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The International Space Station has switched all its computers from Windows to Linux.

The International Space Station has switched all its computers from Windows to Linux.

I love this quote:

“We migrated key functions from Windows to Linux because we needed an operating system that was stable and reliable.”

I’ve been on Linux for almost six years, It crashes, but that is usually user error.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

12 comments

  • James Stephens

    Watch all the anti-Linux FUD come rolling in. What are they so afraid of? Let’s see; A universe of software, good looking, easy to use, stable, secure. Hmm. Once people see my computer they say “I want that.” I have replaced hundreds of Windows OS with Linux and NEVER had one come back. They’re friends see them and bring me they’re computers many brand new still in the box. Then they’re friends see those and so on. Hay OEMs want better sales? Wonder what that UEFI is all about?

  • D. K. Williams

    I’d go with Apple, but almost anything is preferable to Windows.

  • James Stephens

    And I quote from the Article: Beyond stability and reliability, Keith Chuvala of the United Space Alliance says they wanted an operating system that “would give us in-house control. So if we needed to patch, adjust or adapt, we could.”

    For safety any hardware which flies on board the ISS must be rated for space flight. This is an arduous process often involving many redesigns and taking years. They wish to replace the OS not the hardware. Linux will run on already rated hardware. Running W-7 or Apple would require new and as yet unrated hardware.

  • Pzatchok

    Been running linux of one flavor or another on all my old equipment for almost 10 years.

    Walked into my last job and all the machines except the desktops were running some form of Unix or SUN.

    Rather similar to Linux.
    After the IT guy found out I could work the Unix system and new enough networking to not kill the system he was using me as the midnight IT guy. If he got a call at home he would call me and ask what was going on.

    The only trouble we ever had was from the Windows boxes. They just hated staying connected to the internal network.

  • Pzatchok

    Whats the MARS rover running?

    Bet its windows.

  • James Stephens

    Why would the Mars rover need anything with a UI, the Martians? Ground control uses Linux. Like I said FUD.

  • James Stephens

    Cheer-leading aside, I didn’t mean to engage in FUD and I just did. In the end I don’t care if they use Windows, Linux or an abacus just so long as it works. It’s the science and the exploration that’s important. Someday I want to be complaining about the bad food at the Mars Hyatt.

  • What is FUD? (As a general rule it usually is a good idea to avoid acronyms when you write.)

  • Pzatchok

    I believe it means Fun Useless Data.

    In reference to my question on if the myriad of problems on the Mars rover could be attributed to a MS operating system.

  • wodun

    From a personal computer standpoint, I still have XP and have never had any problems with BSOD or anything similar.

    What Stephens said in his second post about having in house control makes more sense than Windows sucks and crashes all the time.

  • James Stephens

    I apologize I thought it was a common acronym. I will avoid such acronyms in the future.

    F.U.D. Fear, Uncertainty, Distrust. Often used to describe disparaging remarks about the other.

    I was trying to point out in my clumsy way that neither Linux or Windows deserve many of the wraps against them.

    Actually I’ve enjoyed XP over years and I like W-7. I enjoy Linux because It’s easy to see what’s going on.

  • Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt.

    Basically blowing smoke about something to scare people.

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