Well I do think that the day Micorsoft takes the route of litigation against OSS developers could be the start of the end for microsoft for many reasons. I would imagine in the same way that the SCO escapade ended up involving lots of different companies then that would as well. You'd end up in IT meltdown and Microsoft itself could come under attack. Plus the PR of the company would take a massive knock. The GNU crowd doesn't really go for patents as it kinda of goes against the idealism's of the OSS world. However, GNU is for taking those companies that think they can take GPL code and release propriatary applications to court for breach of license and in the most recent examples all of been settled out of court and the source for those applications has been suuplied on request. As for the Microsoft trolls Groklaw as ever is your friend, in particular this article.

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

Microsoft will NEVER pursue OSS developers especially kernel developers over patents. They may state they have 235 patents which we in the Linux and OSS world infringe but they are too scared of ending up like SCO. As far as kernel and OS patents go they may hold some but IBM (who lets face it would back the OSS and Linux users on this one) could probably prove prior art (Code) to a large number of them. As Andrew Tanenbaum has publicly stated, the basis of OS design was nailed by the early seventies! That only leaves the user interface and gui mechanisms. The important question that has to be answered is why Microsoft are so against detailing what patents are infringed. We in the Linux and OSS world have repeatedly asked them to show us the patents so we can rewrite the code so as not to infringe and keep everyone happy. Microsoft has failed to do so, why?? Is it because they do infact have no patents infringed?? I would imagine that as part of the course some patents are infringed. However, I think that like SCO there is a fair amount of bluffing going on. By bluffing and refusing to declare the infringed patents they are able to scare people into these deals (with companies that tend to be in partnerships with Microsoft already). Funny how some former Microsoft employees recently set up a patent troll type company in Texas is it not?? Also interesting that SCO where bankrolled through out their hilarious escapade by a company that Microsoft back. At the end of the day Microsoft have seen a big shit in the last 10 years of everyone saying how great they are to server rooms suddenly being lost to Linux, Ubuntu and the more polished desktop Linux's coming out and people calling Vista (which took 7 years if I recall) rubbish. No wonder their trying to scare people into staying with their products is it?? It’s not like anyone stays with them for their technical prowess

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

Well as a developer working in a team of 3 developers who have to support a large client base and develop our product at the same time I would suggest that the time it would take to re-implement the code, if required, would only be about the same as trying to write your own. I personally would love to know how many Proprietary windows based applications are actually infringing on the GPL. Funny how the windows movers and shakers are always shouting about how linux and OSS infringes it's patents but they would ignore a call to audit their code for GPL code!! Unfortunatley the developer culture of today is to copy and paste a solution instead of writing one. Perhaps instead of banning code or articles released under GPL Code project could run an article on non-proprietry license's to educate the windows based developer world! -- modified at 6:36 Thursday 22nd November, 2007

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-10!! :mad: I think that if a developer is too stupid to read the article in full and see that the code is released under the GPL then that is their or their company’s problem. Sounds to me like you’re trying to create a "Nanny" website. GPL code doesn't have to be copied. God forbid that a developer could actually read some code and not write their own implementation of it instead of getting through their career copying and pasting code. Although it has to be asked why developers are releasing code samples (I'm not talking about full apps) under GPL. This also shows ignorance that they could have picked BSD which I would have thought is a much better license for code samples.

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OK Lets not all get carried away. VB is not the best language in the world. We all know that. But it did introduce me to programming. I soon found it's limitations and my quest for knowledge lead me to c++,ruby and c#. However, vb did give me a way into a subject that I may otherwise not have been able to participate or gain emplyment in. I didn't go to University but instead have worked my way up through the development world. My day jobs have seen me hold interesting and callening positions for various companies including banks like HSBC. The projects I have worked on have not been "simple data entry" screens and the languages used have at times included vb. My spare time sees me develop code for KDE and related projects. None of which I would do had I not picked up VB. To be fair and honest I have moved away from VB now and mainly get paid for c#. But I don't think VB bashing is really fair or constructive. Does anyone bash you for your choice of clothes of car?? No back to the original post. I think developers need to realise that ignoring threading going forward with the new mutlicore chips will be a massive mistake. For too long people have looked to the hardware for speed boosts and now the resposibility for the speed boost will lay at the developers door. Those developers that do not learn to debug "hard" mutlithreaded apps will be left behind and look to have outdated skills. I for one am looking forward to learning these skills......

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

I would suggest you go for the ASP.Net role. Gain the experience and move on at the end of the year. Some of these contracts end up turning into full time jobs anyway. I would however, keep up your VC++ so that if you are looking for a new job/contract in a years time you have a good mix of skills. Good luck!

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I joined a small company at the start of the year and love it. The company has only two developers and 6 people all together. My previous companies were all big companies (HSBC, AON, Liberata) with 1000+ people in the company and I found the polotics and general atmosphere horrible. Moving to a small company is the best thing I have done. In big companies there may have been more developers to bounce stuff off but there was also a lot of competetive behaviour and the usual array of dinasours that made life difficult.

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OMG I must be some kinda freaaaaaak!!! :omg: I drink on average 6 to 8 cups a day during the week sometimes that is 9 or 10 and weekends I have at least 3 or 4!! :wtf: Excuss me while I contact Coffee Anonimous!!

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

Hi Have you considered VIM. It is an excellent editor that can be extended as you need??

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

Hi Glad you have tried Linux. Beats those that have not tried it yet still feel the need to remark. I have to agree with Gavins remarks above. It seems that you have installed Linux as an Windows replacement. Linux is not a replacement for Windows but is an OS in it's own right. I would urge you to continue using Linux for a while longer even if it's as a secondary OS. It is also worth remembering that Ubuntu is not the only version of Linux (although it is one of the more popular). I would recomend heading over to Distrowatch to look at a comprehensive list of other Linux/BSD based distros. openSuse, Fedora and Debian are but a few worth a look. It's also worth looking at the different applications available using differetnt window managers (Kde, Gnome or xfce to name but 3). If you are looking for help or advice you would do worst then going to Linuxquestions.org. Just out of interest what are you aiming to achieve using Linux? are you looking to use it as a development platform or just to use it as a daya to day platform? Gonzo

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Being a bit tight (:-D) I always look on line when starting out with a language so if I find it's not for me then I don't have a book gathering dust. When I started C++ I used Thinking In C++ (Bruce Eckle) found here. It was a good book which gounded me well before heading off to other books most of which mentioned above. Hope it helps

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

To be honest it is very easy to wind you windoz guys up!! :-D As far as patents go I'm against them (like most develoers I know and yes that is including Windows developers as well) and I think it would be very silly of Microsoft to start something which in effect could finish them off. Lets face, no one wants to see the end of Microsoft but I think people would like to see them have some competiion. Oh and if they did start a patent fight then I think IBM, Bell, Xerox and the other early OS inovators might come out and upset poor old Steve (there might not be enough chairs in Redmond!!) As far as the car goes well it's put Linux in the news and like a bad advert has worked as people are talking about it. It's just a shame it could have done better as it appears to really only got their on the sponsor ship of the comunity. And anyway sitting here typing this in Konqueror running on Debian on my new Thinkpad I know that linux and windows drivers can be as bad as one another..... the differnce is I can get the code and fix mine ;P

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mmmmmm...... Is that like how everyone knows how M$ know that Linux doesn't infringe any patents and that they might have started something that leads to their demise!! Anyway I thought that the fact the comunity paid to get the car in the race showed just how together the Linux comunity is...... ..... and anyway I hear that Vista's got serious issue's with it's drivers!! ;P

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I think you windoz guys are missing the point, the car was entered to raise awareness of Linux. By crashing out what are you guys talking about......... Priceless!! :laugh:

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Thats like the launch of Vista making the penguins wet their pants. :laugh: I believe the Vista car couldn't enter as only 100 of it's components would work with it instead of all of them!!

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Actually he didn't mention it he quoted it, doooooh!! He actually made no reference to it at all he just said he installed "it". Therefore he could actually be talking about any of the ditros available. Anyway if my search skills where so poor I wouldn't be able to read this as I wouldn't have been able to connect to the internet (even though it is much simpler to achieve in *nix then windoz). And seeing as I can get on the net and search I can print this off as well..... Please remember that just because your unable to understand a technology doesn't mean you can't learn. There is no need to follow Microsoft in their lame and unfounded attempts to spread FUD because lets face it's down to users to install what they want to use and based on Vista there has never been more linux distros being downloaded.

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Yes it would make a difference and from your reply I assume your talking about Ubuntu or one of it's siblings?? Did you post to the excellent forums at the Ubuntu site? I'm sure from the reputation they have you would have an answer in no time. Or possibly www.linuxquestion.org?

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

The best thing to do would be to head over to Distrowatch which is the most comprehensive ranking site on the web for Linux distros. There are lots of pre-built VMWare images on the net for most of the Distro's. Ubuntu (or Kubuntu/XUbuntu) are very easy to use for those new to Linux. openSuse, Fedora and Mandriva are all very popular. Appart from running a VM you could try a live CD/DVD which run in memory and nearly all of the major Distros provide these now. The one final way you could run Ubuntu in particular is by heading over to the Wubi project at http://www.cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetup/wubi/en-US/index.html[^]. They have come up with a way of installing Ubuntu like a windows application so you do not have to partition your hard drive or have to install it. It apparently shows up in add and remove programs.

Oh, uh, good question. Now technically speaking, uhh, let's say, put me down as a... 'Whatever'?

Hey Google is your friend. If you spare about 10 minutes you will easily get yuor linux pc on your network and printing. You don't mention with distro your using??

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