If you lived in the USA and didn't use Google based browsers you would have failed to access some state and federal websites.@Vaj2 :-
I am, I guess, something of a "junior".....compared to some of our members. "Only" been using Linux exclusively for around 11½ years!
Y'know, in all that time I've never once come across a single web-site or online service that I couldn't access. Never yet been refused access to anything because I was running Linux. And in recent years, it's just gotten better......because NOW there's a whole load of additional websites that are offering online versions of their services.
I've run Chrome/Chromium & many of the 'clones' (like Opera, Vivaldi, Brave, Slimjet, etc) since Chrome/Chromium first appeared in 2007.
Mike.
Big Picture Views?? - Linux/Browsers/Search/Engines/Apps/Sourcing of PCs/Where is Personal Computing Headed??
- Thread starter Vaj2
- Start date
Thanks Mike. If you're 11 years in and still a 'junior' I'm not sure where that leaves me....
It's encouraging to hear what you have to say regarding the foothold that Linux has achieved.
I don't know enough to produce a meaningful reply.
What I have noticed as an almost ex-Windows user is that the incidence of MS driven funnies such as shutting down your default browser and switching to Edge massively increased on mid size (i.e. larger private business - not the very small or the very large) commercial websites over roughly the past year.
I'm guessing that control of whatever ecommerce/enterprise platform is in play enables this, perhaps also in the case of the public website problems mentioned by others ..
It's encouraging to hear what you have to say regarding the foothold that Linux has achieved.
I don't know enough to produce a meaningful reply.
What I have noticed as an almost ex-Windows user is that the incidence of MS driven funnies such as shutting down your default browser and switching to Edge massively increased on mid size (i.e. larger private business - not the very small or the very large) commercial websites over roughly the past year.
I'm guessing that control of whatever ecommerce/enterprise platform is in play enables this, perhaps also in the case of the public website problems mentioned by others ..
@Vaj2 :-
I am, I guess, something of a "junior".....compared to some of our members. "Only" been using Linux exclusively for around 11½ years!
Y'know, in all that time I've never once come across a single web-site or online service that I couldn't access. Never yet been refused access to anything because I was running Linux. And in recent years, it's just gotten better......because NOW there's a whole load of additional websites that are offering online versions of their services.
A browser is OS-agnostic (with the exception of what the user-agent reports, though most folks are more concerned with how up-to-date your browser is). Platform, it seems, is largely irrelevant. It's a far cry from the days when most websites were "optimized" for Internet Exploder.....and if you weren't running Windows with an up-to-date IE, you could forget it.
You'll notice, too, that many desktop Linux 'clients' these days are identical in appearance and operation to the online version. You can thank Electron for that, because what you now run on the desktop is essentially a transplanted "webapp".....powered by a minimal, stripped-back Chromium browser running only the essential components needed for online connection and interaction with that one website.
I've run Chrome/Chromium & many of the 'clones' (like Opera, Vivaldi, Brave, Slimjet, etc) since Chrome/Chromium first appeared in 2007. And the thing I like best about them IS the ability to turn ANY website INTO a desktop "webapp".....along with the ability to add Menu entries, etc, which lets you fire them up by themselves. Just like you would with a purpose-built desktop app/client.
I don't think you need worry about the future of Linux. As Brian ("Condobloke") says above, Linux has had the server market sewn up for years. The web runs on Linux, as do every single one of the Top500 supercomputers in the world. And Linux adoption is slowly yet steadily growing, largely due to M$ continually shooting themselves in the foot with so many of their daft decisions.
Nah, the future - for Linux - is looking quite "rosy".
Mike.
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@Vaj2
you may find this interesting
windows cloud is run on Linux servers not NT
windows compilers use their own version of In house Linux
About 2 years ago in an article on the Windows website for those wanting to install Linux in a dual boot or using WSL, recommended Linux org as a safe place to download Linux and for Linux help
Oh what fun
you may find this interesting
windows cloud is run on Linux servers not NT
windows compilers use their own version of In house Linux
About 2 years ago in an article on the Windows website for those wanting to install Linux in a dual boot or using WSL, recommended Linux org as a safe place to download Linux and for Linux help
Oh what fun
Yeah, I touched on this above. It does happen from time to time, but it's exceedingly rare. I have zero problems accessing anything I need to access. However, one such example is Peacock. They're a TV/movie streaming platform and, when I last checked, did not support Linux.
I only noted this because I was checking the site for someone else. There's no compelling reason for me to use the site. In fact, I already pay for too many streaming services that I never use. I'm not normally a TV watcher, but I watched it during the COVID era. I might have paid for pirate TV. I use that as an example of a streaming service I pay for but don't use. I also pay for Netflix, Prime+, Hulu, etc... The missus and kids (adult kids) use them, so I just keep paying the bills. They're automated, so I don't even really notice them.
I'm totally out of my depth on the topic BW but guessing - there's presumably nothing to necessarily prevent MS implementing strong arm/dubious policies driven by narrow corporate self interest even if their system does run on Linux servers?
Does there at the level of such systems and infrastructure exist anything like a Linux professional community or other agency that is meaningfully bought into positive values and objectives and has the clout to be influential - or is it just about more dog eat dog and to hell with the small guys money and competition?
If yes might there exist some potential for positive influence to be exerted?
The other difficulty in all of this is that we tend to presume conspiracies when developments may in fact just be down to the self interested actions of all of the players - as in when under pressure to generate returns/profit and in absence of effective checks and balances or moral compass the big actors may step over the line to implement unsavoury actions.
We punters by our preference for turning a blind eye/not having our quiet lives disturbed/not challenging what is wrong/I'm all right (at least for now) Jack mindset no doubt also play our part in such developments...
Does there at the level of such systems and infrastructure exist anything like a Linux professional community or other agency that is meaningfully bought into positive values and objectives and has the clout to be influential - or is it just about more dog eat dog and to hell with the small guys money and competition?
If yes might there exist some potential for positive influence to be exerted?
The other difficulty in all of this is that we tend to presume conspiracies when developments may in fact just be down to the self interested actions of all of the players - as in when under pressure to generate returns/profit and in absence of effective checks and balances or moral compass the big actors may step over the line to implement unsavoury actions.
We punters by our preference for turning a blind eye/not having our quiet lives disturbed/not challenging what is wrong/I'm all right (at least for now) Jack mindset no doubt also play our part in such developments...
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@The Duck :-
Yeah, I'm beginning to realize there's a lot of differences depending on your geographical location, along with whatever the legal frameworks & requirements happen to be like in the country you reside in.
From what I understand, you guys over the Pond have pretty much a self-governing setup at state level.....and then other things - like the IRS - operate totally outside of state control, and are only really answerable to certain parties at Federal level? I'm willing to be corrected here; I've spent years, on & off, trying to understand how the US system of governance works.....and I'm no closer to achieving that now than I was 20 years ago!
Our county councils have nothing like the independence your state governments do, and are ultimately answerable to central government.....along with getting hefty 'sanctions' from central government IF they overstep preset annual spending limits.
Our tax system works totally differently to what you guys have, too. As I understand it, everybody is responsible for declaring their own annual tax 'returns' over there? Here, most of that is entirely the employer's responsibility; the only people who really have to take care of this personally ARE the "self-employed".....who choose to work for themselves rather than for someone else (and are thus their own employer). I don't know HOW that works over your side of the Pond....
However, I'm quite willing to believe that the Windows/Linux support thing is likely to vary from one legislature to another.
Mike.
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You want stuff done.
You want to influence.
You want to sway in a given direction.
Money is how it gets done.
Money influences the political system and changes.
Bottom line everything here in the USA is based on money.
We call it palm greasing or greasing of the palm.
Don't let anyone try to convince you any different.
You want to influence.
You want to sway in a given direction.
Money is how it gets done.
Money influences the political system and changes.
Bottom line everything here in the USA is based on money.
We call it palm greasing or greasing of the palm.
Don't let anyone try to convince you any different.
That D based on long observation of national and geopolitical patterns of behaviour seems to be the hard norm.
We as a species with not very many exceptions have an unfortunate and very deeply ingrained tendency to cosy up to power - to see it as our best chance for a comfortable life.
The question I suppose is whether or not there exist more highly minded influences within IT and the systems of governance more widely in play...
We as a species with not very many exceptions have an unfortunate and very deeply ingrained tendency to cosy up to power - to see it as our best chance for a comfortable life.
The question I suppose is whether or not there exist more highly minded influences within IT and the systems of governance more widely in play...
My (more than) two cents
type in Dell (your country), you may need to subscribe to a newsletter to get their specials. I have been using them here in Australia more often than not for 20 years - deliver to your door.Last buy was 2 identical laptops (his and hers) in 2019, saved AUD$900 on each of them. Linux runs on any Dell.
I use a browser called Waterfox, it's later versions, 6.6.4 on, use a search engine Ecosia, I am still exploring it, but to use @osprey 's example on page 1:
... and you can see a link on the right if you want to give it a try.
I use the aforementioned browser Waterfox, as does Brian @Condobloke
I have been using it since first half of 2018, and it is on all my 80 or so Linux distros, and is easier to customise than Firefox.
I don't have the experience to answer Q.4, and I don't find any value on my speculating on Q5.
HTH
Wizard
type in Dell (your country), you may need to subscribe to a newsletter to get their specials. I have been using them here in Australia more often than not for 20 years - deliver to your door.Last buy was 2 identical laptops (his and hers) in 2019, saved AUD$900 on each of them. Linux runs on any Dell.
I use a browser called Waterfox, it's later versions, 6.6.4 on, use a search engine Ecosia, I am still exploring it, but to use @osprey 's example on page 1:
... and you can see a link on the right if you want to give it a try.
I use the aforementioned browser Waterfox, as does Brian @Condobloke
I have been using it since first half of 2018, and it is on all my 80 or so Linux distros, and is easier to customise than Firefox.
I don't have the experience to answer Q.4, and I don't find any value on my speculating on Q5.
HTH
Wizard
Ta for those pointers W - lots to work through when I get set up.
Dell were very high profile here in Ireland for many years (I had good experience with their desktops up to around 2014) while they had a large local assembly plant. They rather faded from notice (mine anyway) after they moved it elsewhere.
I don't have the background to have any meaningful view on question 5 myself.
My best guess however is that it's probably some mix of socio political/reputational/regulatory/commercial and similar considerations that prevents inconvenient operating systems and apps that are semi detached from the increasingly controlled mainstream ecosystem and in use by the likes of us from being directly or indirectly blocked - it presumably is technically very feasible....
Dell were very high profile here in Ireland for many years (I had good experience with their desktops up to around 2014) while they had a large local assembly plant. They rather faded from notice (mine anyway) after they moved it elsewhere.
I don't have the background to have any meaningful view on question 5 myself.
My best guess however is that it's probably some mix of socio political/reputational/regulatory/commercial and similar considerations that prevents inconvenient operating systems and apps that are semi detached from the increasingly controlled mainstream ecosystem and in use by the likes of us from being directly or indirectly blocked - it presumably is technically very feasible....
My (more than) two cents
type in Dell (your country), you may need to subscribe to a newsletter to get their specials. I have been using them here in Australia more often than not for 20 years - deliver to your door.Last buy was 2 identical laptops (his and hers) in 2019, saved AUD$900 on each of them. Linux runs on any Dell.
I use a browser called Waterfox, it's later versions, 6.6.4 on, use a search engine Ecosia, I am still exploring it, but to use @osprey 's example on page 1:
... and you can see a link on the right if you want to give it a try.
I use the aforementioned browser Waterfox, as does Brian @Condobloke
I have been using it since first half of 2018, and it is on all my 80 or so Linux distros, and is easier to customise than Firefox.
I don't have the experience to answer Q.4, and I don't find any value on my speculating on Q5.
HTH
Wizard
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There is, however a search result for Dell Ireland, though - may be worth a wander through it sometime.
Good luck, and let us now how you go.
Avagudweegend
Wiz
Good luck, and let us now how you go.
Avagudweegend
Wiz
...my life will have gotten a helluva lot more exciting. ʘ‿ʘ
@Vaj2
This is only my opinion.
Browsers who claim to not harvest and sell user data may have started out that way but will eventually harvest and sell user data.
A lot of open source companies at the beginning rely on user sponsored support.
It cost money to keep open source projects afloat and when no money from it's users than collection of user data for sale begins.
Mozilla used to not harvest and sell user data but after Google stopped supporting them Mozilla now harvests and sells user data.
Why not Google has made a fortune from doing so and open source company's are in business to make money like any business is.
I loathe Google although will use them if needed.
As for syncing devices I wouldn't if one device becomes compromised so will any device it is synced with.
Privacy these days doesn't exist and is a thing of the past.
This is only my opinion.
Browsers who claim to not harvest and sell user data may have started out that way but will eventually harvest and sell user data.
A lot of open source companies at the beginning rely on user sponsored support.
It cost money to keep open source projects afloat and when no money from it's users than collection of user data for sale begins.
Mozilla used to not harvest and sell user data but after Google stopped supporting them Mozilla now harvests and sells user data.
Why not Google has made a fortune from doing so and open source company's are in business to make money like any business is.
I loathe Google although will use them if needed.
As for syncing devices I wouldn't if one device becomes compromised so will any device it is synced with.
Privacy these days doesn't exist and is a thing of the past.
Hi D. I'd argue that we're in very serious trouble if something with a genuine eye to the greater good is not manifesting to counter that scenario. If we can't collectively somehow find the will to make it happen.
The implications for privacy and personal freedoms apart our Western societies are already headed down the tubes - precisely as a consequence of a longstanding and ever intensifying (and truly insane) focus by the big money players (who have already cornered most of the wealth) on the maximisation of short term returns without regard for the bigger picture/longer term consequences.
The money goes to stuff that adds very little that is for said greater good, often does great harm and creates no genuine wealth. It's essentially about grabbing more of a diminishing pie - mostly by playing the financial and other markets.
The tendency is so blindly entropic that it has already largely destroyed the the values and the infrastructure that created the wealth in the first place...
The implications for privacy and personal freedoms apart our Western societies are already headed down the tubes - precisely as a consequence of a longstanding and ever intensifying (and truly insane) focus by the big money players (who have already cornered most of the wealth) on the maximisation of short term returns without regard for the bigger picture/longer term consequences.
The money goes to stuff that adds very little that is for said greater good, often does great harm and creates no genuine wealth. It's essentially about grabbing more of a diminishing pie - mostly by playing the financial and other markets.
The tendency is so blindly entropic that it has already largely destroyed the the values and the infrastructure that created the wealth in the first place...
CaffeineAddict
Well-Known Member
AI is growing so fast regulations can't keep up with it.
We're doomed, wait for solar eclipse to happen.
We believe AI is stupid because we're being offered stupid AI, however behind the scene there is much more powerful AI growing exponentially.
We're doomed, wait for solar eclipse to happen.
We believe AI is stupid because we're being offered stupid AI, however behind the scene there is much more powerful AI growing exponentially.
I like Dell Optiplex desktop computers and have had excellent results with them.
I'll buy them in thrift stores when I find them cheap enough.
The ain't what they used to be but they are still good desktop computers.
I think in the right useful development AI has a useful benefit.
Like everything designed by humans it has it's rotten apples and oranges also.
If AI gets out of hand I have my Louisville Slugger.
I can see this happening.
CaffeineAddict
Well-Known Member
Sorry Duck but I don't believe AI will bring anything good to human race.
While there do exist beneficial / benevolent applications of AI, problem is that a moment will happen when AI gets much more capable than what it is now.
I do not believe AI companies disclose all details about their AI, for obvious reasons, competition.
I'm not even sure how well and if at all all details of their AI are regulated.
But I'm certain the first display of capable AI will be in military, police and surveillance.
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