Aw come on, we haven't had a decent debate on the list for a long time. Nothing seems to get things livelier than a linux/ MS debate, except perhaps a Mac/ MS debate. With MS doing what it does best to GIS, when will Mapinfo compile for Linux?
With regard to 2000/XP compatability, I know one of my clients had troubles when MapInfo was installed under administrator rights and when the users used MI for the first time, MI created a user profile and then could not find font files when the user tried to run it. But it seems that MapInfo is at least trying to become Microsoft compliant. When you run it for the first time and it creates a user profile, it loads 13.4MB of crap into a hidden directory your personal directory that is carted with you as part of your roaming profile on NT/2000. Perhaps this is part of the microsoft certification - you have to make your program fill as much hard drive space as possible so that the machines become redundant and they can sell a new OS licence - Or perhaps MI hired some ex-microsoft programmers to set up the installation. Either way it is a pain when you log onto a network over a modem and have to wait for your profile to come down. I have a policy with Microsoft, wait for 18 mnths after a release before upgrading - even longer if its advertised as a big step forward. Most of the bugs are at least known by then, and some of them are even fixed in service patches. The policy let me avoid Windows 98 (the first edition), Windows Me and several of the Windows NT4 service packs. Mind you, I probably would upgrade to XP if it would guarantee that the windows explorer would not lock my machine up when I browse web folders. The arguments to date have been about the desktop systems (which is fair because that's what the debate started), but as far as web servers go, MegaSoft isn't in the hunt, I'm afraid. Linux is easier to install, works and is much cheaper. If you were to ask me which system to use - the one tha hackers designed or the one they target - its an easy choice. The open source community is also starting to deliver some other quite sophisticated products that bear consideration. Watch for what happens on the web mapserver and Spatial database front. R Robert Crossley Robert Crossley & Associates 9 Short St New Brighton NSW 2483 AUSTRALIA P: 02 6680 1309 F: New Connection M: 0419 718 642 E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- List hosting provided by Directions Magazine | www.directionsmag.com | To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
