On Monday 17 April 2006 23:51, Juan Alberto Cirez wrote: > I have been using Linux since 1993/1994. I have always used slackware > (and only briefly used debian/Stormix while building their Firewall/VPN > server). Although Linux has gotten easier to install and maintain, it > does still requires a basic understanding of computers to make full > use of it. Until Linux is 100% idiot-proof
"the problem with making something idiot-proof is that idiots are so
ingenious" ;)
no, it simply needs to be usable without dropping to the command line. for
many people we are already there. the little anecdote is talking about
desktops, so discussing server configuration isn't particularly relevant.
(the anecdote is also -several- years old and IMO not terrifically relevant
anymore as it picks on the availability of support which is generally a
solved issue at this point)
> and supports as many devices
> as Windows does (right out of the box), it will be relegated to the
> "Gourmet" user...
there are two general class of devices that linux does not support out of the
box very well IME: wifi cards and new video cards. there certainly are USB
devices, printers, RAID cards and what-not that do not work great (or at all)
with linux, but the same is true of the various releases of windows as well.
this is now an IHV problem, which wasn't actually the case a few years go (we
had our own issues to sort out first)
> To paraphrase Friedrich W. Nietzsche:
*shudder*[1]
> Every advance in human society is
> only made possible when and if the powerful elite deems it necessary, or
> convenient... (EVERY elevation of the type "man," has hitherto been the
> work of an aristocratic society and so it will always be...).
good goddess, this is just so not reflected by history it's not even funny.
but i'll withhold discussing human events since this is a linux mailing list
and try and focus on the topic at hand ...
in the field of technology this whole concept is just unbelievably laughable.
i suggest you take a look at the history of Apple, Microsoft and the PC for a
start. the whole concept of "disruptive technology" which is a well known and
understood trend also flies in the face of this position.
> Not until
> the business world (not just a few; but a concerned, unified effort) see
> the economic benefits(to themselves; not the consumer) of promoting
> Linux as a viable alternative (and Linux continues to mature into a
> true user-friendly OS) will it reach the critical mass it needs to
> "compete" against the StationWagon dealership...
if we look at server-side adoption of linux, one may notice that it achieved
critical mass while proving a philosophical (in addition to the technical)
benefit .... and -then- businesses jumped on board. they most certainly
helped complete the process of it becoming a "mainstream" server OS, but it
was not big business that "gifted" linux with success on the server.
unfortunately, you postulated in the form of a gordian knot so it's hard to
discuss it succinctly or usefully: what does it mean to be a "viable
alternative"? what qualifies as "competing against Windows"? how many
businesses comprise "not just a few", and what if those are made up of start
ups or "small timers" rather than incumbants? you can probably set these
parameters to values that make the above paragraph "true"
but it's mostly moot. the Free software desktop is making progress and winning
important battles consistently with visible improvement in market share and
relevance year over year. philosophy is fun ("what would happen if you could
run fast enough to break through any wall?"), but reality is slightly more
relevant (*runs fast at a wall* "wow. that hurt. god damn. *$&#!")
and just so you don't think i'm talking all rainbows and glitter-elfs, the Big
Three obstacles currently in front of us on the desktop are:
- getting the large OEMs to bundle linux on their hardware
- getting desktop IHVs to release drivers in a timely fashion
- providing ISVs a more cogent development target
two, three and four years ago, our biggest problems were rather different, but
we generally addressed them and move on to these entries on "the list". the
same is happening with the above three and they will eventually be replaced
by others that are right now problems #4-6 (to be slightly glib about it).
all the while progress in the market will continue to be made just as it has
been.
i'll begin to worry about the efficacy of our efforts the future of the
platform if we start seeing a negative trend in industry interest, new
deployments and new development. while i don't think the stationwagon dealers
of the world have much to be concerned about (as long as they mind losing
their death-grip monopoly), the tanks are now called SUVs.
[1] IMHO Nietzsche is more often than not full of shit. he's useful to read
primarily to see what kind of crap one comes up with when you're a brilliant
mind and good writer who lives in desperate times, are henpecked by your
family (in his case by mother and sister), can't get laid to save your life
and deal with long-term illness and physical pain. personally, i put him in
the same category as ayn rand: bad philosophies that sound(ed) good because
they were wrapped in allegory by a gifted and persuasive pen.)
--
Aaron J. Seigo
GPG Fingerprint: 8B8B 2209 0C6F 7C47 B1EA EE75 D6B7 2EB1 A7F1 DB43
Full time KDE developer sponsored by Trolltech (http://www.trolltech.com)
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