Techzim - Latest Comments

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

2eurocents — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:22:52 -0000

linux should ditch canonical.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

alzie — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:21:49 -0000

Well, theres hope - Google.
Something like 90% of their desktops are on their own flavor - Goobuntu.
I also heard that even the mighty Intel does a lot of internal linux.
Hmmm . . .

Re: Axis Solutions Wins ICT Africa 2010 Best Exhibition Award

mcdoug — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:05:25 -0000

It appears internet has become the disrupt innovation Global and this is what we have been waiting for in Zimbabwe since its almost that one cannot do without it and we now see a lot of upstarts coming on the scene with different ideas about what they want to offer the market I hope we have some kind of standard watchdog so that people don't loose their money when they invest in some of these new solutions coming in the market.

Re: Axis Solutions Wins ICT Africa 2010 Best Exhibition Award

mcdoug — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:05:23 -0000

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

macdchip — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:02:07 -0000

l quote:
"Even the top five distributions (Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora, openSuSE and Debian) cannot offer a big enough user base to attract adequate support."

If you want to run a data centre which must be up 24/7, you dont use Microsoft. Red Hat used to be the of data centres but Ubuntu have just overtook them, read this:

http://arstechnica.com/busines...

and if you want to see who rules in cloud computing see this:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2...

And who is the king now in mobile phone OS, again its a linux variant, Nokia is learning the hard way by associating itself with Microsoft!

Here is a list on national governments that have adopted Linux, have a look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L...

Re: Why are Zimbabweans holding their breath for BlackBerry? | Techzim

Kino Bearer II — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:58:48 -0000

With the horrible pricing of internet services I think the BIS concept comes in handy , Blackberry used to be for the rich until they diversified when they made the curve. I think Iphone would suffer the same if they would make a low cost iphone. Problems @ RIM dnt neccessarily mean the blackberry gadgets are bad as some of the comments are begginning to suggest. Zimbabwe needs to have the BIS fro those who like the berries black

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

paulgrins — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:27:06 -0000

What amazes me is that articles written like this use statistics and information that somehow have been plucked from a Microsoft marketing brochure from 1995. Much has changed since then. Amazingly, Bill Gates himself called Linux a "cancer" and Steve Ballmer called it "our major competitor", so I fail to see the point of the article. More and more corporate clients are switchin over to Linux and Ubuntu, SUSE and Red Hat seem to be the primary vendors here.

According to the real numbers (Global, US and EU) Linux desktop comprises over 13-15% of all desktops globally - most of them in enterprise - according to Microsoft's own internal projections. Mac OS X comprises the next 8-9% and finally we have Windows at around 72-74%. Globally the vast majority of Windows installations are pirated so that brings actual numbers to 30% legitimate global usage. As people discover Linux they make the switch from the Windows pirated copies.

The state run media in China encourages the use of Red Flag Linux over Microsoft products. You are unaware of the recent "Tomato Garden" Windows piracy scandal where China imprisoned some students for running a Windows piracy ring. The State Run Media encouraged people to stop pirating Windows and to use the government made Red Flag Linux, so much of the user base will make the switch to Linux because Windows has a bad reputation now. The Chinese government is using Windows as a temporary solution. They still have the mandate that the Government agencies switch entirely to Red Flag Linux within the next few years to avoid using foreign products and many agencies especially defense and intelligence have made the switch. The usage numbers for desktop Linux in China have to be very high and are probably closer to 40%.

This is now beginning to be the case in the United States as well. The Pentagon, CIA and NSA and NASA now use Linux - from Red Hat - on it's desktops and servers. They have switched from Windows because it did not meet their security requirements. Many other institutions are making the switch, the entire government and school system of Tamil Naidu in India. This switch is happening in Europe as well in many places such as France.

Your article is biased and not based in fact...

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Brian Machimbira — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:12:50 -0000

Linux Mint is actually a Ubuntu-based distro, without Ubuntu there would be no Linux Mint as we know it. Canonical is doing a pretty good Job at Ubuntu, and as an open source company being profitable is a big win in my book.

I do not foresee Canonical giving up on a profit making venture, neither do i see Linux staying in the fringe. To be fair, most users of Linux have tended to be specialist organisations like Google, Facebook, Craigslist but more and more corporates are running linux servers and desktops in their offices, the distro with the largest number of adherents in Zimbabwe being Ubuntu.

As for the Gnome vs Unity vs KDE argument, it all comes down to taste and functionality required, and cannot be used as an argument against any particular Linux Distribution.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

kthaker — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:07:12 -0000

Norman Nhliziyo 100% agreed... the author of this article clearly has alot to learn about linux as a desktop. a bit more research and he would've found that alot of government offices in europe such as munich and iceland..have chosen to adopted ubuntu linux as an alternative to windows in their offices. its not that linux is "better"..rather it saved these organisations alot of money in license fees!

canonical provide services such as priority support and other management software for large distributions (such as landscape) to generate income. they have expanded into cloud computing using openstack as well. so its definitely not just a dead fish in the water as this article seems to imply.

for those of you who are unaware, the parliament of zimbabwe too moved some of their desktop users to ubuntu in 2009. you can read about it here:

http://www.ubuntu.org.zw/node/...

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Paulgrins — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:47:55 -0000

According to the real numbers - meaning global, not just the US and EU - Linux desktop comprises over 13-15% of all desktops globally - most of them in enterprise - according to Microsoft's own internal projections. Mac OS X comprises the next 8-9% and finally we have Windows at around 72-74%.

Globally the vast majority of Windows installations are pirated so that brings actual numbers to 30% legitimate global usage. As Linux's such as Ubuntu progress the world is increasingly switching to Linux to avoid piracy issues and Linux is projected to move to the 20-25% mark in the next 2-3 years.
Red Flag Linux is still the default standard for Chinese government and they are still focused on phasing out Microsoft products as part of policy to not rely on foreign vendors, you should actually read this on their website. Microsoft is a temporary solution as they migrate to avoid the rampant piracy that used to occur in departments.
Red Flag Linux is mandated in important departments such as the Defense ministry and mission critical operations where full source code access is needed. China is very suspicious that Microsoft is using Windows to help the USA spy on them.
The state run media in China encourages the use of Red Flag Linux over Microsoft products. The usage numbers for desktop Linux in China have to be very high and are estimated to be 30-45% of the total market and this number is increasing. Canonical is selling loads of retail Ubuntu systems in China as a result of Windows piracy reactions and it is known that Android and Ubuntu are very popular and often purchased together.
This is now beginning to be the case in the United States as well. The Pentagon, CIA and NSA and NASA now use Linux - from Red Hat - on it's desktops and servers. They have switched from Windows because it did not meet their security requirements. Many other institutions are making the switch, the entire government and school system of Tamil Naidu in India. This switch is happening in Europe as well in many places such as France.
The world is changing, Linux is gaining ground and Ubuntu is slated to be the most popular desktop Linux OS, get over it...

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

vaMukanya — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:48:31 -0000

“If we’re successful, we would fundamentally change the operating system market. Microsoft would need to adapt, and I don’t think that would be unhealthy.”- Mark Shuttleworth. From a software producer perspective it is a competition. Indeed Linux offers the consumer choice but I think one also accepts that it is competing for the hearts and minds of consumers as well

Re: WhatsApp says they are no threat to mobile operators

Sam Takunda — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:40:36 -0000

What card is this? Do tell

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Tendai Marengereke — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:40:27 -0000

i don't see why you think they should can it, It is a self sustaining business edging towards profitability. It relies mainly on offering technical services. there are a number of services which generate them revenue such as Ubuntu One, physical goods sales through http://shop.canonical.com/, as you mentioned contracting with businesses such as Dell, Ubuntu one Music Store, Launchpad.net, paid software section of Ubuntu, Landscape... to name a few. Its big business. I am amazed that you think it is doomed. You would be surprised at how many governments have large-scale Linux projects; USA DOD, France, Spain, Russia, US courts, Us Postal services, Most Universities in the world use it also. As for the transition from PC to mobile the major mobile operating system (android) runs on a Linux Kernel. A few months ago Red Hat became the first billion dollar Linux company. So you tell me are those the fringes of computing? oh and having tested the new Windows 8 don't count your chickens before they hatch, its one hell of a bet, and it might not win.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Norman Nhliziyo — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:32:32 -0000

I don't think there is a competition between Ubuntu and Windows. It really is a choice. There are some things Windows does better and somethings Ubuntu does better.

"Should Canonical Can Ubuntu?" Why, when the user base is growing and the product is getting better with each release.

By the way Unity is not proprietary.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Mitchell — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:17:55 -0000

Unity is not proprietary software. Never was, never will be. Its open source, like the rest of Ubuntu.

Re: Why are Zimbabweans holding their breath for BlackBerry? | Techzim

Track Blackberry — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:11:27 -0000

Agree that with the successive innovation in the Mobile, like iphone, Android their share from market has reduced. RIM not update them-self with time and that is the reason their value decrease and company go in deficit. They not come out with the same App and User friendly OS is the main reason not liked by much user. The whole scenario tell their worth went down and BBM message amount day by day.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

JamesM — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:03:55 -0000

While a good article overall, this statement however is a joke "So companies will get Windows, pay and forget about support hassles". Companies get windows because that is what they are used to. And as for support, Windows wouldn't be windows if it weren't for the support it demands; windows = support for life. I won't bother narrating the litany of support gremlins on windows here, except to say anyone interested just go ahead and google.
Linux's market share on the desktop is definitely small but on smartphones it is king. Android is LINUX. The potential for Android's success on smartphones to translate into success on the desktop is definitely there. It's just a question of time and the techical vision to do so.
Ubuntu has let down many of its faithfulls with its unity interface but since this is linux territory choices abound. Linuxmint's mate and cinnamon interfaces have seen that distro accelerate past ubunty in no time (go to distowatch). But to say that linux is doomed to the fringes of computing I would say keep those impulses in check buddy. We'll never get there.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Three Men On A Boat — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:33:53 -0000

I have never been a fan of Linux. It is just too cumbersome.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Chiko Mukwenha — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:14:56 -0000

Kudos++ Nice article!

I feel software should be judged on its merit, if there's a proprietary
software that fixes a problem better than FOSS, then it `justly`, wins the
battle.

I'd rather love for people to fork Linux whichever way they want. In my opinion, the beauty of software (open source or other), should be at fixing problems (which are all different, so fragmentation is not all bad) not necessarily widest adoption.

I'm not entirely sure about your meaning of "canning" Ubuntu? Limiting the distribution packages? Either way, I will be happy with different versions for different purposes against some bloated platform.

Thanks, Brian.

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

Scrotum — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:18:57 -0000

love your work. classic... FUD

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

tinm@n — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:50:44 -0000

It is not a competition.

It is choice

It is freedom.

It is a mistake to compare a for-profit philosophy and non-profit philosophy

Re: Should Canonical can Ubuntu?

anonymous coward — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:46:06 -0000

Thawte not Thwarte

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp & the transition of social networking to mobile

Bill Mafupa — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:19:41 -0000

Great article, Jabulani. I always enjoy your posts. It would have been interesting though to note other social networks that came on the scene before Facebook since FB wasn't the first to take that route. There are the likes of MySpace, multiply.com and Hi5 who even came on the scene before Gmail.

Keep posting

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp & the transition of social networking to mobile

wengai — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:48:29 -0000

Great article. enjoyed it all the way. i think whatsapp could be better positioned to take over as the new social app. i use it a lot and have since stopped exposing my privacy unnecessarily. i like whatsapp better. i am not so sure about its capacity tho. its tends to be congested at times.

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp & the transition of social networking to mobile

Brainy smurf — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:17:53 -0000

Ok did nt know they was facebook and twitter?