Mac Versus Windoze Versus Linux

[Steerpike]

The newest Open Office I know can save in Word format, I use to use it in Windoze all the time before the switch anyway because it can write in PDF as well.

Yes, but it is still not allowed in our work document system. We have a whole bunch of customized styles in Windows, and the IT people claim that if we don't use those styles and nothing else the documents will become corrupt. So whatever I do for work has to be done in MSWord only, using our styles. Shrug.

 

[Gord]

A few years ago I tweaked a raw install of XP Pro with everything I could find on the interenet (within my expertise and ability to learn) on a state of the art custom built dual-chip tower. I then loaded all of my selected programs and teaked them. I kept a diary of everything I did for troubleshooting purposes. Once I had everything set satisfactorily I took a hard drive snapshot with Acronis. Any further added programs or changes I entered in my diary. After six months I reinstalled the old snapshot and added the changes since then from my diary (not much really). I then took a new snapshot, and then after six months; rinse and repeat (every six months). This computer is fast, with multiple monitors on which I have had up to 50 streaming windows operating at one time (stock charts). I never have problems with this computer and OS (once I got a virus that caused some mild problems, but instead of fighting it I just reverted to my last snapshot and it was gone for good). Everything new is backed up automatically on the internet via Diino every day. I've looked at Ubuntu and liked it, but see no advantage to it (it would not work with some of my stock programs anyway). If you want or need to work with Windows try my recipe - it'll keep you more or less trouble-free and happy. (State of the art custom built tower is optional... )

 

[KittenKoder]

Yes, but it is still not allowed in our work document system. We have a whole bunch of customized styles in Windows, and the IT people claim that if we don't use those styles and nothing else the documents will become corrupt. So whatever I do for work has to be done in MSWord only, using our styles. Shrug.

Sounds like your IT people are either owned by MS or are the type who insist everything needs to be one OS. I feel for you, luckily I AM the IT for mine. I say, use whatever you like, just make sure everyone else can see it. I have incorporated the databases to use almost all documents, and if someone decides to use another it gives me something to do.

 

[Steerpike]

Sounds like your IT people are either owned by MS or are the type who insist everything needs to be one OS. I feel for you, luckily I AM the IT for mine. I say, use whatever you like, just make sure everyone else can see it. I have incorporated the databases to use almost all documents, and if someone decides to use another it gives me something to do.

They are MS-based, no doubt. But I have seen documents that can't be re-opened after someone uses another program on them. The document management system screws it up. I don't think there is anything wrong with the other programs, or even with MSWord (I convert back and forth from home with no trouble) but the document management system we have is so large and bloated, and the MSWord style are so full of customized content, that I think the system has a hard time with docs that don't comply. They've built the system into the beast that it is, unfortunately.

 

[KittenKoder]

They are MS-based, no doubt. But I have seen documents that can't be re-opened after someone uses another program on them. The document management system screws it up. I don't think there is anything wrong with the other programs, or even with MSWord (I convert back and forth from home with no trouble) but the document management system we have is so large and bloated, and the MSWord style are so full of customized content, that I think the system has a hard time with docs that don't comply. They've built the system into the beast that it is, unfortunately.

Ouch. That's all I can say. Over-development in programming can really mess things up. I live by the KISS motto myself, if there is too much in the code, scrap it and start clean.

 

[Steerpike]

Ouch. That's all I can say. Over-development in programming can really mess things up. I live by the KISS motto myself, if there is too much in the code, scrap it and start clean.

I'd love to see application of KISS at work. But every time we have a problem they seem to add a new layer of 'fixes' to the system. It's a mess.

I made them give me admin privileges on my machine, though, so I can try to mitigate some of the bloat on my own computer.

 

[KittenKoder]

You should see the chat app I wrote as my first Java applet. That is KISS in it's purest form. The server side hasn't even been changed since I wrote that part because it still functions as needed. Now I am writing in Java solely, and for Java to work well KISS is a requirement, it uses enough resources without doing anything adding too much will kill it on most computers.

The problem is that in tech schools now they don't teach KISS at all, instead they teach their students "Bigger is Better", which is why a lot of the newer apps these days are bloated. You are right, instead of actually fixing the app they append a 'fix' to it, most often that just changes it from one problem to another (the flaw with the newest releases of Windoze that annoys me most). You should tell them "sometimes the core program just needs to be completely rewritten, since you are being paid for it anyway."

 

[Diuretic]

Cool. I write code for your type so you are one of the people I am grateful exist. If everyone wrote code I'd be out of a purpose in life. *smirk* If you ever run into problems with Windoze though, look into Linux GUI's, just for a suggestion. I miss Windows 98, that was the best of their OS's, when you still had MS-DOS to fall back on if Windoze screwed up too much. There are security reasons to switch now as well, Mac is no more secure than Windoze but Linux/Unix leads in security. But just keep in mind, you have more than two choices if you ever upgrade. I write in Java now, I love cross-platform stuff.

Good point about the MS-DOS fallback. I started with MS-DOS and I missed being able to get into it when all else failed in Windows. Maybe that's why I like Ubuntu, able to get into the command line when everything else fails and to fix whatever ails the system.