JeffSmdk

All the posters at OSNews and Slashdot, as well as (apparently) the posters at Mandrake Cooker, absolutely hate the new name and are laughing at it. http://www.osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=10231 http://linux.slashdot.org/linux/05/04/07/1...tid=147&tid=163 MandrakeLinux the product is a fine distro. But MandrakeSoft the company has zero marketing sense, unfortunately. "Mandriva" sounds like: Man dribble - you get the gist or Man diva - or cross dresser / transvestite or some sort of tropical disease In any case, the name "Mandriva" does not seem to conjure up any kind of positive image in one's mind. I want to put a positive spin on this, but I just can't. "Mandriva" is a horrible name. If they were going to merge the names Mandrake and Connectiva, it would perhaps make more sense to go with something like ConnectDrake, or DrakeConnect. Not that those are great, but they are most certainly a big improvement over "Mandriva".

Comparing it to Slashdot is very appropriate. Bland, ugly, with predictable articles and even more predictable endless flame wars. I'd like to see both of these, or a new Linux/OS/IT news website, expand on the content, and emphasize discussion forums that have actual intelligent discussion from people with lives and no axe to grind. The "discussion" on those sites usually disintigrate into "my distro rocks, your distro sucks", or "Solaris rules, Linux sucks", or "Java sucks, no C++ sucks", or "you're a moron", or "you don't know jack, my friend", or "RTFM", or some other idiotic thing. The good news is, user forums like Mandrakeusers.org, or MepisLovers.org, or the Ubuntu forums, usually have great discussion, and offer tons to learn for the reader. :D

What's gotten boring is OSNews. Typically, they'll post some OS or IT related article, then the flame wars ensue. Or one of the editors will do an opinion piece (as Eugenia did there), and a flame war will ensue. Or finally, they'll post a review of a Linux distro, and a flame war will ensue. Frankly, OSNews needs a make-over, in both appearance and content. The look 'n' feel of the website is bland. And the article's, and ensuing flame wars, are very boring and predictable. All that said, they do post relavant news from other websites, so I do visit it. But I do think it needs a breath of fresh air.

Well, I am a bit of a fanboy of Mandrake, as I've been really pleased with this distribution. I'll gladly admit it. :D I like other distros and continue to try others, but I keep coming back to Mandrake, for it's over all excellence and ease of use. As for the OSNews posters, I don't care about them. OSNews is flame war nirvana, where it seems like 90% of the posts are trolls

I posted the following at OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=...fset=30&rows=42 "Not only does Mandrake put out a fantastic distribution (the best all around, IMHO), but they have been really getting their business and marketing act together over the last two years or so. First, they emerged from bankruptcy protection. Then they were able to cut unnecessary costs. Then they were able to gradually get in the black. Then they were able to generate extra cash by floating stock. Then they were able to start acquiring other companies (including a services company, and others). Then they were able to expand their product line, from portable hard drive, to Mandrake "goodies", to Mandrake Move, to business server and desktop versions, and so on. Then they've been expanding their ISV market in North America. Then they modified their release schedule to be more palpable to the community, and iron out early bugs more efficiently (Mandrake Community edition). Then they've been signing up with hardware providers. Then they've been getting governement contracts. And they've done all of this while remaining open source. And now they've acquired Connectiva, another Linux company that is profitable and really has it's act together (in both a technical and business sense), and which has natural synergies with Mandrake. I expect Mandrake will continue to put out and improve on their fantastic distribution, and continue to be a business success." Go Mandrake!!

Trio3b I love your "letter to the Linux community", and agree with a lot of it. Some points I'd like to add: 1. The CLI enthusiasts are much more common with distros like Slackware, Arch, pure Debian, and Gentoo. Those distros are aimed at the experienced Linux user who is comfortable with the command line. You made your post here at MandrakeUsers.org, a user forum for MandrakeLinux, which ironically is perhaps the most GUI oriented, newbie friendly, easy to use Distro out there. The Mandrake Control Center is as good as any GUI tool in Windows, perhaps better. 2. Distros like Mandrake, Mepis, Xandros, Linspire, Lycoris do as much as possible to make it easy for the newbie, and offer easy GUI tools. Most current Windows users, including Joe Sixpack and Aunt Tilly, can and do feel completely comfortable in jumping into using Xandros or Linspire. 3. Linux is improving daily in the desktop ease of use department. I've been amazed at the progess made in the three years I've been using Linux. 4. Both KDE and Gnome are improving at the speed of light, and in many cases are easier to use and offer more features than Windows. 5. Most newer Linux users are primarily GUI users (typically either KDE or Gnome), and only dive into the CL out of curiosity or for the learning experience (or in some cases to solve some problem that couldn't be solved with a GUI tool). 6. There is a sizable portion of the Linux community that use their computers as the end itself, rather than a means to an end, and really enjoy tweaking and getting under the hood (Arch, Gentoo, Slackware users come to mind). However, I'd say a majority now use Linux as a better alternative than Windows to get their daily work or play done. 7. It has been an evolutionary process for Linux to go from pure geek toy to something useful and fun for the masses. The progress has been gradual, but progress has been made, and continues to do so. So, is Desktop Linux there yet for a majority of non technical users? Perhaps not. But it is darn close, and improving rapidly.

The key compenent to make it work was: using namespace std; The code within function main is using cout, which is in the standard template library, which, in turn, is part of the std namespace. Namespaces are very important in C++, they help you manage very large project easier and prevent name conflicts. Thus, if you are using something from the std namespace, you have to declare that you are using the std namespace, or you have to specify it with std prefix, using the scope resolution operator, like so: std::cout << "Hello World!\n"; When you go through Stroustrup's book, this will become crystal clear.

For an inexpensive, easy tutorial, get "C In Easy Steps" and "C++ in Easy Steps" from Barnes and Noble. These are very short, easy turtorial books that only cost $10. They'll give you a basic foundation and get you up to speed quickly and painlessly. Then get the ultimate C book, and considered by many the greatest programming book of all time, "The C Programming Language" by the Dennis Ritchie (the creator of C) and Brian Kernighan. This book is terse, but full of information on C and programming in general. It is often said that if you read this book and you do the exercises, you will become a programming master, or at least become very very proficient. Then for C++, get "Accelerated C++". This is an excellent beginners book, that starts with high level concepts, like the Standard Template Library, and has you use them in useful programs right off the bat. Finally, for the ultimate reference and definition, as well as insight on proper C++ usage, get "The C++ Programming Language" by Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++. This is not a beginners book, but is the ultimate reference for intermediate and advanced C++ programmers, as well has an invaluable teacher of how to use C++ as it applies to programming paradigms and solving real world probelms. Reading this book is like taking martial arts lessons from Bruce Lee. I can say from personal experience, that "The C Programming Language", "Accelerated C++", and "The C++ Programming Language" have all propelled my understanding and proficiency with C and C++ tremendously. Where as before I had been intimidated by C and C++, and not very productive with them.

The author of the review was rather smart-allecky, and I didn't agree with his assesment of desktop Linux being in an "abysmal state". However, I have no beef with the article. It seems his main point was that more prime time Linux players should get involved with the Desktop Linux summit, and not have it so Linspire centric. I can't argue with that.

I totally agree with you about the upgrades. I had just always assumed it was the same way with all the distros. Now I don't know if this is just a Mandrake thing or what but everytime I update my software (urpmi --auto-select) something breaks or works funny. I think I'll download Mepis overnight and install it tomorrow and see how I like it and install Ubuntu next. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mandrake is an RPM based distro. RPM does not handle system upgrades as well as Deb/apt-get does. The very biggest selling point about Debian and Deb packages and apt-get is how well it handles dependencies, and how well tested all of the packages and libraries are, and how well integrated all the packages are, and the policies apt-get follows for how system files are handled. This is what allows someone to install Debian Woody, tweak it to his/her hearts content, install tons of software, then upgrade the entire thing to Sid, quite often without any problems at all. That said, I'm not a huge believer in upgrading a complete OS too many times. Even with such a high quality, well integrated system as Debian, you are bound to eventually have problems. But back to Mandrake and urpmi. Urpmi handles installing new software, as well as updating existing software, seamlessly. However, if you want to do a complete system upgrade, you probably will have more problems doing so with Mandrake than you would with Debian and apt-get.

Thanks! I'm by no means a C++ guru, but I'm fairly comfortable and knowledgeable on the language. But it seems that the book will be a good tutorial/reference nonetheless.

I'm a solid Mandrake user. I keep trying other distros, and liking other distros, but I keep coming back to Mandrake for it's all around excellence, tons of features, great looks, and total ease of use. That said, I can whole-heartedly recommend both Ubuntu and Mepis. They both have Live CDs, both are based on Debian (Mepis is Testing and Unstable, Ubuntu is all Unstable), both are super easy to install, and both have great hardware detection. Have fun!

Also BTW - I love Ubuntu and I think it deserves all the alcolades it's getting. I've even posted on the Ubuntu forums, singing it's praises. Ubuntu is my second or third favorite distro (the other being Mepis). But for my all around day to day use, nothing beats Mandrake, my favorite.

MS is so completely under the microscope these days that I doubt they could get away with copying GPL software and bill it as their own. Besides, if they get caught, they will have to GPL everything it's mixed with, something that would make Gates sh!t a brick. Finally, MS using anything Linux related or GPL with their own products would be a public declaration that their own stuff stinks and GPL software is better, and they're not going to do that in a million years.

Has anyone read and use the book "C++ GUI Programming with Qt 3 (Bruce Peren's Open Source)"? I've been considering getting it. The documentation on QT that is installed with Mandrake PowerPack and the QT Designer is excellent. However, I'm wondering if having a book goes beyond that and would be beneficial. Any thoughts/opinions? Thanks!