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<title>1998 Editor's Choice Awards LG #35</title>
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<H4>
"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"
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<font color="navy">A <I>Linux Journal</I> Preview</font>:
This article will appear in the January 1999 issue of <I>Linux Journal</I>.
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<center>
<H1><font color="maroon">1998 Editor's Choice Awards</font></H1>
<H4>By <a href="mailto:gazette@ssc.com">Marjorie Richardson</a></H4>
</center>
<P> <HR> <P>
When the <i>LJ</i> staff decided to have Editor's
Choice Awards this year in addition to the Readers' Choice, I agreed
without truly realizing how difficult it would be to make decisions. So
many fine products that support Linux are available today, and the number
grows daily. This has indeed been a good year for Linux users, beginning
with the announcement that Netscape would become open source and proceeding
through the announcements of support for Linux by all the major database
companies.
<P> <HR> <P>
<img align="left" src="./gx/richardson/3199f1.gif">
<P> &nbsp;
<h3>Product of the Year--Netscape Communicator</h3>
<P> &nbsp;
<p>
I must admit this one wasn't a hard decision. It is my belief that
Netscape's announcement that Communicator would be open source started
it all. This announcement galvanized the world to find out about the Open
Source movement and the Linux operating system that was responsible for its
creation. Linux needed a big company in its corner in order for the word to
spread, and Netscape provided just the initiative that was needed.
<P> <HR> <P>
<h3>Most Promising Software Newcomers--GNOME and KDE</h3>
<p>
This was probably the most difficult decision, so it ended in a tie.
So many new products are available for Linux this year; finally, the flood
of software applications we have all been waiting for is happening.
However, the one thing everyone has always said Linux needs to become
competitive with the commercial operating systems is a user-friendly
desktop--both GNOME and KDE are filling this need.
<P> <HR> <P>
<img align="left" src="./gx/richardson/3199f2.gif">
<P> &nbsp;
<h3>Best New Gadget--Schlumberger Smart Card</h3>
<P> &nbsp;
<P> &nbsp;
<p>
While I was given some interesting suggestions for this one, I never had
any doubt that the Smart Card was the proper choice. A credit card with a
Linux CPU on it is just too extraordinary. The computer chip embedded
in the card stores not only mundane information about the card holder, but also
biometric information that can be used for identification--talk about
great security! The suggestion most people gave me was the PalmPilot, which
is indeed a cool product, but even though Linux runs on it, the port was done by
programmers outside 3Com.
According to Mr. Bob Ingols, a 3Com staff member,
3Com does not support Linux and does not plan to.
<P> <HR> <P>
<img align="left" src="./gx/richardson/3199f3.jpg">
<P> &nbsp;
<h3>Best New Hardware--Corel NetWinder</h3>
<P> &nbsp;
<P> &nbsp;
<p>
Corel Computer was the first company to declare Linux as its operating
system of choice and sell computers with Linux pre-installed. With the
continuing growth of Internet popularity, the network computer's day has
come and the NetWinder is one of the best. It is small, powerful and easily
configured. Best of all, it comes with Linux. Debian's recent port to the ARM
architecture means that it too will run on the NetWinder. A close second
was the Cobalt Qube Microserver--not only is it a great little server,
it's cute too.
<P> <HR> <P>
<img align="left" src="./gx/richardson/3199f4.gif">
<P> &nbsp;
<h3>Best New Application--Informix</h3>
<p>
Another tough one. My initial choice was the GIMP, but it's been around
for some time (my first thoughts always seem to be free software). At any rate,
a port of a major database to Linux has long been anticipated, and Informix
made the breakthrough with other database companies following suit. With support from
Informix, Linux can now enter the business ``big leagues''. A
close second, in my mind, is Corel's WordPerfect 8 for Linux for the same
reason--to be accepted in the workplace, Linux
needs this product.
<p><HR> <P>
<img align="left" src="./gx/richardson/3199f5.gif">
<P> &nbsp;
<h3>Best New Book--<i>Samba: Integrating UNIX and Windows</i></h3>
<P> &nbsp;
<P> &nbsp;
<p>
Some might call ``foul'' on this one, because it is published by SSC.
However, this award is for the book and the author, John Blair, not for the
publisher. <i>Samba: Integrating UNIX and Windows</i> was
needed and its popularity has proved it. John has written a comprehensive
book of interest to all who are running multi-OS shops. The book has been
endorsed by the Samba Team, who has gone so far as to make John a member.
If the award had been for ``best all-around book on Linux'', I would have
given it to the ever-popular (with good reason) <i>Running Linux</i> by Matt
Welsh, published by O'Reilly & Associates.
<p><HR> <P>
<h3>Best Business Solution--Linux Print System at Cisco</h3>
<p>
In our October issue, we had a great article called ``Linux Print
System at Cisco Systems, Inc.'' by Damian Ivereigh. In it, Damian
described how Cisco was using Linux, Samba and Netatalk to manage
approximately 1,600 printers worldwide in mission-critical environments. He
also described how he did it and supplied the source code he used, so that
others could also benefit from this solution--a wonderful way to contribute
to the Linux community.
<p><HR> <P>
<h3>Most Desired Port--QuarkXPress</h3>
<p>
<i>Linux Journal</i> uses Linux as its operating system of choice on all
but one lone
machine. For layout, we must have an MS Windows 95 machine in order to run
QuarkXPress. Each month we hold our breath during the layout period hoping
that when Windows crashes (it always does), it won't be at a critical
juncture. Crashing for no apparent reason creates extra work for Lydia Kinata,
our layout artist, and much stress for all of us each month. We are more
than ready to be rid of this albatross and have a total Linux shop. Next,
like everyone else, we'd like Adobe to port <i>all</i> its products to
Linux.
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<center><H5>Copyright &copy; 1998, Marjorie Richardson <BR>
Published in Issue 35 of <i>Linux Gazette</i>, December 1998</H5></center>
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