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

Neil L. Little nllitt12669 at earthlink.net
Thu Dec 28 18:31:39 EST 2006


It must, however, be written using Open Office when you save it to .doc 
format.

Neil, WA4AZL
JARS Forever!!
http://www.jars.net/

> 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.



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