Google and Linux

Google and Linux-general Linux technology-Linux technology and application information. For details, refer to the following section. Google has a Linux function. Google, which has always been close to the open-source community, has a Linux mark to pass. Previously, all desktop software released by Google was on a Windows platform and has nothing to do with Linux. This is a limitation on Google's platform strategy. The open-source community, which has always hoped that Google's performance in open-source development, is just a series of disappointments.

In fact, there is also a Google link in Linux. Linux has won the praise and support of many important enterprises on the server. In the embedded field, it also has support from Nokia, Motorala, Samsung, and other public vendors. But are Linux ready for desktop applications? A large number of releases, a large number of software with the same function, and more importantly, the lack of desktop-level standards: is it a bit messy in the flourishing of the surface? Is Linux really ready to support Google's excellent desktop software?

I first installed Google Earth for Linux (Version: 4.0.1563, Release Date: Jun 11 PDT 2006, installation size: 45 M ). The process is very simple. Although OpenGL is used, there is no annoying lack of Lib in Linux. Let's take a look at how Google Earth gets along with Linux: (refer to README-linux, linux/READE-mailto.txt in the Google Earth installation directory)

Browser and email client
Currently, there are no standard methods for GNU/Linux to use your favorite Email client to start the Email writing window. In fact, there may be no common methods for specifying users' favorite email clients!

Fortunately, there is a loose way for your favorite browsers. See Eric Raymond's document on the $ BROWSER variable.

Google Earth currently uses $ BROWSER to specify the BROWSER to run. If $ BROWSER is not set, it tries in the following order by default: "firefox: opera: mozilla: netscape ". For the email address, add "mailto:" to Google Earth and send it to the browser.

GLIBC Problems
If it cannot be started, it may be because your running gblibc is outdated, or the Nvidia/ATi driver and glic pthread support are too bad. This can usually be solved by setting an environment variable before running Google Earth: LD_ASSUME_KERNEL = 2.4.10.

(Optional) You can also consider upgrading the graphics card driver.
[Fortunately, I am not running Google Earth. The graphics card is an intel onboard device.

Desktop integration
Desktops that do not comply with the freeyuntop.org standard will not install the Google Earth menu item in the Application menu. This usually happens in older releases. This is where you need to manually configure the condition icon and association.

[When I use the FVWM window manager, I need to add a menu item by myself. It seems that FVWM does not maintain its own menu, but complying with unified desktop standards is obviously a very important issue for Linux desktops.]

Software MESA
Google Earth can use "Mesa" (OpenGL implemented by the entire software), but this is a backup option. If you use a hardware 3D acceleration video card, install the driver for it. Google Earth requires 3D support, while software simulation is slow.
[This should be a test of Linux's hardware support capabilities. I don't seem to have 3D acceleration, and I feel Google Earth is slow.

In addition, Google Earth uses libCurl to access HTTP/HTTPS networks. LibCurl was previously mentioned when introducing curlftpfs.

Picasa for Linux was released earlier and runs in Linux Through Wine. To enhance Wine's firepower, it may be a basic salary for Windows.

I am using the general. bin format, which is as many as 16 Mb. It contains a complete Wine and libfreetype. so. I wonder if Google will not include a Wine for every product that uses Wine in the future? That's terrible. It's not Linux!

The installation process is also smooth, and Picasa also supports the desktop standard of freeyuntop.org. After Picasa is installed, it takes an hour or two to scan the entire disk. Things under Linux have always been very complex :-) after scanning, I found that there are more than 20000 images, and then I took a closer look. Picasa cannot identify symbolic connections, so there are too many duplicates. In fact, the symbolic connection in Linux is like a shortcut in Windows. Why is an error in Picasa processing? I believe this is not a technical issue.

Of course, there are many problems with Picasa in Linux, and it is not functional in Windows.

In addition, Google's latest Picasa Web Albums does not support this Linux version. By the way, I tried Picasa Web, which is very simple and I like it. However, the space is only 250 MB, and I decided to put some images that I do not disclose.

To sum up, we first published Picasa running through Wine, and then released Google Earth, a native Linux version. Google's Linux policy has gradually become clearer: Apart from Google Earth, other applications use Wine to implement the Linux version.