[TriLUG] RE: This is what happens when a OS company shoots its self in the foot (MS Vista)

[David McDowell]

Would you accept resumes in Microsoft Word .doc format?  :p  </tease>  :D


On 12/27/06, Greg Brown <gwbrown1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> My opinion differs somewhat.  I think that more people do not use Linux as a
> desktop as Linux is not ready to be used as a desktop system.  Linux in the
> data center and on the back-end makes sense.  As Jim pointed out you don't
> have to buy any CALs to put up any kind of server and that is a huge benefit
> for any business, large or small.
>
> On the other hand a Linux desktop system just feels like a big kludge.
> Desktops have improved over the years but they are not to the level of
> functionality or ease of use that windows or even os x is at today.  I do
> agree that Matt's opinion that lack of leadership is one reason that people
> haven't moved to Linux but it wasn't because someone dragged them down the
> Linux path kicking and screaming and force-fed them a desktop that wasn't
> going to work for them.  Leadership needs to resolve a lot of these "GNOME
> is the rulz while KDE is the big sux" BS.  Why do you think that OS X looks,
> feels, and runs as well as it does?  I suggest it was the iron fist of Steve
> Jobs DEMANDING that his developers produced a usable system.
>
> Anyhoo, that is just my opinion.  If I were to start a company today I'd
> most likely have Mac desktops and Linux servers on the back-end (depending
> on what my company was doing of course).
>
> On 12/27/06, Matt Frye <mattfrye at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > On 12/26/06, Cristobal Palmer <cristobalpalmer at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > It honestly isn't about lack of common sense. It's about sensemaking
> > > of your options.
> >
> > With specific respect to Linux, a few more reasons why many more
> > people haven't dumped Windows are:
> >
> > 1) Lack of leadership - People are sheep.  Without a leader,
> > rebellions don't get off the ground.  The open source MO doesn't
> > support clear leadership and when leaders could emerge, they are
> > either making deals with M$ to save their own ass (Novell) or exude so
> > much ambivalence (Red Hat) that it's a real turn off.  Much fewer
> > people feel empowered as a result.
> >
> > 2) Design goals are backward - This is a point I made on the Open
> > Source Now list
> > (
> > https://www.redhat.com/archives/open-source-now-list/2004-August/msg00015.html
> > )
> > about 2 1/2 years ago.  The open source typically produces two kinds
> > of software:
> >      a) software written for developers or their friends
> >      b) knockoffs of proprietary software
> >
> > With a few notable exceptions, the open source community fails to
> > produce truly awesome products.  Part of the problem is the "scratch
> > an itch" basis upon which open source projects often come into being
> > and the Unixy "do one thing well" approach.  It's fine that the sort
> > command doesn't read my mail or tell me what time it is, but that's
> > just why it's no fertile garden for innovation.
> >
> > Lack of innovation perpetuates itself right down to the activist
> > level.  We find ourselves selling Grandma on Linux because "it's just
> > like windows."  In the end, people who would use Linux aren't
> > interested in your dissertation on freedom, and they interpret "lack
> > of innovation" as "apathy."
> >
> > Ultimately, what you do inside an OS is *way* more important than what
> > OS you do it on.  Web 2.0 is proof of this.  This is why M$ now fears
> > Google more than Linux.  Tools will eclipse OS as an important
> > battleground and that's where real innovation starts.
> >
> > So, if Windows puts bread on your table, fine.  Entrepreneurs often
> > can't turn away business because customer wants Windows.  And why
> > would they?
> >
> > When it comes to being tech support for friends and family, I teach a
> > man to fish.  I don't have time to fish for them and I already
> > volunteer with Linux.  OS has nothing to do with it.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Matt Frye
> > http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattfrye
> > -----------------------------------------------------
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