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ACE2K Shows Folks There Are Doors Out Of Windows 44

Posted by timothy from the should-be-required-of-anyone-who-buys-PCs dept.
dmsmith writes: "Scheduled for Oct. 20-22 in Melbourne, Australia, is the Alternative Computer Expo 2000 (ACE2K), the computer expo with no Windows. You can read a bit about it here at the Fairfax IT news site. Also you can go to their site www.ace2k.net." Rather than pushing zealotry on behalf of any particular operating system, these guys have a cool idea: provide a forum that proves there are different ways to do anything. Wish there was an American equivalent -- or is there? How about elsewhere?
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ACE2K Shows Folks There Are Doors Out Of Windows More

ACE2K Shows Folks There Are Doors Out Of Windows

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  • I don't really know if the technical and practical difference, or the amount of usage and marketshare they get; between Windows and other OS's is so pronounced that they would be called alternatives. Linux is close to equal, or surpasses Windows, in many settings, such as education, ISP, research and science.

    I would say that a more accurate name for this show would be Alternative Desktop Computer Expo (but I guess that doesn't acronymize as well), since the Desktop computer is really the only place where Windows could be said to be the only game in town.

    A more interesting show would be one on totally different OSs, that is OSs that are totally conceptually seperated from such things as directories, files, applications, documents, stdin\stdout, and all the things that we take for granted on a OS.

  • Easy. Just go past the banks of NT machines the bosses know about to the back of the computer room, where the various foul smelling trolls who couldn't get a date in high school sit around and nervously titter around their various arcane boxen while emitting clouds of methane and going on about the latest Star Trek, X files or other geekery.

    Duelling geeks is an ugly thing. One opens up with Linux, which shows him to be effete. BSD! Har! We go up one on the l337 haX0r rung. Then the skinny pimple farm with the Shaggy-out-of-scooby-doo pathetic attempt at a beard shows his working version of Plan 9.
  • /*
    I think that for some applications, using a MS product is the different way to do things. I mean, there are lots of apps that have been
    traditionally Unix, and you kind of have to hack around to get something equivalent to work in Windows.
    */

    Yeah, and that, I think, is the point: while I've never attended one of these trade shows, I read the reports afterwards, and laugh at some company that has produced a piece of software for $100 that might be the equivalent of two command-line utilities and 5 lines of bash script. Said company makes a killing. Oh BTW, it's written for Windows.

    Microsoft has a HUGE chunk of the market...there are *still* those who have *no clue* they have an alternative. I've heard people grumble before, "I'd switch if I could." Well, maybe they can now.

    And no, Linux can *never* be a monopoly like Windows. You're thinking of a philosophical sense, if Linux were at the 90% mark, that would make it a monopoly. Well, yeah...but no. Linux doesn't come from one company; a lot of people make $0 from helping with Linux. We don't try to crush the competition with the same zeal as Microsoft, and don't have the collective power and collateral to simply buy the competition if they want (which they're apparently trying again; anyone want to buy Corel's product line from them before they become part of Microsoft?)
  • Troll.

    me != shut_in

    :^P

    I use Linux the same way I would use a Windows machine...as long as nothing goes wrong, it's pretty user-friendly, just like Windows. :^P

  • Why not? Let's let all the OSes in... and restrict each of them to a specific percentage of the displays. That way people who want to go look at MS stuff can, and those of us who would rather see linux/be/mac/whatever can see that. (Not that this would ever work, but...)

    My post wasn't a troll. And this previous post/bright idea shows that _some_ people get it!
    --
    "No se rinde el gallo rojo, sólo cuando ya está muerto."

  • Headline (Score:2)

    by pod ( 1103 )
    Oh, come on! A better headline would have been 'ACE2K Shows Windows The Door' :)
  • than by cutting out a sharply defined microsoft-shaped hole and saying your conference is about everything but this hole. microsoft doesn't put on "anything but linux" or "anything but solaris" shows.
  • By G2 they probably mean the PowerPC 604. (which was the predecessor of the G3 therefore G2). G3 hasn`t yet made it to the classic amiga (boards are on the way though)
  • Need i remind you that most likly the most important to computing in general will be the Amiga Inc Showcase. Amiga Inc will be showing off their new independent cross platform architecture.. i hope. Ifthey are not they will be showing off their SDK.. Which actualy has the independent cross platform architecture.. So if anyone of yours are there. Make sure to have a look at the amiga. You may well be very impressed as i have been. Plus look out for me :) Ill be wearing a blue channelv shirt :).
  • Hi i was just reading your reply. I dont know if your aware but, believe it or not... Amiga are coming out with a brand new OS and OE/DE operating environment/digital environment. Its i believe the worlds first independant cross platfor OS and has the fastest java VM in the world, 22% faster than any other. This is just a brief info. If you dont really know what im talking about. Here are some good links that are very technical, maybe that might be more your style, i found them hard to follow in parts but i think you might be interested. And b4 you think or say anything! It has to be atleast better than windows doesnt it!!! So please read. Also have a look at the new amigas in melbourne on the 20th to 22nd at the ACE2k. http://www-4.ibm.com/software/developer/library/am iga2/index.html?dwzone=linux ...AND... http://www-4.ibm.com/software/developer/library/am iga.html ..POds..
  • I posted the parent post.... I just installed Quake 3 and played on the net... Damn... It is nice and smooth. I also installed realplayer 7 and watched slackertv at 220kbs. GNU utilities like vi, gcc, autoconf, etc.. were installed and now I'm very pleased. I only wish I could mount the nfs share on my linux box! There is a mount command, but for some reason I'm not able to mount the share... oh well... back to the drawing board for qnx.
  • In Brazil a group, headed by Buick , is seting up the 3rd edition of the ExpoSALT ( http://www.wb.com.br/exposalt/ [wb.com.br] ) in the begining of the next year. The ExpoSALT 2000, last feb., had an exposition and talks about Linux ( many distros ), MSX, FreeBSD and BeOS. That was really a great event.
  • So how long until Linux isn't alternative enough to make the show?
  • did anyone think that was funny?

    Some of that stuff was interesting, especially about QNX running nuclear reactors. Maybe it's worth a look for my simple PC? Oh well, all this anti MS talk gets me hoping about the future of alternative OSes. They were missing my personal favorite, BeOS, but what can you do? And where can i get one of those souped up amigas?

  • Now if they had invited Bill Gates to speak, now that would be worth seeing.

    Has anyone else noticed that Bill Gates sounds like Kermit The Frog? I really can't see how anyone can listen to one of his speeches with a straight face.

  • It's interesting to see, in the very same city where the software engineers were selected by Microsoft, a *nix expo. I wonder if this will lead to a reaction similar to that of combining a strong base and strong acid, or even worse, matter and anti-matter, or time and anti-time. Food for thought for the Trekkies in us.
  • Would you describe an alternative medicines show as being "anti medical profession zealotry"?

    Ever been to an alternative medicine conference? At least here in the US, it IS often an "anti medical profession" show.

    Why not let the public choose

    Why not? Let's let all the OSes in... and restrict each of them to a specific percentage of the displays. That way people who want to go look at MS stuff can, and those of us who would rather see linux/be/mac/whatever can see that. (Not that this would ever work, but...)
  • Yeah, if it was a windows convention, how would you find all the good linux software, amid all the MS shitware. There are MS only conventions, but less alternative only conventions, so its always good to have another...
  • From the title image at their website [ace2k.net] I can identify the "logo's" of the OS's that will be presented at this event; except for the ? below, anyone care to enlighten me.
    Amiga, OS/2, ?, GNU/Linux, *BSD, ?, BeOS

    Nader bounced from convention even though he had a ticket! [votenader.com] Tell your neighbours/friends/relatives:
  • Sure they do, just look at most of the major expo's/conventions. The difference is they just don't mention it and it's "everything besides alternatives to M$" ;-)

    phuzzie
  • Please note, in the event that you desire to post drivel like this in the future: No one cares what a fourteen year old Microsoft Zealot going through his "difficult stage" has to say on a website he (looking at his last couple of posts) obviously isn't interested in. Go to bed.
  • He looks like Kermit too.
  • The first ? has a black Apple logo in the top-left, so it may be the logo for a local Mac or OS X user's group (unless that's the Darwin logo?). The one you've identified as *BSD is actually specifically FreeBSD, and the one after it (the puffed-up fugu) is an OpenBSD logo.
  • This sounds like a brilliant idea. Does anybody know if anything like this is being organised in the UK? We usually get a fair number of computer expos, why not this?

    If not, maybe this will spur on people to try something like this. Still, I'd love to be able to pursuade my employer that it is worth paying to send me to Oz for it!
  • Geek Day Out 2000!!! [glasswings.com.au]

    As part of ACE 2000, the geek day out will be held on Friday the 20th of October. The ultimate geek party -- started in response to envy generated by Slashdot Parties in the U.S


    --------------------------------------------
    Computers are like Air conditioners.
  • Well, not that I ever hear about them. Sometimes I get a little jealous while reading about Linux Expo X at Y so it's nice to finally see some in Australia. Now I need to convince mu employer that I need to got to Melbourne.
  • Rather than pushing zealotry on behalf of any particular operating system, these guys have a cool idea: provide a forum that proves there are different ways to do anything.

    I think that for some applications, using a MS product is the different way to do things. I mean, there are lots of apps that have been traditionally Unix, and you kind of have to hack around to get something equivalent to work in Windows.

    And sometimes, Windows does work best. Believe it or not. Don't get me wrong, I like Unix for lots of stuff, but who said one OS has to be a one stop shop for everything we need to do? Rather than pushing the strong points of the OS's, we are no better than MS, a lot of us want to see Linux, or some other OS become a monopoly like Windows is. It isn't like hardware where you have to make a choice, you can run as many OS's as you want.
    -

  • It's good to finally see something like this sooo close to home (well in my home city anyway). I hear about sooo many Linux Expos in the US that I can't get to and there was even one in Sydney. Now finally here is something in Melbourne!!!

    And it is no Linux only, so it'll give me a chance to look into other alternitives. Although it's unlikely that anything would make me switch from Linux now! Although still I'd like to take a look at things like Mac OS X.

    AussiePenguin
    Melbourne, Australia
    ICQ 19255837

  • Slashdot (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    could never be accused of pushing zealotry of a particular OS. All the stories are well balanced and none are hysterical. Especially about Microsoft operating systems.
  • The friday night will also be the Geek Night Out [glasswings.com.au] basically a big party for all the alternative OS geeks.

    On a related note, I had a chat to the Acorn/RiscStation guys at InteractIT (a melbourne pc expo) and it was really pleasing to hear that truly alternative systems such as the RiscStation are still out there, despite not getting all the press coverage of Linux or BSD or

    Of couse... anyone who went to LUV [luv.asn.au] on tuesday already knows about this... but that would be giving my local LUG a plug...
  • Another very cool event was the Alternative
    Party held for the second time this year.
    It's basically a demoparty but no PCs better
    than a 386 were allowed in the democompos and
    the more obscure hardware you had, the more
    respect you got (one guy had brought a genuine
    Vectrex - whoa!). :)

    http://www.fishpool.com/alternative-party/

  • Although it's unlikely that anything would make me switch from Linux now!

    Maybe you will get lucky and MS will have a booth in the parking lot so you can see Win2K. They might even be handing out free copies to the zealots, much like drug dealers do to grade school kids, just to hook you.

  • There is also a Dinner, which sounds like a Trivial night. Their venue will be able to accomodate up to 300 people and some of the questions will be non-technical.

    AussiePenguin
    Melbourne, Australia
    ICQ 19255837

  • I would go but... (Score:3)

    by thogard ( 43403 ) on Wednesday October 04, 2000 @11:51PM (#730277) Homepage
    Why would I go to a computer show where I can't find out the lattest wonderful products from M$?

    Now if they had invited Bill Gates to speak, now that would be worth seeing.

    There is also going to be the "Geek Night Out [glasswings.com.au]" on Oct 20th.

  • Ok, I'll bite the troll

    Having an expo that excludes Windows isn't necessarily anti-Windows zealotry, it's simply pro-alternatives. Would you describe an alternative medicines show as being "anti medical profession zealotry"? Probably not, it's just appealing to a particular market segment. This show wants to attract a niche market, not the wider world of ALL oses. Nothing wrong with that, in the same way as there is nothing wrong with a Windows-only show if that is what you want to go to. Let the public choose.

  • I shouldn't even respond to this troll but I can't help myself.

    If windows was there, probably 90% of the displays/exhibitors would be windows-centric. That's fine if you want to find out about the latest windows shit. But I don't use Windows. I use Be & Linux. I have saved myself time and 90% the noise has been filtered out for me already.

  • I must say I enjoy the "alternative" OS's. I've installed and used many different OS's just for the fun of it and to get an idea of what else is out there. Currently I still like Linux the best as far as non-M$ OS's go. I have installed and played with Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, BeOS, Linux, and QNX.

    Actually, I'm using QNX right now. I must admit, it is indeed a snappy platform. There is no drag and drop support and the applications are limited. I do like the GUI and it's responsiveness. This is what a realtime OS is all about. I'm currently doing a network install of RealPlayer 7, Doom, Quake 3, and some GNU utilities. Configuration of my soundcard happened automatically and configuring my NIC and my graphics settings were a snap.

    I hope that an alternative OS convention comes near my area. I know many who would attend such an event. At any rate, I'll keep on playing till my hearts content!

    cheers
  • The Mizzou Linux Users Group [missouri.edu] in Columbia, MO puts up a good show. It ends up a bit Linux-centric (well, they are a LUG), but tries to include lots of Open Source stuff. Last year, ESR came by and gave one of his famous talks, and it looks like they're working on another really good line up of speakers for this year.

    Here's the page [missouri.edu]
  • One of the events being held at ace2k is a "Geek Party [glasswings.com.au]". Among other things, they plan to have multiplayer games there.

    I've been asked [glasswings.com.au] to provide the PCs for these games. Hmmm, since they don't want any windows machines there, I may have to ask my mates [luv.asn.au] to lend a hand...

    _______________________________________

    Is that an African or European swallow?

  • Shouldn't this be how any non-Microsoft system should be touted--an alternative way to get things done? It seems that a lot of energy is spent here focusing on Microsoft's foibles rather than Linux/BSD/BeOS/'s strengths. Microsoft is constrained by the public and it's investors (and the government, blah blah blah). Linux (and I'm talking the kernel and the GNU set of tools, not any particular distribution) is not and that's why it can advance so much more quickly.

    Rather than tearing something down (which, by the way, gains you no credibility whatsoever), forums such as ACE2K should be brought up as a way to show everyone that anything is possible. If done right, people realize that there are other (sometimes better) ways of doing things. Isn't that what we're all after?
    IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.

  • I don't think it's legal to gather people in a computing-related context without a Windows machine present. If you do, they give you a donut and tell you to stick closer to church-oriented activities.
  • If windows was there, probably 90% of the displays/exhibitors would be windows-centric.

    Possibly even more than 90%...

    That's fine if you want to find out about the latest windows shit

    Or you like seeing loads of stands which are displaying more or less the same thing...
  • For list of Amiga dealers click here [amiga.com] In the Uk here Power Computing are your best bet if you want a new miggie

    The Amiga they mention is nothing special these days.

    It probably has a PowerPc G3/G4 processor (the article mentions G2 which must be a misprint) that work in conjunction with a Motorola 68xxx processor (usually a 68040 or 68040)
    The PowerPC is only used by programs that are specifically coded to use it, for 'classic amiga' programs it still relies on the ol 68x chip.

    To run the current OS 3.5 it still requires the Motorola to as the OS still requires it (OS 3.5 will not yet run natively on PowerPC)

    The new Amiga & OS will be a real 'souped' up machine, the machine mentioned is basically the fastest available using the old chipsets and AGA technology.

    But I'll have to admit they'll find it damned hard to find an Amiga program that requires 128M memory (unless they use Lightwave), so under current Amiga technology they have one mother of a machine.

    Hope thats useful :)
  • The SDK runs on a PC for development purposes. It is NOT the new OS, merely a development environment to ineffect create a virtual Amiga for developing software for when the new OS is released. After all the original Amiga designs were not created on an Amiga (I think they were DEC's - someone correct me if I'm wrong here ?) The new OS will either run on an Amiga Boxen or be capable of being run hosted on another OS. (Rather like with some O/S installs that let you run of a CD or floppy)

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