On Thu, 2008-09-25 at 09:03 +0300, Dotan Cohen wrote:
2008/9/24 Roger Oberholtzer <roger@opq.se>:
Are you arguing that Linux is _perfect_ for desktop use? I need to run Solidworks on my desktop, to be interoperable with people who care more about functional software than about any dream of open code. Any system that cannot run Solidworks is not perfect for me or any other engineer in my position.
So your question is: Is Linux perfect at running applications that were not written for it.
I will remind you that Linux is an operating system (or more pedantically, a kernel from which an OS can be built upon): without software it does nothing. An OS without applications is useless to me. So until there are engineering applications for Linux, it cannot be perfect for me.
No reminding needed - I know this very well. I used 'Linux' because it was the term used elsewhere in the thread. But, in this case, I think the kernel (Linux) is, in fact, the primary issue with running foreign (e.g., Windows) apps. The thing that keeps a program/library from running is usually the interface to the system, i.e., the kernel. As an example, the kernel in SCO UnixWare (sorry...) had what was referred to as 'personalities'. Applications could have been compiled for different kernel ABIs. The application loader would detect this and the kernel would be told to present the appropriate ABI. The SVR5 kernel has a surprisingly large number of personalities that let it run older applications compiled when the kernel ABI was different. I remember running an X server compiled for Kodak's SVR4 on UnixWare SVR5.4. Worked great. When I left UnixWare, they were even making a Linux personality, so the kernel could run Linux or SVR5.4 binaries at the same time. It was from SCO's earlier "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" phase. Too bad that did not last. In addition, 'Linux' and 'GNU Linux' are a commonly used term used to refer generally to all distributions. And you issue is common to all distributions. I wish you luck in getting support! -- Roger Oberholtzer OPQ Systems / Ramböll RST Ramböll Sverige AB Kapellgränd 7 P.O. Box 4205 SE-102 65 Stockholm, Sweden Office: Int +46 8-615 60 20 Mobile: Int +46 70-815 1696 And remember: It is RSofT and there is always something under construction. It is like talking about large city with all constructions finished. Not impossible, but very unlikely. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org