Messages in this thread | | | Date | Tue, 29 Jun 1999 18:58:00 -0400 (EDT) | From | "Mike A. Harris" <> | Subject | Re: Norton Utilities for Linux ? |
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On Mon, 28 Jun 1999 vigorous@iname.com wrote:
>I use both MS-Windows and Linux, and recently I tried out the >version 4 of the Norton Utilities (for Windows) and I am very >impressed ---- especially the system-doctor, disk-doctor and >the seamless integration of various utilites.
Yes, I too have Norton 4, and it is great in WinXX.
>If ever there is a Norton Utilities (or similar) for Linux, I >bet Linux would be used by more people, since the system-doctor >feature alone may help many users to fine-tune their Linux >systems.
I agree partially. Linux doesn't suffer from the same random trouble that windows does, so there wouldn't need to be nearly as many norton utils for Linux.
>So, will there ever be a Norton Utlities (or similar) for Linux?
You'd have to ask symantec about that.
>If Symantec won't do it, will someone do a Norton Utlities >clone (GPLed?) for Linux?
Only if someone decides to do so. ;o)
I haven't ran "defrag" for Linux yet, and defragging is practically unneeded in Linux anyways, but a nortonish defrag would be nice I suppose (assuming the current defrag program is black and white console app that does nothing but what it is supposed to do).
A program that can audit system files looking for characters that don't belong, and other such things, perhaps checking the syntax of some files, would be nice and sort of Linux-doctorish.
Most of the problems IMHO with windows though, is the system registry. Everything is kept in there, and it is just to fragile and centrally located. This causes a great many problems in that environment. Not a problem in Linux though.
A nice NDD (Norton Disk Doctor) clone for Linux, that worked with various different filesystem types would be fantastic too. fsck does it's job, but isn't end-user friendly if something goes wrong. Not that it is an app an end user should use anyways, but alas, sometimes one has no choice. The easier and more friendly the interface is to a beginner, the more they can accomplish on their own...
I'd like to see some Norton Utils clone project started up for Linux before Norton themselves decide to do so. The main reason being that the people in the know to do this, would likely be hired by Symantec to do it in the first place, and might be under contractual obligation to NOT do a GPL'd side-project, etc...
I know that Ted T'so or someone in his position worked with Partition Magic I believe. I don't see a GPL'd product that replaces it... so extrapolating, if a NU came out for Linux, we'd be more pressed to come up with our own GPL'd effort.
In reality though, Linux is too dynamic I believe for a company like Symantec to put out such a low level product that would not need updates with each kernel revision...
So maybe time is on our side... ;o)
Even if they could, we could pay Linux in penguin mints or something just to change the interface every 2 kernel patchlevel's or so just to keep Symantec and others on their toes. ;o)
TTYL
-- Mike A. Harris Linux advocate GNU advocate Computer Consultant Open Source advocate
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot...
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