Re: [Pan-users] Re: OT: freedomware vs... Was: Building Pan on Windows?

[Paul Crawford]

Leslie Newell wrote:
> Actually, to be fair to Microsoft their stuff is fairly bug free 
> considering it is so bloated. They also have to be very sure about any 

Not when considers the security holes! That, I suspect, is largely down 
the the horrible interdependencies in the structure and legacy of windows.

> I won't buy if I can't try it first. Even Windows offers a trial period.

Most windows users have it foisted on them by the OEMs. I can see why, 
but its a bad message that PC=Windows.

> Depending on what is being stored, proprietary formats are ok where it 
> would not be useful for other packages to have access to the data. Even 
> supposedly open formats have their problems. Don't get me started on 
> Autocad's DXF format.

The only truly open formats are the ones with open source 
implementations, otherwise you can't be sure if the documentation 
matches the implementation.

How much it matters depends on the nature of the data, and more 
importantly the nature of the propitiatory application. Specifically, if 
you will be forced in to dropping it due to support, "activation" 
failing, or license costs going too high. Having a way out is *always* a 
good idea!

> Possibly. I use Windows pretty much exclusively for my main work machine 
> but my file server and home machines are all Linux. Much as I hate to 
> say it, Visual Studio is a pretty damn good IDE once you dump all that 
> .NET stuff.

Yup, I like VS for C compiling, but make sure stuff works on LINUX as well.

While it might be preaching to the converted, this may be of some 
interest to anyone who, like myself, ended up supporting family & 
friends with Ubuntu as a route out of MS maleware problems:

http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/~psc/Ubuntu/ubuntu-stuff.html

In particular:
http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/~psc/Ubuntu/embracing-the-penguin.pdf