordprocessor.......

It really isn't. We have some stuff (diagnostics database, parts database etc.) which are written for IE with M$ Java and VB embedded everywhere, so in order to switch they would have to completely rewrite ALL of that stuff and install all that on about 2.000.000 machines AND make it all work flawlessly. Huge amount of work and very costly.

I'd be the first to switch to OpenOffice, but since there's so much stuff with VB etc. it just wouldn't work, or would as well have to be rewritten. Which would also mean rewriting millions of docs. No comany in their sane mind will ever pay for that.

 

[silence]

It really isn't. We have some stuff (diagnostics database, parts database etc.) which are written for IE with M$ Java and VB embedded everywhere, so in order to switch they would have to completely rewrite ALL of that stuff and install all that on about 2.000.000 machines AND make it all work flawlessly. Huge amount of work and very costly.

I'd be the first to switch to OpenOffice, but since there's so much stuff with VB etc. it just wouldn't work, or would as well have to be rewritten. Which would also mean rewriting millions of docs. No comany in their sane mind will ever pay for that.

and why?
cause someone decided to go M$ way instead of using standards and other stuff. so M$ now has you by the balls....

if it was written according to standards and using Sun Java.... why using M$ Java when its made specially to screw stadards, just like IE and almost anything else...

if people used common sense this wouldnt happen.....

 

[cristic]

Back on topic (at least a little bit more on topic). Read this to find out how google's main business is doing, from a technical view point.

Even if google would like an windows replacement OS, I don't think this will happen any time soon. Creating an OS is a daunting task, and that's an understatment

 

[silence]

cool find.
i still think they will go for browser rather then OS. it would give them enormous boost in the eyes of the public...specially with all the problems with IE that average users have.

 

[Varg Vikernes]

Even if google would like an windows replacement OS, I don't think this will happen any time soon. Creating an OS is a daunting task, and that's an understatment

This is the company that has most of its products in beta. Actually all, except Picasa, Keyhole and Blogger. And they bought all of them from other companies.
Google is definently not making an OS because they don't have enough (none?) exprience on this level. Anywhere near an OS they could go is making a modified Linux distribution developed for large databases. That's one thing they have experience.

Also you don't "just make" an OS. It took Apple 3(?) years to get out a decent OS since their 10.0 release (Jobs' words) and they basicly took FreeBSD and put a GUI on top. And it took almost 10 years for Linux to become even remotely user friendly. Even if Google would make an OS it would still fail because of lack of applications and drivers - unless they'd make a Linux distribution, but there's no real money for Google there. They could take one of the BSD's but then again, lack of applications and drivers.

If they are doing anything, then I am very confident it's a browser based on the Gecko engine. I've read an interview with an ex MS employee who worked on IE and said that they are hiring people from all over the place that have experience with web browser development (not to mention 2 of Mozilla's developers left for Google). He said they are basicly resurecting the (old) IE team.

I wonder that if Google is making a browser (that seems like a logical step for company that "owns the web"), what would it differ from others. You can bet your ass there will be some integrated search, but I wonder if they will go as far as Opera (or further) with the ad thingie.

 

[Humus]

Oh, there is. Lack of SW, games and funny stuff.

Pffft, you got TuxRacer and Kreversi. What more can you possibly need?

 

[Fox5]

SCO would be really happy to get those license fees...

I can imagine them using Linux, but adding a nice, user-friendly interface. THAT would be the only thing that could make Linux more appealing to the wide audience.

Nice Linux user interfaces exist, but Linux doesn't really have a good public distribution method yet. Until Dell starts shipping their PCs with Linux you won't find Linux making any significant headway.

BTW, is there a non-ms equivilant of the visual basic/studios program? I don't care much about what programming language is used, but it's so much nicer to use Visual Studio than it is to just type all the code manually, it's like frontpage for....well visual basic.
Prior to Visual Studio I've only used textpad, bluej(which was easier to use than textpad, but unfortunately would crash or start having errors whenever a java program did), and eclipse, which I never used much and seemed complicated to set up and use.

 

[Frank]

SCO would be really happy to get those license fees...

I can imagine them using Linux, but adding a nice, user-friendly interface. THAT would be the only thing that could make Linux more appealing to the wide audience.

Nice Linux user interfaces exist, but Linux doesn't really have a good public distribution method yet. Until Dell starts shipping their PCs with Linux you won't find Linux making any significant headway.

Yes, the Linux interfaces are generally reasonably on par with Windows. It's just that people are used to that, so they will complain that it doesn't work when they just don't know where to look. Updates and such with software managers like apt even work much better.

Only getting printers to work and sharing them trough Samba is totally borked. And some things like Wireless PC-cards only work if you use the Windows drivers. But if it works at all, it is over all not better or worse than Windows, just unfamiliar.

BTW, is there a non-ms equivilant of the visual basic/studios program? I don't care much about what programming language is used, but it's so much nicer to use Visual Studio than it is to just type all the code manually, it's like frontpage for....well visual basic.
Prior to Visual Studio I've only used textpad, bluej(which was easier to use than textpad, but unfortunately would crash or start having errors whenever a java program did), and eclipse, which I never used much and seemed complicated to set up and use.

Kylix. You can use Borland Pascal, like Delphi, or C++.