There are jobs in that there Linux thing…

That’s right there are jobs and plenty of them in Linux.  What was amazing to us was how large the demand was for Linux even in the middle of America.  While the Ohio Linux Fest is big and we have known personally how strong Linux support in Ohio it as awesome to see real data to back us up.  The data also surprised us by having Developer and Admin jobs in nearly a dead heat.  Normally it’s been more of a 70/30 split.  So whether you want to be a code monkey or a server wizard the jobs are there if you have the skills.  How can you get the skills?  The Linux Foundation, who sponsored the research, will recommend their classes and certifications.  We at LinuxInstall.net think that training is a great starting point but actually using Linux and being willing to be a grunt and change passwords is the best option.  No matter what path you choose we hope to see all of you reading this can join us.

Can anyone do real work on a Linux Desktop?

Corey found this article over at datamation.com called “Can Web Designers Use Linux to Build an Effective Site?”.  The answer to which we think is why couldn’t you?  We just wrote our own article about how Brian is using Linux on his new work laptop.  So what’s stopping web developers?  Really whats stopping most office workers?  In most cases the answer is nothing but the fear of being unproductive.  You do have to deal with at least a minor learning curve because things won’t be exactly where you remember them being on the OS you are switching from.  Then there is the sheer volume of software options to deal with.  Most people are probably used to that with their OS of choice anyway.  The article is nice if your a web developer looking to make the change.  As we discuss on the podcast though most of the options listed are available for Windows and MacOSX also so you could even try them before you make the switch to see if they will work for you.  

 

Let us know in the comments below what you are having trouble making work on Linux and we will find the answer for you.

Yet another Clueless blogger…

I am extremely disappointed in the loevel of reporting Forrester is lowering itself to.  One of the bloggers over there is now calling Linux dead.  That’s right he was dumb enough to say that the most popular open source project in the world is dead, or at least dieing.  The really dangerous thing about this is that the headline doesn’t really match the content.  He takes such a crazy stance on what makes an OS.  Then there is the issue that unlike the other issues we have been reporting about reaching out to Geeks, Forrester reaches and tries to target people who aren’t technical like Managers and C level execs.  So now Linux support people get to spend more hours explaining why it’s so awesome and of course isn’t dieing.

IT People should just say no to clueless reporters….

I originally wrote this after Paul Thurrott wrote a ridiculous article (http://www.windowsitpro.com/content1?topic=android-140400&catpath=google1) about all that is wrong with Android.  After writing it, I felt better but I realized he isn’t the only one with this messed up perception of corporate life.  I have been consulting and supporting companies in the area of IT operations for my entire 16 year career.  I have worked for a vary diverse set of companies from GE and Chrysler to an Internet Startup to Mom and Pop companies and everything in between.  While they all have their own issues and odd behaviors, they always have a few things in common.  IT is always a drain on resources that no one wants to fund.  The IT staff always has to do more with less than they had last year.   Finally, they are all expected to figure out how to do the next big thing.  

So why am I writing about this on a Corporate Linux Blog?   A lot of the press are making an argument for the IT Professionals, the ones supporting the phones, computers and servers companies use every day.  They somehow thinks it’s harder to manage different versions of Android than it is to support Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux which these same professionals support already.  As an operations veteran in corporate environments of all sizes, I am frankly pretty insulted.  My teams and I have been doing this kind of work for my entire career.  

These press individuals have all obviously never been in the trenches when a virus like Nimda hit.  They have not had to make the arguments to upper management that a consultants computer be brought up to the corporate standard for antivirus and patching or they shouldn’t be allowed on the company network.  They are forgetting the days when Microsoft put out patches all throughout the month not just on one Tuesday.  They do not deal with the fact that users routinely stop or refuse to take critical patches.  They have not been at the help desk at 7AM on a Monday morning when <insert vendor name>’s software just messed up the entire call centers computers and the company is losing untold amounts of money every minute they are down.

The reality of corporate IT life is that only in the last couple of years have the tools we have available to us started to become effective at managing any OS.  No matter how hard anyone tries and no matter how large the company is, things fail.  Patches sometimes won’t install or they cause conflicts, or they break new things.  That is just part of life and one of the major reasons why you test.  More importantly, it’s why you always have a back out plan.  None of that means that we can as IT Professionals tell our users not to use X critical software that only runs on Y OS.  We as professionals are there to do what must be done, support our users.  We are there to make things run as smoothly as possible.  We tell them no when it will hurt them, train them when they need to do things in new ways, and generally try to stay as invisible as possible.

Companies have been looking at allowing personal devices into the corporation for years now.  It has never been a whether or not we would have to allow them, but a when and how discussion,  at least internally to IT.  The inability to manage all of these closed and open solutions is the far larger problem today.  As we all know where a problem exists, a line of companies will form to fix it.  Symantec, IBM and others are set to roll out solutions by the end of the year to manage IOS and Android.  They will add Windows Phone 7 when it reaches a critical mass.  None of them is picking sides or describing the problem as more difficult for either of the platforms.  

So the next time Mr. Thurrott or anyone in the press wants to talk about life as an IT Professional he or she should try being one for a while.  For now though, go back to doing what you do best.  Be a great reviewer and tell me what great things I have too look forward to from all of my favorite vendors.  Leave the heavy lifting and worrying about how to protect corporate assets to the people who do that for a living.

In case you missed it Linux Turned 20….

Red Hat and Ubuntu pushing buttons in the community….

Both Red Hat and Ubuntu have been in the press a lot lately because of changes they are making in their distribution.  What everyone seems to forget with both companies are just that companies not communities.  While they do a great job of being great community members, people will always complain about them.  Here is what we gleaned from the posts I read:

For Red Hat the change is just how the distribute the kernel itself.  They are now shipping just a completely patched Kernel.  This is instead of shipping a patch set for each and every bug release that was available.   Who does it affect?  The folks that want to look in the kernel.  As far as we can tell that’s it.  We at Linuxinstall.net don’t think that this is an issue for them and more just a reason for people to complain and wish things were better the old way.

For Ubuntu the problem is more one of a lack of change.  They want to push some enhancements into the upstream Gnome package that are being rejected:

Here are the details as described in a ZDNet article:

“The technical problem behind the dispute is that GNOME rejected theUbuntu Ayatana system status indicators. These indicators, and their messaging application programming interfaces (APIs) would be used on the Linux desktop to convey such information as “Whether you are connected, what the time is, whether you are online, whether your battery will last long enough for you to finish your work, whether you have messages,” etc.”

Again it seem like something that shouldn’t be that big an argument.  When you are poring your heart and sole into a project though it’s not always that easy.  We can’t always make a reasonable counter offer when we feel like we are being attacked.

Hopefully everyone will soon see that these aren’t bad choices just ones that we all may not agree with.  We as a community need these companies need to survive and thrive.  If they don’t protect their future and go under then we all loose.  Both companies are spending a lot of time and money on Linux and it’s desktop.  It would be a very different Linux world. 

Episode 42 – Disruptive communications….A.K.A. The News

Running Time: 0:34:07

1) Introduction
Guest Co-Host Jason DiDonato
What’s in a name

Novell Attachmate deal delayed
Trend Micro Virus Report
Another Survey
Ubuntu Designer wants to get rid of quit
Care and feeding of databases

3) Conclusion
Recommendations for People to interview
E-Mail us at podcast@linuxinstall.net
Go to the WebSite to call us via Google Voice
Facebook Fan Page
Follow us on Twitter and Identica as @linuxinstall
Look for us and comment on iTunes, odeo

 

http://player.wizzard.tv/player/o/j/x/130085047972/config/k-73b443e966a1409d/uuid/root/height/325/width/325/episode/k-1f1f92610fa8b31a.m4v

Episode 39 – CES’ed out…Really…Now some news you can use…

Check it out here

Running Time: 00:41:18
1) Introduction
 
2) News
Version Control and System Management 
Black Duck Consulting Company Growing and acquiring companies
Open Source in the corporate world….
DR Planning for large data sets

3) Conclusion

Recommendations for People to interview
E-Mail us at podcast@linuxinstall.net
Go to the WebSite to call us via Google Voice
Facebook Fan Page
Follow us on Twitter and
Identica/status.net as @linuxinstall
Look for us and comment on iTunes, odeo

http://player.wizzard.tv/player/o/j/x/129561127429/config/k-73b443e966a1409d/uuid/root/height/325/width/325/episode/k-e700d49797067594.m4v