The best way to improve a thing is to understand its flaws. The Linux Haters blog (LHB) author shares reasons why Linux and Open Source software is flawed. In so doing he actually helps the open source community determine how best to improve the projects they work on.

One can scour the net for flames, rants and fanboi propaganda but Linux Hater explains WHY Linux and OSS repeatedly fail. These insights are valuable beyond words. Whether or not the Linux Hater actually hates Linux is not a debate to concern ourselves with. What's important is the message - if developers would pay heed to Linux Hater's rants they'd find solutions for making their software easier to use and more widely adopted.

I admit I love Linux but there are days I hate it to no end. I agree with Linux Hater that often the configuration of some OSS is too time consuming to learn or the user interface so convoluted. I am not fond of bloated Microsoft products or expensive Apple products but the OSS community can sure learn a thing or two from both - And that is how to make more user friendly software.

One of the things I hate the most is that sometimes it seems like too many people are working on different projects that perform similar functions. How many CD burning software do we actually need? How many gedit's do we need? If only we could harness this human capital to create 1 or 2 solid, dependable products instead of 20 half-assed ones.

LHB rants are a pleasure to read not only because they are well crafted but because they speak the truth. I'd have to say of all the Linux blogs I've seen, LHB is by far my favorite. Whoever you are Linux Hater, keep on hating.

Others would agree.

I still use MS Windows as my gaming machine because I still find there are issues with relying on Linux to play my 3D games.  I thought I'd just quick explain why I use MS Windows as I'm going to talk about a freeware program called Net Profiles.

Net Profiles allows you to create specific network connection identities to easily switch between them.  This works particularly good if you are on a laptop and need to connect to different networks depending on your location.

This software is awesome, but really shows a critical fault of Windows XP.  Possibly Windows Vista has a feature to switch between networks easily, I don't know.   But you think an operating system as "advanced" as MS Windows would have such a feature built into it. 

Ubuntu and other Linux have always had the ability to do this.  And it's very easy to do so.  A simple text file for configuration and some command line commands will have you switching networks in no time.  Or you can install software to do it for you - just like Net Profiles.  In any event, I think this just goes to show the beauty of Linux.

In a search for different ways to display data (it's part of what I do for a living), I stumbled on this neat article that links to the Linux Kernel Timeline.  It's worth a quick gander.

If you want to know more about the Linux Kernel, this site also has an article on Kernel Anatomy. 

Now that the SCO issue has been resolved, Forbes is predicting a boom in the use and adoption of Linux.

Yay! More Ubductions! 

Although I may not want to celebrate too early.  Novell owns certain rights to Unix code and therefore certain rights to Linux code.  This now makes Novell an attractive purchase to tap into a large user base and start charging for licenses.

I'd like to see Novell release the rights to the commons, but somehow I don't really see it seeing as Microsoft and Novell have a somewhat close relationship. 

I wonder what the world has in store for us in the future.

A recent article reports:

"Microsoft has been promising instant-on features for years, but has never delivered. It's nice to see Linux driving a solution here, albeit a partial one." 

Asus will be building more Instant-on laptops and motherboards.  The instant-on feature allows you to instantly turn on your system and load software while using very minimal power.  More power can then be used for priority software you want to use.

I'd say this is a very nice feature that many people want.  If Microsoft really understood their customers, they would have stepped up to build it.  As usual, they don't quite get what computer users want.