NeroLinux vs. K3b 283
An anonymous reader writes "Flexbeta.net compares NeroLinux to K3b under Fedora Core 3. The review notices how NeroLinux does nothing with the eye candy while K3b's GUI is no comparison to NeroLinux. The article also mentions how cumbersome it is to navigate through NeroLinux, also taking note of how long each application takes to accomplish burning tasks."
NeroLINUX (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm running Ubuntu - as a Gnome only user, I'd rather install Nero than K3B and not have to worry about all the KDE libraries, especially as they're unsupported in Ubuntu. Yes, I know running Ubuntu is my personal choice, as is running only Gnome.
But you know what? Nero worked, and it worked just fine. I'm either burning audio CDs or ISOs of linux distributions, and it does the job. Most Gnome CD burning apps are still in development (don't get me going on XCDRoast) and Coaster [coaster-burn.org] is still in active development. I may be lucky that I had a couple Nero keys laying around, but I'm not going to be disappointed by any commerical company releasing an application for linux if it helps linux as a whole - and I think Nero helps. Sure, it's GTK1 and it's kind of ugly (GTK 2 please!) and it's not HIG compliant, but it IS their first relase version for Linux, and they were kind enough to release RPMs AND debs - usually you only see RPMs from a commerical vendor it seems.
Re:Image writing (Score:3, Interesting)
NeroLinux: PI/PO Reporting? (Score:5, Interesting)
If so, this could be an advantage over K3B. There's no free software that detects PI/PO errors.
PI/PO refer to when erasure codes need to recover from scratches etc. and also when the erasure codes are not enough.
Simply reading/MD5ing a DVD is not enough. PI/PO readings will tell you how long you can expect that disk to last. Periodic checking of the disks will tell you when you should reburn/move to different media.
Not a very objective review? (Score:5, Interesting)
Also nero's licencing may be strange, but don't forget that a lot of CDwriters bundle Nero 6 with em. Most people using Nero in windows got it together with their writer. I myself have 3 or 4 official Nero cd's. It's nice that they also want to deliver a linux version in such scenario. Also another big point there is, you have to register, so they can very well track how many users are actually interested, it's their first time that they make a linux version, if they have enough interest, they probably will continue the development and start supporting it officially.
I do like K3B simply because it works, and the whole family can work with it, it's the perfect example for the dummy-user application in Linux, and it simply works, but I remember the times where I still prefered to use cdrecord on commanline than starting K3B, and it had to come a long way... Right now - K3B is high quality software, but there were times where the picture was different.
This is Ahead's first attempt to release linux software, and no instability was encountered. They should be encouraged, it took balls to do this - but reviews like this won't encourage or convince other software firms to write software for linux. Yes there is a lot of "free" software, but a lot of companies can't go without support or reliable and supported windows interoperability - preferably the same software running on Windows & Linux, so they don't have to train their personell to use new and different software.
Also a lot of software is almost not available for linux, like project management software, decent cross-platform agenda sharing. PLEASE don't mention Sunbird, it sucks - we tried it - and lost all agenda's doing so, suddenly all files on webdav were truncated to 0-byte size, after which sunbird freaked out and could not recover. Also it's way to complicated to setup, you need to do extensive configuration in apache, webdav and the client side (which is the worst thing). Sure - one day it will be better, but as long as you don't have these things, no company will completely switch over to linux. Yes there are other packages doing this kind of stuff in linux, but the support in windows is or unexisting or extremely limited. This is a giant step forward for Ahead, way to go I say!
Re:Long story short.... (Score:3, Interesting)
It is natural that the GNU/Linux community has higher expectations, and is more critical. Higher expectations is usually what makes people part of this community in the first place. If you want to appeal to this community, you have to play a better ball game. IMHO, the criticism is just and well placed. Most of us will not be content with what Windows users are content with, and it is good to let our voice be heard as much as possible.
Are you a Nero Developer or something? (Score:1, Interesting)
"Neros advantage is that it works, period. "
Says who? You? It just came out so the jury is definitely out on whether it "just works". Or are you talking about the windows version? Because the linux version is missing much of the windows version functionality. So no, nobody can say it just works quite yet. btw, fancy features? like what? Burn proof? Do you have a list of what Nero can do vs what k3b can't? Because right now that list is title decidedly in k3b's favor.
And while K3b has problems it works for many many users and is currently more full featured than Nerolinux and more imporatnly is Free.
Personally I'm Thrilled with a capital T that Nero ported their app to linux. I think that's awesome. The more desktop apps that are ported to linux the better, free or not.
I'll stick with K3B (Score:5, Interesting)
So I'm sticking with K3B. It's quite simply the most user-friendly piece of software ever written for any platform. If there's any guessing to be done, K3B does it rather than leaving you to do it. And at the end of the burn, it even shows you what commands you could have typed in an XTerm to accomplish the same effect {because of course that's what it's been doing anyway}. I think this is a great way to re-introduce the command line. GCombust, which I used to use on my old Mandrake 8.2 box, did pretty much the same thing, but used GTK1.2.
As for why there is no Win3B
No... Re:Image writing (Score:2, Interesting)
1) BIN/CUE
2) ISO
3) NRG
Dare I say the person that wrote the article doesn't know how to use Nero properly? Yes, yes I dare.
Is the objective of GNU/Linux to recreate Windows? (Score:5, Interesting)
I don't get it. Is the objective of GNU/Linux to simply invent another Windows? A platform where essential utilities (and IMHO, a CD/DVD burner program is essential) are commercial?
Looking at NeroLINUX, there are several points to ponder:
# NeroLINUX is not free as in "free beer". You have to have a registered version of Nero to use the program.
# NeroLINUX is not free as in "liberty". The software is closed source code and claims to use some sort of a "NeroAPI". (The term "proprietary APIs" simply should not be in a GNU/Linux user's vocabulary.)
# Nero notes on its web site, "Important note: Nero does not provide Technical Support for NeroLINUX."
Sorry, I don't see anything to get excited about. To me, it's just another half-step by a commercial company to brag "yeah, we run on Linux" while not really supporting the platform and another way for Nero to generate registrations from its Windows OEM versions.
Again, is the goal of Linux the porting of the same closed-source, marketing-driven, software gimmickry which is "business as usual" in the Windows world? Or is there another, higher goal which is aimed at providing both developers and end-users a different experience?
Unless we all want to be hostage to the same software gimmicks that permeate the Windows world, I'd strongly suggest joining the mailing lists of your favorite GNU/Linux-based burning program and participating in the community that is working to develop those programs.
Blah, NeroLinux needs salt (Score:2, Interesting)
as a letter written in marker on a piece of cardboard.
and other posters making the statement that people will use NeroLinux over K3B because it is easier is a patent JOKE! and proves that they have never used K3B. it works without the need to configure it. well, in Mandrake I don't have to do anything at all, it just works.
also, even though I am not a Gnome user, I have tried to use Gnome alternatives to K3B with mixed results, most of them involving not burning anything, but, of course I don't use Gnome, so I consider it a shortcoming on my part to the software.
That reminds me, I gotta' send some money to the K3B team....they deserve it!
Re:Long story short.... (Score:1, Interesting)
If (Win)Nero is what new Linux users are used to, and by comparison NeroLinux sux, joe blow will think "hmm...Linux can't 'do Nero right'."
All these companies jumping on the Linux bandwagon sets me ILL AT EASE.
HP laptop + Crappily-configured Linux = Crap
WallMart box + Crapola Linux = Crap
Nero
Re:Don't beat up on Ahead. . . (Score:3, Interesting)
When Linux users complain about commercial developers not supporting Linux, they aren't complaining about a lack of applications like Nero, where there's already Free and superior equivalents available. They want Linux versions of applications which have no Free equivalent, have a sub-par equivalent, or in fact may never have one at all.
Many people (rightly or wrongly) complain about the lack of Photoshop on Linux, because GIMP isn't clearly better. Now is the time for Adobe to make a Linux version of Photoshop; if they wait around and GIMP improves a lot, they'll miss their window of opportunity to dominate the market on Linux.
More importantly, Linux is missing a lot of specialized software, such as AutoCAD, or various other applications which are industry-specific and people outside the industry will not have heard of. Companies that would like to move to Linux desktops are frequently bound to Windows by applications such as these.
It's really simple. When people complain about a lack of applications on Linux, they're really complaining about specific applications which they absolutely need which are only available on Windows, and are preventing them from moving to Linux. This doesn't mean they want Linux versions of every dinky Windows program out there. If you're a commercial software developer, you should look closely at the Linux market before making a Linux version of your software. If there's Free software on Linux which is already better than your sorry application, then don't bother. You might want to look for a new market too, because sooner or later Microsoft is going to build that functionality into Windows, rendering you obsolete. If, however, there is no Free equivalent, because your market is just too narrow, then by all means port your application to Linux. You'll probably get a lot of buyers who are now able to ditch Windows.
Too late for Nero (Score:5, Interesting)
Worse yet, the Linux substirutes will eventually be ported to Windows and undercut their core business. All because they didn't want to "waste" money on a small segment of computer users, who, unfortunately for the propprietory software vendors, happen to be developers.
Painful business lesson. They don't seem to understand that its not about market share in the Linux segment its about market share, period.
Re:Long story short.... (Score:2, Interesting)
I just RTFA, it seems clear that Nero has a way to go in Linux, however, if it speaks directly to the API, that is, runs without calling upon cdrdao and cdrecord, then it has the possibility of surpassing k3b in the future, since there are a few things that these tools cannot currently do - writing Karoke CDs or writing an mp3 on the fly in DAO mode, for example.
Further, Nero could very well use transcode and the other movie-tools that k3b uses. I hope this happens - I want the competition of alternatives to cdrecord and cdrdao - they are wonderful tools, don't get me wrong, but they are incomplete. I can't really speak about the dvd tools, I've hardly used them.