Letters

Gary Maxwell's article “Linux for a Small Business” [LJ, April 2003] is very useful for an average desktop user like me. I'd like to add a small correction to his statement that “Mozilla lacks a feature that Konqueror has: changeable user agents.” In Mozilla 1.3 and later, the user can change User-Agent by changing profiles.

—Hiroshi Iwatani

I would like to say thanks for some really inspiring and interesting stuff about movies in Linux Journal. The January 2003 issue about Star Trek was excellent. I would also like to give a special thanks to Robin Rowe, because he's actually the reason I'm switching to Linux. The biggest problem as a 3-D animator is that there are not enough 3-D applications for Linux. Currently, I'm using the free Blender 3-D application, and I'm very impressed.

—Jesper Christensen

Robin Rowe replies: Thank you, and you may want to try Wings. That's free, too. See www.linuxmovies.org for a list of more movie-related software.

It would be great if you had a training section in the magazine highlighting where you can get free or paid training for the topics in that month's magazine.

—Mike Hjorleifsson

In response to the letter “..and Loses Another” [Letters, LJ, April 2003] that accuses LJ of containing “apologies for terrorists and other assorted anti-American, third-world riffraff”, I don't believe the editorial team should worry about losing another loser, but should rejoice that LJ does not encourage such xenophobia. Linux provides an opportunity to rise above this type of nationalism. Open-source software can help create a more equitable sharing of knowledge and access to wealth, and this is a great thing. Linux is most definitely a multinational effort in the best traditions of freedom and democracy (a European invention). And yes, that operating system you use every day includes contributions from the third world too.

—Ian, a citizen of the world

How dare you! I had canceled my subscription a few months ago, then what do I find when I look at Linux Journal at my local Borders bookshop? I find interesting, technically unrepentant articles. I find excellent design and a good balance between news, discussion and facts. The cheek of it! I was shocked by the current issue [April 2003], which I was forced to buy—a GNUstep programming introduction, a brilliant inspiring GIMP tutorial, USB drivers, a kernel cryptography overview, CMS chitchat, teasing screenshots of GNOME 2, gossip on kernel patches for the SGI VISWS—and all on lovely glossy paper! You do realise the pain you're putting me through knowing that I'm not subscribing anymore! People I have spoken to were really inspired by your GIMP tutorial. They couldn't wait to get back to their mice and keyboards to try it out. I think that's the key really: to show people how powerful the tools they already have are. “I didn't know you could do X with this Y I have here” is a nice feeling!

—Tariq

I don't get why everyone wants Linux GUIs to look like Microsoft Windows. I've supported Mac users and Windows users for years. It never fails to thoroughly confuse Mac users on Windows systems when something almost works like on their Mac, but not quite. Most users I've worked with had an easier transition from one platform to another when the two had very little semblance to each other.

—LT

Are there any plans for an article or two on the state of desktop publishing software and production on Linux? I'm in the middle of a small press startup, and I'm hoping to be able to standardize on Linux. I've looked at software packages like TeX, LaTeX, LyX and Scribus. None of them seem to be quite ready for my needs, though Scribus is very close. I think you guys are probably in a prime position to write articles on this subject, being already in the publishing industry.

—Charles