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Dave Whitinger announces LinSight 52

Posted by justin++ from the not-here-yet dept.
UuCon writes "On LinuxPR.com there is announcement about Co-Founder of Linux Today, Dave Whitinger has announced LinSight. A "Powerful, artificially intelligent network of websites will provide world-class service to the Linux community." Funny thing that the first member of the team listed is Elton Wells, who has "left his position as Program Manager of Developer Tools at Microsoft to join LinSight". "
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Dave Whitinger announces LinSight More

Dave Whitinger announces LinSight

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  • There's a difference between writing a system designed to be small and writing a small system.

    If you design a large system, and starts to implement it, you will discover that the way you designed it is not working, but unfortunately, everything is written to support that design, so you're pretty much screwed. By writing a system which can function when it's small, you will always have something that's working. With a general design, you can easily upgrade it to something large that's working.

    When you start designing a programming language, you usually design the core language first, and then adds the standard library, making it a large language that way. Doing it that way, you get C, Ada or Common Lisp. By making it large in the first place, you get C++ and Visual Basic.

    And need I remind you that UNIX is a small OS with a lot of additions, while Windows is a large unorganized chaos? No, Windows is not a DOS patch. Windows is a large GUI without any real OS inside, in which they threw DOS because they didn't have time or brains to anything else.

    And Emacs started out as the "E MACroS for TECO", while Word started out as a large program.

    There's nothing wrong with designing something to only be large, but normally you do that the second time, when you know what you want and the old design needs to be replaced.

  • This MS person seems to be UTK Alumini. (Google serch result.) See following:

    http://www.cs.utk.edu/news/Newsletter/alumninews .html

    But he is not in Redmond but in N.C few hours from RedHat.



  • I actually thought of Linux Solution Developers Network. Also LSD(N) Online also would give most developers a high :-)
  • So it's not really intelligent, it just appears that way?

    :) -- denotes intention of sarcasm.

    Just read to me like 'Artifically Flavored' or something.

  • In view of the number of ideas Microsoft have borrowed from Unix over the years, it's obvious there are people in Bill's company who really are specialists, maybe more than in many another Unix-using or Unix-developing company. The only programs Microsoft make a cock-up of are Microsoft programs - but of course, they have their reasons for that :--)
  • Ooo, Yet Another Linux Portal. Forgive my lack of excitement. I'll apologize when it gets so cool that it replaces Slashdot as my "Home" site. (but it'd have to be pretty customizable and real frickin' intelligent for that. Maybe if they let me browse slashdot stories, and track specific software apps (as opposed to freshmeat, which tracks tons of stuff I don't care about...) and give me links to my comics and stuff...)

    I see nothing wrong with having someone who used to have to work at Microsoft (but at least get to take their money :) now in charge of developing a Linux site. Provided it doesn't end up being evil. (like, say, IE "enhanced"...)

    However, some people might not take this point of view. Like this coward, here. It's somewhat telling that the Anti-Linux section is also the FreeBSD section... What lamers.

    Of course, if you get sick of Linux or Microsoft bashing, there's also a section of very mature statements on relationships, and the classic Series 8 Garbage Pail Kids...

    There's also a "Free IPO Offering". It's a shame I can't just short their stock now.
    ---
    pb Reply or e-mail rather than vaguely moderate [152.7.41.11].

  • Business Model (Score:3)

    by chazR ( 41002 ) on Sunday November 21, 1999 @01:33AM (#1515737) Homepage
    Does anybody know what the business model is? People of this calibre are going to want some return from their efforts. If they charge for access, a lot of people are going to be annoyed. They could try to support it with advertising, but that presents it's own problems.

    Alternatively, they could make the resource freely available and charge a lot for consultancy.

    Incidentally, however much you dislike Microsoft, their developer support (MSDN etc) has always been good. A significant part of their success is based on making it easy to develop software for their platforms. A similar quality resource for Linux in one location could provide a tremendous boost. Companies considering ports from other platforms would certainly see a single point for Linux development resources as a major benefit.

    I wish them well.

  • They are going to start a large number of web sites, and an AI system which analyzes the user and determines which web sites (s)he might be interrested in? That's a strange decision order. Why don't they create the web sites first, and when the amount gets out of hand, then they could development systems to make the navigation easier.

    It's my professional opinion that the only proper way of developing very large software systems is to build a small to medium system, and then patch it up to large. These guys are starting to build something large, and thus it will probably fail.

  • I give a...well, I think it's significant, and hope that it is a trend. Defections from the Evil Empire, if such they be, are to be applauded. After all, one of Microsoft's bits of dirty dealing is hiring away talent, and movement of talent in the opposite direction is a Good Thing.

  • Let's suck *all* the air out of the room (Score:2)

    by Anonymous Coward
    The post was intended to be a droll jab at the sobersides who natter on about the pronunciation of this "Linux" operating system the kids are talking about. Some say it should be LEEnux, some say LINnux, others LYnux, and yet others say "Throatwarbler Mangrove," which may be a reference to some obscure comedy troupe of the 70s.

    See, part of the problem is that the person who invented Linux, Marc Andreesson, is from Belgium, where the word "Linux" (a kind of cheese) is pronounced to rhyme with "peanuts," whereas Al Gore, the person who's done most of the work on the Linux "colonel" (or "graphical user interface" -- the shorter name is a pun on the fact that the rank of colonel is one above "major," and Gore has made the MAJOR contributions to Linux -- get it? See why programmers are renowned as the wacky funsters they are?), is actually from Florida, where "Linux" was the name of the main character in his neighbor and future running mate Chuck "Spuds" Schulz' comic strip "Peanuts" (recall what Linux sounds like in Belgian! see how the wheels turn within wheels in this pun stuff?)

    *chuckle* Whoo! Ah me. Let me catch my breath.

    SO, when this article came out referring to LinSight, where the second syllable rhymes with "Line" (hey, is this a reference to LINES of code? I just got that!), it was seen as an opportunity to "mine" the rich "vein" (maybe "LaneSight"?) of humor in an otherwise serious controversy, maybe gently nudging people to lighten up (or "litten up" -- can you see how the possibilities are endless? Isn't it GREAT? ["grite?"]) and maybe pause to reflect on man's inhumanity to man. Or something.

    But I didn't catch the LinSight/insight thing. Thanks!

  • Check out his personal web sight (Score:2)

    by Anonymous Coward
    If you follow the links to his personal web site [whitinger.net] you can see pictures of some OS types like Don Becker, ESR, Bob Young, Bruce Perens and even the Slashdot gang! There's also a weird personality test which gives some insight into what he's trying to accomplish with Linsight (i think).

  • As a program manager, dev tools? Probably do planning/organization for at least some of MS development software line; figure that the company has a decent number of people who *aren't* SDEs (Software Development Engineers) but do get to coordinate them.

    It's *not* a coding position.
  • I heard that progman was still around. I just tried it on my Windows 95 machine and it comes up, but it's seriously hosed.

    Probably some dll problem...

  • Microsoft makes this big show of only hiring the best people, but really, it must be a mind-numbing stultifying experience that all those people working so hard (as we hear) can't turn up anything more innovative than a dancing paper clip.

    Why would anyone want to work there very long?

  • If they can bring it together in a well done, usable fashion, it'll be an awfully hand resource.
    The only concern I would have is that it will either be lacking in total content, or it will thrust too much info at users.
    Having a central site for info is also a great way to combat the fud that says there is no good place to turn for linux support. We'll see..
  • Yes, the tone around here is that Microsoft suits are evil. I'm not nuts about Microsoft's products or their business practices, but just because someone worked as a Microsoft suit doesn't mean they are coming to suck the soul out of our beloved penguin.

    As Linux becomes more and more profitable, you will see more and more people coming from the "dark side".

    I'm no more happy about it than any of you are.

  • Hmm... (Score:1)

    by pen ( 7191 )
    What exactly is "world-class service"? I've seen the term used before, and I'm wondering what exactly is meant by it... :)

    --

  • Fair enough, and I agree to an extent, but I don't think I'm prejudging this guy, and certainly not prejudging him or this company based solely on his employment history. I am intrigued by the fact that his employment with M$ was deemed important enough to warrant mention in the press release. BTW, I too use M$ products on a daily basis (with varying degrees of sucess) as they are a staple of corporate life.
  • Am I the only one who thinks it's interesting that a former M$ employee is not only jumping ship for this, but that this company is so forthright about his employment history? Admittedly, developer relations was one of M$ strong points, so it's not a bad pedigree. One would have to question how much real linux experience he has (no mention of what copyleft projects he worked on) but then again, this is a wide-open and fast developing frontier. As far as the efficacy of their site, I definitely think that there is room in the market for a single point of reference for technical support. Linuxcare.com, Redhat, etc. all are providing pieces of the puzzle, but nobody has bundled a comprehensive, simple update and info site with much success. Best of luck to them, I guess.
  • I would like to see an LSDN online with comprehensive information that is well organised like the MSDN Online site. The metaphor of books is well used there. It would help system administrators, developers and managers in finding information quickly at a single point.
  • world-class
    adj.
    1. Ranking among the foremost in the world; of an international standard of excellence; of the highest order: a world-class figure skater.
    2. Usage Problem. Great, as in importance, concern, or notoriety.
    Usage Note: The adjective world-class became current as a result of its original use to describe athletes capable of performing at an international level of competition, as in A ten-second time would put him in the first rank of world-class sprinters. In recent years it has been extended to mean "of an international standard of excellence" and has been applied to a wide variety of categories. When used of things that naturally admit such comparison, the extended use of the word is generally acceptable to the Usage Panel. In the most recent survey 65 percent accepted the description world-class restaurant, and 53 percent accepted world-class sports car. But the expression is not generally accepted as a vague way of emphasizing magnitude or degree. The sentence Johann Sebastian Bach's 300th birthday will rank as a world-class anniversary was acceptable to only 7 percent, and only 4 percent accepted a newspaper's description of AIDS as a world-class tragedy.

  • Re:Rat from a sinking ship? (Score:3)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 20, 1999 @08:55PM (#1515758)
    Please people, don't jump down the guy's back just because he worked for Microsoft. And don't assume he can't know anything about Linux because he worked at Microsoft. I have to mess around with Linux at home because I'm forced to use Windows at work and I've become pretty knowledgable. Maybe he was running a home network running on linux, or perhaps running a business based on linux.

    The point is, judge the guy by what he does. Not by where he used to work.


  • Re:Rat from a sinking ship? (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I didn't mean to imply that you were prejudging him. Your comment just brought to mind that some people will probably pick up on his employment history and use that in a negative sense.

    I suspect that his employment at Microsoft was mentioned because it'll come out sooner or later anyway, particularly if the company is successful. There's no sense in hiding that information, nor should it be necessary to hide it. Remember, Microsoft employees are no diferent than you or I. They just happen to work for some of the most ruthless business people in the world.
  • Remember, Microsoft employees are no diferent than you or I.

    Some of them are, some of them aren't. I think it's directly proportional to their proximity from the marketing department...

    Check out these guys in the research area, with some alternatives to the title "Intelligent Environments" [microsoft.com]. Proves that at least some MS employees have a sense of humour. :)

  • Program Manager? (Score:4)

    by /dev/kev ( 9760 ) on Saturday November 20, 1999 @10:21PM (#1515763) Homepage
    This guy used to be a Program Manager at MS?
    Didn't they get rid of that thing after Windows 3.1?

    :)

  • Information, please (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    So which way should this be pronounced: "LineSight" or "LeenSight" ?
  • Yes, but if you continue that quote on to where the humor is apparent, you'll also note that the JOB he said he'd do would be (to paraphrase):

    I'd happily sit on a tropical island and play Quake all day for 2 million a year (plus benefits) if Microsoft foots the bill.

    I'll try to find the exact quote, but the above is fairly close. I dimly recall it being on linux-kernel a long long lonnnng time ago.

    Ethics had nothing to do with the statement as I remembered it. It was a joke (possibly a half joke), to which most people replied "Hell yeah, give ME $2M a year to sit and play quake and I'll drop everything else too!".

    Would people actually do it? I dunno. I probably would, but I'm already a corporate whore so I'd probably not lose much sleep over it ;) I mean... I'd still dis MS, but I'll take thier money, sure! They wouldn't miss it, and I'd enjoy it immensely.

    Sadly, the odds of MS sending some archfiend out to wave a couple megs american under my nose are just slightly better than my arms detaching themselves and flying off into the sunset whilst covered in tiramisu.

    --
    rickf@transpect.SPAM-B-GONE.net (remove the SPAM-B-GONE bit)

  • Elton Wells: Elton has left his position as Program Manager of Developer Tools at Microsoft to join LinSight. He brings years of Linux experience, and will be responsible for the development of LinSight

    It's quite obvious that years of linux experience at microsoft means that they MUST BE STEALING GPL CODE AND USING IT! Panic...

    smile, it's funny
  • I definitely agree. Totally. Do things small first, and then throw code at it later. First, start with two-digit years, and make sure you system works with that. Because if it doesn't work with two-digit years, it certainly won't work with four-digit years. We can upgrade to four-digit years later.

    "Yeah, right."

    It is "my" professional opinion that the only proper way of building "very large software systems" is to design and build a very large software system. The world is filled with totally unmaintainable/unfixable systems that were designed small, and then "patched" up to large (ex: windows!)

    Now, they will probably fail if they seek to implement a very large software system and don't have the resources or vision to actually follow it through, because it is obviously no easy task. But a large system has to be designed as such.
  • years? how many years? if years of linux experience are worth $$$, what are my 8 years worth?
  • Just a nit, but shouldn't that be LDN? It wouldn't be LinuxSoft Developer Network, it would be Linux Developer Network. The MS in MSDN is MicroSoft.

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