__/ [ Rex Ballard ] on Saturday 23 September 2006 10:27 \__
> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>> Linux for mere mortals
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>> | You don't have to be a technician to intsall the latest version of
>> | the alternative operating system, writes Rob Pegoraro
>
> Another plug for Ubuntu.
Yes, it has become quite the 'brand name'; almost as though it's its own
separate entity. The funny thing is that I must syndicate the keyword
'ubuntu' because in many GNU/Linux articles, neither 'open source' nor
'linux' will be contained.
> The reality is that when "Linux Ready" hardware is chosen, there are
> several good choices available which are easily installed. SUSE 10.1,
> Linspire, and Ubuntu seem to be the leaders in Desktop Linux when it
> comes to ease of installation and ease of use.
I have never tried Linspire, but from videos that I have seen its
installation resembles Windows. Same with Xandros. Then again, the operation
of the O/S resembles Windows as well. Might as well be consistent with the
promises that are made, namely a swift transition that aligns with one's
pre-existing habits.
Some wish to antagonise consistency and familiarity, e.g. no Aqua, no blue
shades, etc. It's not about rebelion though. Windows and OS X lookalike are
sometimes rant- and flame-provoking in Linux forums. In fact, for the past 6
years or so, my widgets have always had dark shades, which is rather unique
and still permits good contrast.
> Red Hat doesn't seem to be as interested in this market. Their desktop
> platform is more focused on administrative workstations and developer
> workstations oriented toward those who develop for Red Hat servers.
> Not the biggest segment of the market.
Red Hat spokesm[a/e]n has/have said that Red Hat still depends heavily on
hackers. I suppose that Fedora maintainers and contributers such as [H]omer
hold a key to their success.
> Perhaps they will start looking as Novell and Linspire capture bigger
> and bigger markets directly.
>
> Ubuntu is a great "leader" offering. It gets people using Linux
> quickly and at little or no cost. Of course, if they establish a very
> large market, they could easily open revenue streams from advertising,
> branding, and services.
I like what Lindows (well, formerly Lindows) have been doing. I heard about
them several years ago, the context being an alternative to Microsoft
Windows. And the name reflected on this perfectly. No wonder Microsoft paid
them to rename to Linspire (it's easy to ask a begger for a lung, right?). I
think Lindows should have kept its name. This only leads to confusion,
almost as though Lindows exists no more.
Linspire offers a cushion to anyone who is impatient and unwilling to cope
with and accept change. Users will use any minor mishap as an excuse.
Hypothetical example: "No dropdown X in OpenOffice? But it exists in office.
Thus, OpenOffice is stupid and isn't worth it". These are the typical nags
you hear before one drops into the old filthy bed with that old familiar
smell. Think of it as something with sentimental value (orientation,
memories and all that malarkey). But at the same time, professional Windows
users/devs who are willingly converted fear using one of these so-called
"n00b distros" such as Ubuntu (yes, it has earned that reputation),
Linspire, and Xandros. The similarity to Windows is the latter case helps in
no way to terms of popularity and recognition among the 'Linux community'. I
can think of one programmer in this group who sesparately wants to
understand Linux better. He is infatuated with you and he has a Linux
love/hate relationship. As a result, it is you get some of the insults
whenever things go awry. But he'll get there (Linux), eventually. It's just
a matter of self-pride (friends, posting history, inner conflict, admitting
a mistake, disposing of old data/work/skills, principles and so on).
>> | [...]
>> |
>> | But that dividing line might be fading. On one hand, the security
>> | problem with Windows seems as bad as ever - especially for people
>> | running pre- XP releases.
>
> This is really the "Microsoft Killer" more than anything else.
> Microsoft's insistence on keeping back doors open, keeping protocols
> closed (nondisclosures), and allowing mysterious accesses by friend and
> foe alike, are rapidly eroding customer good will.
>
> It's like the gas guzzlers in the 1970s. When the price of gas was 25
> cents per gallon, nobody cared. When the price went to a dollar a
> gallon, economy cars from Japan and Europe got very popular.
>
> But Japan did one better. The engineer out the built-in obsolescense
> built into US cars. Soon the roads were filled with Honda and Toyota
> cars that retained value, and US cars lost 1/2 their value within a
> year. Today, US car makers import critical parts from all over the
> world, and implement the same quality standards as Honda and Toyota
> (who keep pushing to make even better cars).
I have heard similar stories from my dad (he's not the brightrest guy, never
been to college, yet he understands industry), as well as an old friend from
the gym. The Japanese needed time to penetrate, but no-one could truly
compete with the price _and_ the quality. Here in the UK (Manchester, at
least) it is rare to find American cars. The competition benefits all.
> Perhaps now that Gas has gone to $3 per gallon, we'll see Indicas and
> Indigos on US roads. :D For those who have never been to India, these
> are cars about half the size and weight of a Ford Escort, that get 25
> kilometers per litre or more.
Mind you, the United States still thrive on a culture of waste and
exploitation. They say, "it's just the way capitalism works". Several years
ago, just /before/ 9/11, I was fuming with anger over Bush's policies on
controlling emissions. Is exemplifies the desire to use, use, use, drain,
drain, drain. It's the go-get-her culture as I like to call it. It's all
about what you can get at the expense of others. And if you need a bunch of
'scientists' to distort the knowledge that prevails among the population, so
be it. Exploit people's ignorance and betray trust. In that respect, one
could draw many similarities between the Republican (even Chinese) regime
and that company in Washington State.
>> | On the other hand, Linux's developers have
>> | been working to fix the issues that have understandably spooked
>> | outsiders.
>
> Actually, Linux developers have gone above and beyond. They have had
> to make it as easy as possible to configure a Linux system, to make up
> for the fact that the machine was probably sold with Windows
> preinstalled.
>
>> | These days, Linux is a lot less likely to bite your hand off, though
>> | it might not hold your hand much either.
>
> This depends largely on which applications you run. Xfig, Xman, "vi"
> and emacs are not exactly "user friendly and intuitive", but they are
> available for those willing to learn them.
>
> On the other hand, OpenOffice Konqueror, Firefox, and other "user
> friendly" applications, as well as configuration tools, are also
> available and usually easier to find and start.
Precisely! This myth related to the "it's all command-line" or "it's just for
server" FUD that has been spreading over the years and never truly been
rectified.
>
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=36&art_id=27880&sid=9588776&con_type=1&d_str=20060923
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