Friday, April 25, 2008

Planning and Software: Some Curiosity

Recently a first-year master's student here at (Georgia) Tech was trying to get information from her colleagues about what software they used and needed on a regular basis. I told her I was an Ubuntu convert (although I'm going to wait until at least the end of the semester to try out Hardy Heron, the most recent version of Ubuntu) and that, furthermore, I would be happy to give some sort of tutorial-slash-advocacy presentation at the beginning of the fall in regards to open-source software for end users, if she and any of the other master's students would be interested.

But that exchange got me to wondering how rare I am in turns of planning students, in relying on open-source software. I suspect that a lot of people use a little bit of open-source software (i.e. they run Firefox) while many fewer people make the leap to Thunderbird or OpenOffice, and fewer still do what I did a year ago and stop using Windows at home. It is not, as it turns out, the easiest thing to do, especially since open-source GIS options are very limited at this point. But there may be particular rewards in turning away from a corporate-controlled operating system (i.e. Windows; Apple has opened up its software a bit) and towards software that is much more heavily dependent on a community approach.

Anyway, I'm curious if anyone else out there has had any experience with a Linux-based operating system or has tried to branch out into using open-source software more often.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

in my previous life, i was a software developer. i have used various flavors of Linux and FreeBSD in those days, but i eventually got to the point where i got tired of all the maintenance headaches and didn't want to have to fight with my computer day in and day out.

i've made The Switch to Mac and have eliminated Microsoft from my daily usage altogether. nowadays, the only time i have to do anything on Windows is GIS, and that's because i don't have the patience or time to learn GRASS.

Back to open source software... i don't have a problem paying someone for writing good software. i've turned almost completely to boutique developers for the Mac. open source software, in my experience, is often poorly designed, lacking useful features, or just plan unstable. it's great for sysadmin and other computer geeks who really like to endlessly tweak their boxes, but in my opinion, most of it is too much hassle for time-constrained PhD students. that said, OSS development plods along and progress has been made. my best advice would be to run it in a virtualization environment and if you really like it, then make the switch.

Jessica Doyle said...

Nick --

Thanks for the comment. Out of curiosity, which flavors of Linux are you most familiar with? I've worked almost exclusively with Ubuntu, though after the semester's over and I have a little time I'm hoping to be able to play with Puppy on a USB stick.

I agree with you that the best way to try a new OS is not to dive in, but to try via a virtualization environment or a live CD. My husband's recommendations were, first, read In the Beginning Was the Command Line, and second, buy a new hard drive on which to run Ubuntu. I still have my Windows drive somewhere around here.

I think one issue is that PhD students (in my experience) are not only time-constrained but money-constrained, and thus having, say, a free alternative to MSOffice can be extremely handy. I agree that nothing is free, and what you gain in money you lose in time spent either learning UNIX (my current bane) or hunting down information some other way. But there may be a subcategory of people who have the reduced income of the PhD student but have enough free time that trying out a Linux-based OS is worth it.

Anonymous said...

i've tried all three of what i'd call the main distro branches: started with slackware, played around with redhat and ended up using debian/ubuntu. actually, i prefer freeBSD over linux for its long term stability and security robustness. i've been using both freeBSD and linux off and on since around 1994.

many PhD students are money constrained. i am too. but when it comes to software, i don't skimp. i've instead ceased buying books if i can help it and rely almost exclusively on the library (for movies too!). in fact, i use software to track what books i've read, what books i have in my "virtual" library—books i'd otherwise own, but want to remember in case they get recalled and i need them later. in the past, i've even ditched my cell phone and internet service in favor of skype (despite security concerns) and coffee shops to save even more. the money saved on these alone is enough to feed my boutique software purchases and occasional hardware.

annalise said...

Jessica,

I have limited experience with Ubuntu at the radio station - I deejay a Friday eve local radio program featuring jazz, blues and black women 8-10p eastern time -valleyfreeradio.org. Just made the switch to a MAC at home, so a tutorial sounds enticing. Keep me posted.

annalise

Jessica Doyle said...

Nick: my husband was using Slackware when we started dating in 2004; switched to Debian at some point; is now on Ubuntu and laughs at me for buying into the upgrade hype. (Which I mention because I would not have got into Linux without him, and it's a bonding point between us.)

A couple days after I made the original post I was thinking that it wasn't so much using Linux-based OSes that I thought might be of interest to planners as the communities that grow up around Linux-based OSes (and FreeBSD too, I bet) -- just the difference between Launchpad and what people usually think of when they think of "tech support" or "development." But my thoughts are still fairly unformed in this area.

What software do you use to track your readings? Just a spreadsheet? I try to stick only to buying books I think I'll either need or find interesting in the long term. Of course, I am now running up an overdue tally on two yet-to-be-located books, so there are advantages to buying on occasion.

Jessica Doyle said...

Annalise: if I do end up doing the tutorial, I'll send you the accompanying PPT, at a minimum.

"Breathe and Push," right? Is there a way to listen to you not-live (i.e. as a recording)? If there is I'm not seeing it on the Valley Free Radio web page.