My personal favourite reply regarding the killer app issue is to use virtualization. You can use RDP which comes standard on Windows XP Pro and connect to your old desktop transparently. If you want the true side by side experience you can either use Wine (which runs most of my important Windows applications) or else use seamless windows like the 2X ApplicationServer. I use it daily at work and its a life saver when you need to work on Visio. I believe the first 5 applications you tunnel are free.
In short... 1) Do a P2V (physical to virtual) transition of the old machine to a VM 2) Connect to your VM remotely 3) ... 4) World domination Vmware have a free Vmware Server as well as a standalone Vmware player. I prefer the server since it allows me to start the XP instance as a service and let it run in the background. If I close the window accidentally, I do not kill the VM. Another solution which is free (and GPL) is VirtualBox by a new company called Innotek. They allow you to attach to your VM directly via RDP. Think about it as a KVM on steroids. You can have linux running in your VM and still connect to it via RDP. Also, they support connecting ANY usb device and it will be detected inside the VM. This is good if you need to synchronize your mobile phone and the only software available is for windows. You plug the phone in your Linux, the Windows VM picks up the phone too and voila! Obviously YMMV I hope I sparked enough interest to the idea. On 3/11/07, Jean Azzopardi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I also think that killer apps might be very useful, as well as serving as an introduction as to how good OSS can be. Firefox has already made a deep impact...many students like it. OpenOffice - speed issues, but it's also good, and bundled with many computers nowadays...although I suspect that they are wiped with MS office afterwards..still, who knows? Jean Azzopardi wrote: > Could we ask MS to foot the bill? :) > > Is there anywhere rather than a hotel? Some parish hall maybe? > > Anton Xuereb wrote: > >> ara if ud like the grandmaster hall at radisson costs LM575 per day :) >> >> On 3/11/07, *Jean Azzopardi* <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> wrote: >> >> Personally, I play tremulous the most...followed by UT 2004, Quake 4, >> and Wesnoth. >> >> 2 or 3 days hardcore linux...cool, but location, location... >> >> James Attard wrote: >> > My dream is twofold: >> > >> > 1) linux bootcamps - like 2 or 3 days hardcore linux, we discuss >> > things, technical stuff etc >> > 2) >> > linux conferecens - we see Oracle talks, .NET talks, Microsoft >> talks - why not organize meetings open for the public at >> conference halls like in hotels where we TECHNICALLY talk about >> linux or opensource products - we see conferences about ORacle and >> MSSQL - why not about mysql? we should volunteer ourselves in such >> activities. I am quite confident that these attract many geeks. >> > >> > >> > As regard gaming, I'm an 'Enemy Territory' hardcore, running on >> linux. >> > >> > James >> > >> > On 3/11/07, *Jean Azzopardi* < [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>> wrote: >> > >> > I heard about the Linux courses, and I did notice that there >> are a >> > number of people out there who are interested in it. My >> concern is >> > people in secondary-tertiary schools. >> > >> > Anton was at my school, and as you remember, an average of >> only 1-10 >> > per 200 people used linux regularly. The others either don't >> care or >> > else give up. And gaming plays a huge part...when you >> mention that >> > Linux >> > cannot be used for hardcore gaming without some major >> tweaking, their >> > eyes glaze over and I know I've lost them. >> > >> > However, there is hope when it comes to restoring old >> computers. A guy >> > in my class restored an old laptop with Zenwalk Linux and >> liked it >> > quite >> > a lot. Another one tried out Linux for Beryl and >> managed...but got >> > bored. >> > >> > The perception is usually like this: >> > >> > 1. It's free...so it's either pirated or it has to suck. >> > 2. It's difficult. It's command line only...Youch, I >> hate the >> > terminal. >> > 3. No games. >> > 4. What, no Word? No Excel? >> > >> > And try and try to convince them, they remain skeptics to the >> > bitter end. >> > >> > And in Malta, the price issue is not that much as elsewhere. >> Given >> > that >> > most students either crack Windows and other software...hell >> I know >> > students who never paid for Windows...the price difference >> is not that >> > much in their eyes, so what are we making a fuss about? >> Piracy is >> > illegal? Everyone does it, why bother? >> > >> > Still, where people do care about piracy being illegal, the >> fact that >> > Linux is gratis means a lot...even though they don't >> know/care what >> > opensource really means. >> > >> > Linux bootcamp, I'll go for it. What's also needed is >> showing how >> > Linux >> > is perfectly usable, even in a dualboot configuration alongside >> > Windows. >> > Personally, I managed to use Linux for the whole of sixth >> form...even >> > going so far as to use Dosbox to run Turbo Pascal on >> Linux...so I >> > wouldn't dualboot to work on my cs project. >> > >> > How's the situation in Uni? Does anyone know if Linux is the >> champ >> > there? >> > >> > Regarding Xarabank...yeah, a lot of publicity there...but >> does Joe >> > Public care? >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > Anton Xuereb wrote: >> > > I would go on the panel of xarabank.. >> > > >> > > now seriously... >> > > >> > > there is quite an interesting trend that is taking shape >> > lately...for >> > > instance..the MIIT is doing linux courses..David Degaetano >> is making >> > > LPI courses...so Is STC Along with RHCE Courses..also (even if >> > > stupidly and without any actual grounding) STC pushed hp's IT >> > > Essentials 2 courses as covering lots of linux (were >> infact only an >> > > introduction is covered)..I worked at STC up to a few >> weeks ago and >> > > the response was amazing...lots of ppl called in to ask >> about the >> > > lajnux courses...M$ of course can afford to push stuff >> that everyone >> > > already knows about and thus many ppl will flock to buy >> the cheap >> > > office 2007 and vista packages...An upcoming activity that >> the LUG >> > > will be doing will (altho discussions are still taking >> place) be >> > that >> > > of doing a linux bootcamp and try to attract as many pc users >> > > interested (or not ) in linux as possible. >> > > >> > > M >> > > >> > > On 3/11/07, *Philip Serracino Inglott* <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > <mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> >> > > <mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>>> wrote: >> > > >> > > Sadly, I feel that this situation is partly our fault >> too. >> > We, as >> > > the Linux community, might not be doing enough to >> spread the >> > word. >> > > In a sense its not our job. As a USER group our aim is to >> > support >> > > established and interested users (I'm sure there are >> many more >> > > Linux users out there in Malta who are not reading any >> of this). >> > > But if we have to take advocacy seriously, its a pretty >> > tough job >> > > to take on purely as volunteers. >> > > >> > > Think of what would happen if we found a sponsor and >> published a >> > > bunch of Edubuntu CDs with informative leaflets and >> distributed >> > > them in schools. Image the press release "Local NGO >> > distributes a >> > > few million Euros worth of software to all secondry school >> > > students studying Computers", That would have an impact! >> > (btw. the >> > > amount would be based on a study, wich i don't have at >> hand, >> > that >> > > calculates the cost of recreating Debian from scratch) >> > > >> > > But really how many of us on this list would be willing to >> > try and >> > > approach peppi to try and have a Xarabank on how the >> > government's >> > > IT strategy vis-a-vis free software? I fell that us >> linux guys >> > > tend to be a bit snobbish sometimes. >> > > >> > > Probably if we want to change the tide there are two >> things we >> > > need to do, 1. Swell our numbers. 2. at the first >> opportunity >> > > issue a FORMAL reaction to something the government >> does. This >> > > second step is important to establish MLUG as an >> interested >> > party. >> > > >> > > Philip >> > > >> > > >> > > On 11/03/07, *James Attard* < [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>>> wrote: >> > > >> > > Hey Jean, >> > > >> > > Coincidentally I was just writing an article on my >> website >> > > >> > < >> http://www.jamesattard.com/2007/03/linux-education-programme.html> >> > > about the situation, but remarking a sign of hope. >> This is >> > > after the Linux Education Programme happening as >> of next >> > week >> > > due to an agreement between IBM and MIIIT. So I >> believe >> > things >> > > are getting better. >> > > >> > > James >> > > >> > > >> > > On 3/11/07, *Jean Azzopardi* < >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> >> > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>>> wrote: >> > > >> > > I am going to be as frank as I possibly can. >> > > >> > > The situation is scaring me. All over Europe, >> we can see >> > > governments >> > > warming towards linux, educating students to use >> > Linux, etc. >> > > In Malta, on the other hand, all we hear about is >> > > Microsoft, and how the >> > > government is sucking up towards it. How >> offers are >> > being >> > > made from >> > > Microsoft towards our students, how Microsoft is >> > "innovating", >> > > anyway...microsoft, microsoft, microsoft. >> > > >> > > Linux never gets a say...it's like the >> Government has >> > > totally ignored >> > > it. Why is this so? >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > MLUG-list mailing list >> > > [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> >> > <mailto:[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> <mailto:[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> >> > <mailto: [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>>> >> > > >> > http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> <http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list> >> > <http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list> >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > -- >> > > http://www.jamesattard.com >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > MLUG-list mailing list >> > > [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> <mailto:[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> >> > <mailto: [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> <mailto:[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>>> >> > > >> http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> <http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list> >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > MLUG-list mailing list >> > > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> <mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >> > <mailto:[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> <mailto: [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>>> >> > > http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> > < http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list> >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > MLUG-list mailing list >> > > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> <mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >> > > http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > MLUG-list mailing list >> > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> <mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >> > http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > http://www.jamesattard.com >> > >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > MLUG-list mailing list >> > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> > http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> MLUG-list mailing list >> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> MLUG-list mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> >> > _______________________________________________ > MLUG-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list > > _______________________________________________ MLUG-list mailing list [email protected] http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list
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