Re: [SLUG] bogus info?

From: Levi Bard (levi@bard.sytes.net)
Date: Sat Dec 14 2002 - 01:24:31 EST


> `image magic' and most LINUX programs come with lots-a utilities that
> they call, you can and possibly use them alone, like convert.
> The command line use is: convert BlueGoose.gif BlueGoose.png
> cdcopy calls mkisofs that makes a /tmp file then it calls cdrecord,
> my chum tells me his Nero is one file. (which can copy a CD and do 15
> things I have 14 other programs to do)

This is the UNIX way - instead of making one program that does 20 things in its own mediocre, proprietary way, make one program that does one thing very well. If you need a program that does 20 things, see if there's code that's already written, augmented, and tested, with which users are already familiar. Maybe you will only have to implement 5 of the things, and make small modifications to 2 others. Additionally, this saves users from having to fill their disks with 100 MB programs just to do one small thing each. If you want to make an ISO image of a filesystem, you use mkisofs, instead of installing some bloated suite of CD burning and reading applications.

>
> Every time I log into a new terminal (I have 11) it runs a new instance
> of init, then bash, bash calls /etc/bash.profile then it looks for
> /~.bash_profile (and 2 or 3 other possibilities)
>
> I am still studying bash programming every day, but what I have
> learned so far leads me to think the nature of a desktop LINUX machine
> is very disk intensive.
> I am sure program caching by the kernel mitigates this a bit, but
> all in all, I believe LINUX is a disk intensive system.
> Servers and special use boxes operating only one or two programs that
> are never turned off are surely operate more like other operating systems.
>
> My drives only last 3 years. Maxtor just dropped their warranty
>
> from 3 to 1 year because of me. HI HI

I have three home-use Linux machines, one of which doubles as a low-traffic server. I have had all three for at least five years. None of their disks have gone out. (2 Seagates, and whatever Compaq put in their Presario 1247 laptop) Experiences differ, but in mine Linux is easier on my drives than that M$ OS ever was. In addition, I don't have to defrag them. Frankly, the only times I ever hear my disks thrash are for the 30s it takes cron to run.

BTW, IBM still offers 3 year warranties on all their HDs. I just returned one that Windows 98 burned out. :)

Levi



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