[TriLUG] User Friendliness

[Jeff Tickle]

In IRC we were discussing some of the little things that Windows does
better than Linux in terms of user friendliness.  Because if there's one
thing Microsoft got right, it's making a computer easy to use... and
while Linux has made a LOT of progress in this area, it's not where it
needs to be.

If the Linux community times it right, I think we can deal a fatal blow
to Microsoft.  It's a fact that the software they're writing is, in
fact, getting better.  Better as in more secure, more friendly, etc. 
However, while they ARE responding to some market pressure from Linux
and other alternatives, they're also doing a lot of ignoring to the
people that put them where they are today: the average users.

Also consider that Longhorn isn't going to be available until 2006...
and knowing Microsoft, that means Q3 2007.  That's a LONG turnaround for
a major overhaul.  Things are going to get out of date in such a way
that hotfixes won't be able to take care of them.

Call me crazy, but I'm convinced that we seriously have a chance to make
a specifically user-friendly distribution of Linux.  We start a few
projects to make things like software installation or file browsing a
little easier, and contribute to existing projects as well, and then
sometime within a year, release a distribution geared towards Windows
users who want to make the switch.

And who knows.  This distro of course would be free, but maybe we could
package it up real nicely and market the crazy hell out of it and sell
it in stores?  Once it has some popularity, throw it at game developers
and other software people and convince them that Windows is going away,
and they should be the first to jump on tomorrow's technology...

I already got at least one bite from the IRC conversation, but it'll
take more than two people ;-)

I've got some webspace, and there's always triforge.  So if anyone is
interested in helping out with something like this, reply or something. 
I think it would be fun to try and overthrow the current market leader.

No flames, please.  Microsoft had its place in history, and I don't deny
that technology probably wouldn't be where it is today without Bill's
competitive spirit.  However, there's not much in the way of that
anymore... mainly just greed, and as much as I make fixing people's
little Windows boxes temporarily... I'd rather make that money
permanently fixing them with a Linux install.

Positive comments and constructive criticism welcome!

-Jeff

-- 
Jeff Tickle <jtickle at jtsoft.net>
JTSoft.net