>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 advocateTea, Earl Grey, Hot...
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