RE: [MLUG] News Alert from NYTimes.com

["Sam Napier" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

	I can't disagree with either view expressed to be honest. I do
however, have issues with big business dictating the daily norm for what
I have to use to be competitive in the market that has evolved from a
childhood hobby, now grown into full out life passion.
	With this said I can still see the big picture of computing,
Operating Systems will still be required by computers no matter who
makes software. Individuals will never have the same exact opinion on
any software no matter who produces it. I choose to use both Windows and
Linux (Mainly because it's hard to play Diablo II on my Linux Box) to
achieve my personal and professional means. Linux no matter what state
of maturity achieved, is still the younger of the two. When it does take
the lead in the percentage of end-users, what will be said about it.
What proprietary software packages will be required to install a
distribution, how will the industry support growth, why would a company
pay you to develop software for them if they can just download it, would
you want Linux in this scenario?
	Face it, human beings usually follow the popular opinion when
making decisions when not fully informed of the facts. With 70% of the
end users on the planet double clicking on start buttons and my computer
icons, those of us who can use Linux should be grateful that we are not
Joe Six-pack.
	For those of you who just want to gloat of the power of Linux
take this to heart; The city of Medina, Washington when faced with the
task of building a document management system to store 40,000+
construction permits, blue prints, change orders and other documentation
for a $53 Million dollar land development selected an Open Linux
platform which came in a whopping 90% cheaper to implement than the NT
alternative. I guess Bill Gates should have built a smaller house.
	
	

-----Original Message-----
From: EMAIL:PROTECTED
[mailto:EMAIL:PROTECTED] On Behalf Of M. Kovalenko
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 9:29 PM
To: EMAIL:PROTECTED
Subject: Re: [MLUG] News Alert from NYTimes.com


Just a couple of comments...

Dev Null wrote:
> 
> 2. My mother could never use *NIX.  Most people can't.  Why?  
> Regardless of the progress made by the Gnome and KDE projects, I have 
> yet to find a distro. that I can reasonably expect family members, 60 
> year old realtors, and 6 year olds to manage.  Linux is NOT mature, 
> and it's not ready to replace Windows on the desktop.  In practice, 
> people aren't ready for it, and it's not really ready for people 
> either...

Actually, 6-year-olds are your best audience. They learn the fastest,
and will continue using what they learned early on. What do you mean,
Linux is not ready? I use it on the desktop, and my wife uses it to
browse the Web, and she doesn't even know anything about Unix. It just
works, so we use it. Yes, it could've been Windows, but try doing any
useful work on a Windows PC after using a stable Linux box for a month
-- you'll go bald from pulling your hair out.

Also, think about an accounting office with a Unix mainframe. They are
*already* using Unix through their little telnet windows, many without
knowing it. Switch them to KDE, they won't even notice.

> 3. Try managing 400+ computers for several clients/organizations.  
> There is something to be said for a modicum of compatibility where 
> business is concerned.

True, but it's not really an argument since it applies to any
hardware/software combination. I'd take Unix's remote connectivity and
configurability over Windows' any day.

> 4. The anti-trust hearings were, almost entirely, about Microsoft 
> bundling software with their OS.  Initially Internet Explorer, and 
> later things like Office, Media Player, and MSN IM.  How is this 
> different from your garden variety *NIX distro.?  Honestly now.  
> You're ADVOCATING a legal action that would make KDE illegal.  I LIKE 
> being able to type /stand/sysinstall as root and pulling software off 
> of my FreeBSD install CD.  Prosecuting/breaking up MS under the 
> pretense that they bundle a web browser slits our own throats.

KDE is not an OS. And many packages in a distribution are made by
different people/organizations, so it's not quite the same. But I agree,
the whole Federal case, IMHO, was built on a technicality. Couldn't they
come up with a better cause?

Cheers,
-- MK
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