Comments on Day 3 Under Linux

I've now been moving my day to day development work to Linux under Red Hat 9 for three days now (or I'm in the 3rd day dependng on your perspective).  So here's a random ass core dump:

• Mozilla 1.2.1 is really solid.  Yeah I know its old but it still works great.
• Mozilla 1.4 is still alpha.  For example the select all text command doesn't work.
• Getting a mouse wheel to work under RH9 doesn't seem to be possible.  I have a generic Logitech 2 button mouse with a mouse wheel and damnifiknow how to make it work.
• Do not change drivers with the RH9 system settings tool unless you know the keystrokes to access the Redhat system menu.  I didn't and my mouse was so fried that I couldn't do a damn thing.  What the heck is the equivalent of Ctrl+Esc under RH 9
• Stability is outstanding.  Not 1 crash yet.
• Evolution works as a mail client although I'm probably going to move that to mozilla to lessen the resource load.  Evolution feels fat.
• The lack of overall keyboard shortcuts is astonishing to me.  Example -- in Mozilla ctrl+a doesn't select all text in the current field.
• The lack of an equivalent to the Microsoft common dialogs for File Open, File Save, etc really does make a difference.  You wouldn't think so but it does.
• I installed the corefonts for Linux so I've got the right fonts for browsing web pages.  Recommended although tricky.
• ssh, vi and the like work like the champs they are.
• Not sure yet if there's a flash player under Linux yet.  If not that's certainly an issue.

Bottom line?  I'm happy.  And I'm a tough critic.

Would I give it to my mom out of the box?  Probably not.  Could I configure a box for my mom to use with RH9 with just her basic options?  I actually think so.  Browsing, email, office automation -- its all there. 

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The UK on Spam

Hm... This is an interesting tact.  I can wait for the 1st case where people are debating "what is direct marketing".  Hopefully that's clarified in the law.

From October, a European Union directive will make unsolicited e-mails illegal across member states.

The government is currently consulting with industry on the recommendations.

Under the directive unsolicited e-mails may only be sent to individuals for direct marketing purposes and "with their prior consent" or where there is an existing customer relationship.

Spam accounts for as much as 40% of global e-mail traffic.

Disclaimer: Beyond my consulting and Feedster stuff, I run a company which makes anti-spam tools, Inbox Buddy.

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Mac OSX Help Requested !

I've moved to an iBook as a my primary laptop now and I've entered "the land where batteries don't work".  I have an iBook 12.1" model # A1005 and my original battery now gives me less than 30 minutes of service.  So I trot my little self off to the apple store and buy another right before php-con.  The result?  Maybe 45 minutes of service.  I return it and get another.  The same.  I run the Apple system software update and the same. 

Now from sixapart I find that there are real issues but I just don't know what to do.  Get a new battery from the apple store?  Pray for the energizer bunny's spirit to infect my iBook.  Break it in two and go back to a ThinkPad running Windows XP (yeah right).

Help !  I'm going to Gnomedex in July as well as SuperNova and I don't want to be the only person with an extension cord dragging behind them.

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Feline Humor

How do cats evaluate alternatives ?  "On the other paw ...".  I have no idea why that's funny but I woke up with it in my head and it simply won't go away.  Hopefully I've now infected others with it and the burden will be gone.

8:29:04 AM  | Permalink:   | comment []  |  IM Me About This