I know what the problem is - connecting to my databases is unbelievably slow and then hangs when performing any tasks. The problem is that everything is proprietary Microsoft software.
The PC is running a version of Windows that I now know is not legit (it will be soon, but isn't right now). I'm in the process of getting it all sorted but I inherited this computer and it came with a dodgy install that I wasn't initially aware of.
This means that I can't run the latest version of the Microsoft database software (SQL Server 2005) and the previous version is buggy and causing this problem. This is really annoying. I've patched and updated the computer as best I can (in fact the latest update I can make is being installed now) but I'm not sure this will solve the problem. It's really getting on my tits and slowing down my work spending a day getting everything sorted.
I'm building a workaround on another computer but this is all woefully convoluted and a real pain in the arse. To have the separate pieces of software reliant on each other in this way is really annoying and frankly not good on behalf of the software builders.
What's more frustrating is that I've been playing with my new Ubuntu Linux computer and none of this is an issue. Everything's so open and easily updated as well as being free from any costs. Plus I'm not trying to get tied down into any sort of agreements on how (or how not) I'm supposed to use my own computer. There's definitely change afoot in the world of computers in a big way and it's manifesting itself in only 1/4 of the screens in our office now showing Microsoft products (and I'm a MS developer!). The majority are Macs but to be honest I've been looking at them and thinking about installing Ubuntu on one of those as well.
Yesterday I set Windows file sharing on the Macs so now I can switch files between OS X, Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux machines at the click of a button. Happily all the computers are fully integrated now and getting all this sorted has been in the most part really easy. Ubuntu was the easiest, then the Macs a close second but a way distant third was the PC. (Ubuntu uses Samba to share which comes pre-installed and pre-configured, Mac OS X uses its Windows File Sharing utility that you just switch on, with Windows you have to go crawling around network connections and user accounts to get it working as you want). I'm a happy geek.
So now it's time to put the plan to get my Microsoft workaround in place, it's not massively elegant but I've gone past caring - it just needs to work frankly. Hopefully soon the OSS (Open Source Software) guys will build a module that translates proprieatary MS SQL databases into MySQL (OSS) and also a query analyzer that translates MS SQL queries into MySQL queries. This should mean that I can run an ASP emulator like ChiliSoft as well as the proposed module and move all the code and projects onto a non-Microsoft platform. That'll save everyone an immense amount of money frankly.
I hope it gets rid of this rising tension too.
Showing posts with label linux. Show all posts
Showing posts with label linux. Show all posts
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Ubuntu Update
I've dragged everything off the Windows bit of the hard drive - Ubuntu let me browse to it automatically. Genius. I can even automatically connect to both the Macs and the PC's in the office. I've got everything I need off the Windows bit so wanted to free up the space. After a brief thought I figure just to install Ubuntu again and use the whole hard drive. No worries there.
I have come across a problem though. The sound isn't currently working and I need to look at that. Still, insofar as what could have potentially gone wrong it's pretty minimal so far.
Edit: It's because I didn't plug in the speakers. Dickhead.
Enjoying fiddling around with it to be honest.
I have come across a problem though. The sound isn't currently working and I need to look at that. Still, insofar as what could have potentially gone wrong it's pretty minimal so far.
Edit: It's because I didn't plug in the speakers. Dickhead.
Enjoying fiddling around with it to be honest.
Monday, 17 September 2007
Installing Ubuntu instead of Windows
I need a server on the network - one that can run Apache and MySQL and just sit there as a development box. Also it would be handy to have a spare computer for people to use who drop by looking for internet access. I've got an old(ish) computer (Dell P4) that ran Windows ME until it decided enough was enough and started to hang on boot. It needs a rebuild from the ground up and certainly needs an entire fresh install of an operating system for starters.
Options
1) Mac OS X. Since Apple started using Intel processors it's meant that you can run Mac OS's on PC's and Windows on Apple Macs. Hmm, interesting and I love the two Macs I use. Still either got to pay for it or *ahem* "acquire" a copy to install. It's not overly expensive (I found a few offers on Amazon from around $74.99). Possibly worth a purchase I reckon.
2) Windows. A search on dabs.com shows that I can buy the Pro version of Windows XP I'd need for £239.67 and am suggested to buy Microsoft Office 2007 for £358.98. You are fucking kidding aren't you. Not a chance I'm buying Office (I'll come to that later) but £239.67 for a copy of XP? That's 6 1/2 times the price of OS X! I need another option.
3) Ubuntu Linux. An Open Source (code is non proprietary) operating system. Cost is free, or more accurately the cost of any old blank CD I've got laying around the place. Sounding good already. Found one stuffed between a load of old paper and downloaded it in around 15 minutes from the Ubuntu website then spent a couple of minutes burning it to CD on my iMac.
The Choice
OK. It's got to be option 3. The OS X option takes too long to buy the copy off the net and get delivered. Windows is just too expensive to consider. Plus there are security issues there that can be overcome by using another operating system. But what about having someone else using the computer? What about the random people that drop in to quickly check mail and the net? What if they need to open up Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) files they get sent through email?
Well Open Office is the answer. It's basically an Open Source, free version of Microsoft Office. I've used it before and it reads and writes MS Office files and works pretty damn well on any of the operating systems mentioned so far.
Internet is accessed through the Firefox web browser, included in the standard Ubuntu install. I find out Open Office is included with Ubuntu too as standard. Nice.
The Install
So I've just chucked in the CD I burned and it's led me through a very easy interface asking me where I live and what username and password I'd like to log onto the computer with. This already looks more secure than Windows - asking me for a password to start the install. Plus the graphics are fluffy and look very cool. I've left it to do its thing and install. Its saved the hard drive holding the install of Windows ME that I couldn't even log into before (I'm hoping to get the films that are buried somewhere on the hard drive from years gone by).
A Hitch
So it's all installed now and booting up for the first time. It's found a load of errors on the hard drive. Damn, that'll be why Windows wasn't booting up. Ubuntu takes one look and fixes the errors before telling me what it's done and that if I just wait a few seconds please, it'll reboot itself.
I wait with baited breath but everything's gone through without a hitch. The machine reboots and loads up to the Ubuntu login screen. I duly enter my username and password and I'm presented with the Ubuntu desktop. Very slick. I plug in a network cable to the computer hooking it to my internal network ready to configure internet access.
Updates
As soon as the machine (surprisingly quickly) is ready it tells me there's 180MB of updates ready to install. It's automatically detected my network card and connected to the internet. Sweet, but 180MB, that's going to take forever. Actually less than 2 minutes apparently judging by the high speed download - these boys have put some serious thought into upgrades. Windows Update sits in the background and hogs huge resources and time slowing my XP box down to a crawl sometimes when I'm updating that. These 29 updates whistle down and install with 2 clicks (after asking me for my admin password to make sure I'm not anyone naughty). I really liking this more and more. I even like the soft colours and flowing graphics of the desktop. Relaxing and peaceful.
It's taken quite a while to install these updates, and I'm a bit apprehensive that my DVD drive and CD writer won't be working. I'm very nervous in fact. Might have to test it out once the updates have done installing.
Looking through the list of updates, it appears Open Office and Firefox have been updated automatically. Awesome. Saves me a job. Now that all that's finished, it's asked me to reboot and I'm starting to get a bit excited about my new toy. There's always something cool about bringing and old computer back to life.
Finishing Up
A brief reboot and we're ready to go. Everything looks fine. I can access the files in the Windows partition directly from Ubuntu, the CD burner works without needing any other software, internet access works straight away. Basically there's no need for fiddling around!
Impressions
I'm loving it, what a bit of kit. Beautiful, fast, easy to install, easy to use. Free (woohoo!) and clean. Tinks even dropped into the office and just started using it to check her email. Tinks isn't massively technologically literate and just opened up Firefox and logged into Hotmail without any probs at all. Class.
I've actually installed Ubuntu once before on another computer but that was a long time ago. They've done a load of work on this bit of software in the mean time and done it well. After my experience today I'd recommend it to anyone as a genuine alternative for standard home users.
Options
1) Mac OS X. Since Apple started using Intel processors it's meant that you can run Mac OS's on PC's and Windows on Apple Macs. Hmm, interesting and I love the two Macs I use. Still either got to pay for it or *ahem* "acquire" a copy to install. It's not overly expensive (I found a few offers on Amazon from around $74.99). Possibly worth a purchase I reckon.
2) Windows. A search on dabs.com shows that I can buy the Pro version of Windows XP I'd need for £239.67 and am suggested to buy Microsoft Office 2007 for £358.98. You are fucking kidding aren't you. Not a chance I'm buying Office (I'll come to that later) but £239.67 for a copy of XP? That's 6 1/2 times the price of OS X! I need another option.
3) Ubuntu Linux. An Open Source (code is non proprietary) operating system. Cost is free, or more accurately the cost of any old blank CD I've got laying around the place. Sounding good already. Found one stuffed between a load of old paper and downloaded it in around 15 minutes from the Ubuntu website then spent a couple of minutes burning it to CD on my iMac.
The Choice
OK. It's got to be option 3. The OS X option takes too long to buy the copy off the net and get delivered. Windows is just too expensive to consider. Plus there are security issues there that can be overcome by using another operating system. But what about having someone else using the computer? What about the random people that drop in to quickly check mail and the net? What if they need to open up Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) files they get sent through email?
Well Open Office is the answer. It's basically an Open Source, free version of Microsoft Office. I've used it before and it reads and writes MS Office files and works pretty damn well on any of the operating systems mentioned so far.
Internet is accessed through the Firefox web browser, included in the standard Ubuntu install. I find out Open Office is included with Ubuntu too as standard. Nice.
The Install
So I've just chucked in the CD I burned and it's led me through a very easy interface asking me where I live and what username and password I'd like to log onto the computer with. This already looks more secure than Windows - asking me for a password to start the install. Plus the graphics are fluffy and look very cool. I've left it to do its thing and install. Its saved the hard drive holding the install of Windows ME that I couldn't even log into before (I'm hoping to get the films that are buried somewhere on the hard drive from years gone by).
A Hitch
So it's all installed now and booting up for the first time. It's found a load of errors on the hard drive. Damn, that'll be why Windows wasn't booting up. Ubuntu takes one look and fixes the errors before telling me what it's done and that if I just wait a few seconds please, it'll reboot itself.
I wait with baited breath but everything's gone through without a hitch. The machine reboots and loads up to the Ubuntu login screen. I duly enter my username and password and I'm presented with the Ubuntu desktop. Very slick. I plug in a network cable to the computer hooking it to my internal network ready to configure internet access.
Updates
As soon as the machine (surprisingly quickly) is ready it tells me there's 180MB of updates ready to install. It's automatically detected my network card and connected to the internet. Sweet, but 180MB, that's going to take forever. Actually less than 2 minutes apparently judging by the high speed download - these boys have put some serious thought into upgrades. Windows Update sits in the background and hogs huge resources and time slowing my XP box down to a crawl sometimes when I'm updating that. These 29 updates whistle down and install with 2 clicks (after asking me for my admin password to make sure I'm not anyone naughty). I really liking this more and more. I even like the soft colours and flowing graphics of the desktop. Relaxing and peaceful.
It's taken quite a while to install these updates, and I'm a bit apprehensive that my DVD drive and CD writer won't be working. I'm very nervous in fact. Might have to test it out once the updates have done installing.
Looking through the list of updates, it appears Open Office and Firefox have been updated automatically. Awesome. Saves me a job. Now that all that's finished, it's asked me to reboot and I'm starting to get a bit excited about my new toy. There's always something cool about bringing and old computer back to life.
Finishing Up
A brief reboot and we're ready to go. Everything looks fine. I can access the files in the Windows partition directly from Ubuntu, the CD burner works without needing any other software, internet access works straight away. Basically there's no need for fiddling around!
Impressions
I'm loving it, what a bit of kit. Beautiful, fast, easy to install, easy to use. Free (woohoo!) and clean. Tinks even dropped into the office and just started using it to check her email. Tinks isn't massively technologically literate and just opened up Firefox and logged into Hotmail without any probs at all. Class.
I've actually installed Ubuntu once before on another computer but that was a long time ago. They've done a load of work on this bit of software in the mean time and done it well. After my experience today I'd recommend it to anyone as a genuine alternative for standard home users.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Doing the dev
My brain's fried. Proper fried. Was up til 4am trying to pull apart a 56MB MySQL database dump file on 3 different operating systems. Turns out that a combination of shell scripts, Red Hat Linux and nano text editor is the best combination for splitting the file up.
Mailed it into work and retired gracefully to bed ready for loading it into a database this morning. Turns out the data's corrupt in it and so Chris and I have been trying to sift and clean it this morning. Bah!
All this energy on geekiness is because of the contract which we've started recently. We're having to create a full mirrored dev environment from the production servers in the states to be able to work from here effectively. It needs to be done but my word it's really mentally fatiguing. The good news is that it only needs to be set up once - then it's just the fun part of development - building new things, making them work properly and making it look pretty. The bad news is that the rain and storms of late are no longer with us and there's blue skies and bright sunshine. I really want to get out and do some exercise and be in the fresh air but alas - have to prioritise.
Chris has chipped off to a music festival near Geneva this afternoon and after bashing my brains against the computer for another couple of hours, think I might knock work on the head, grab Digby the Dog and my iPod and go for a run up into the thinner air.
P.S. Had refried beans last night - went for mexican food around Brian's with two of his friends travelling around Europe who dropped in to Cham. Was very cool. My dad's given me a penchant for refried beans over the years and these ones imported via Switzerland were very good indeed. Happy days!
Mailed it into work and retired gracefully to bed ready for loading it into a database this morning. Turns out the data's corrupt in it and so Chris and I have been trying to sift and clean it this morning. Bah!
All this energy on geekiness is because of the contract which we've started recently. We're having to create a full mirrored dev environment from the production servers in the states to be able to work from here effectively. It needs to be done but my word it's really mentally fatiguing. The good news is that it only needs to be set up once - then it's just the fun part of development - building new things, making them work properly and making it look pretty. The bad news is that the rain and storms of late are no longer with us and there's blue skies and bright sunshine. I really want to get out and do some exercise and be in the fresh air but alas - have to prioritise.
Chris has chipped off to a music festival near Geneva this afternoon and after bashing my brains against the computer for another couple of hours, think I might knock work on the head, grab Digby the Dog and my iPod and go for a run up into the thinner air.
P.S. Had refried beans last night - went for mexican food around Brian's with two of his friends travelling around Europe who dropped in to Cham. Was very cool. My dad's given me a penchant for refried beans over the years and these ones imported via Switzerland were very good indeed. Happy days!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)