Was wondering about running programs

In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz wrote on Fri, 11 Mar 2005 14:57:54 -0500

Depends on what version of Windows. Vaporware is *always* an upgrade, though the very earliest variants of vaporware are a little buggy...

So remember, install Longhorn today! Oh, wait, you'll have to wait until 2007 or so (and we're still trying to figure out exactly what to put into it), but for now just enjoy your experiences with Windows XP, the doggy, the spyware, the utilities, more spyware, the Fischer-Price menus, the viruses, the Teletubby background, the intrusions, ...

All Linux really has to offer is:

- tabbed browsing - virtual immunity to viruses-spyware - a user interface that actually works - highly robust fully journaling file systems such as ReiserFS (NTFS usually journals only metadata, AIUI) - OpenGL development interface (for those cards capable thereof) - flexible booting options using GRUB, LILO, and even BIOS - iptables state-capable firewalling and NAT - persistent configuration using easily-backed-up text files, as opposed to wizards throwing things into a registry that may or may not keep them - resizable text-console windows - a lot of remote desktop options, from the venerable ssh to a full-fledged VNC, or even secure-tunnelled XDMCP (though that's admittedly a bit esoteric) - bootability from a "liveCD" (XP can do this also -- for a price) - working crontab mechanism allowing for periodic operations, such as malware scans - CSS2 compatibility that actually works - embedded SVG compatibility that actually works - browsers that fail on websites that are designed to only work with Internet Explorer (well, OK, nobody's perfect :-) ) - it's on 64-bit processors *today*

What Linux does not have:

- no tubby custard - no cheesy avatars - few licensing issues - a smooth, slick, overly polished look and feel everywhere - over 85% of the desktop

Go fig.

-- It's still legal to go .sigless.