Before I start, let me apologize if this email doesn't look right.but my
Linux installation is currently out of service as I am upgrading to Mandrake
7.1.
Anyways, while installing the new Mandrake release I have been thinking
about the original "Follower or Leader" email that was posted yesterday. The
author, whose name I unfortunately forget at this time, made some very valid
points. While certain companies are innovating Linux developers seem to be
playing catch up and developing even more text editors.
I have to agree with the author in the context to which his email was
written. Linux, for the most part, tends to follow the lead of other
companies who are developing for rival operating systems. But thats OK. And
let me tell you why.
Microsoft's biggest player is the Windows client: Windows 9x. A pure client
operating system if there ever was one developed. Although not robust or
stable by any stretch of the imagination, Windows 9x caters to the home
user. Johnny Sixpack can go buy a new computer with preinstalled Windows 9x
software and learn how to use it to his desire within a few days or weeks,
depending on how much time he spends in the Windows 9x environment. He
doesn't need to know how the operating system works, and for that matter he
doesn't care. Initially he wants to "install the Internet" and play a few
games. Once he becomes a little more comfortable with the new digital
paradigm he might dive into the world of personal finances and other
"useful" applications that can be easily bought from his local SuperTarget
or Circuit City.
Microsoft caters to Johnny. If it weren't for Johnny wanting to install the
Internet Microsoft would not be in the position that its currently in.
Microsoft wants Johnny to remain loyal, but Microsoft knows that someday
Johnny is going to get a little bored. So Microsoft spends millions of
dollars each year in research and development to razzle dazzle Johnny.
Imagine how impressed Johnny will be when he can command his computer with
spoken words!
And then there's the filthy few: people who generally have above average
intelligence, a knack for technology, and usually consider "computer
science", in any of its forms, to be a hobby. They know the Internet isn't
an application. They remember life before IRC when they had access to a
"borrowed" university VMS account, typed in 'yzzy relay' at a prompt and all
of a sudden were talking to people all over the planet. They had no idea how
it worked, but man, it was cool! They showed their friends and the friends
didn't care. So they spent time at home learning more, experimenting more,
and realizing that the computer can empower its user to do just about
anything. They also soon realized that Microsoft's premier client operating
system wasn't enough. These are the people that use Linux.
I am one of those people. I am 28 years old and have been using a computer
for 17 years. Although its no longer my interest I was programming in 8-bit
assembler on a Commodore 64 by the time I was 12. When I was 13 and
discovered the miracles of marijuana I was coding in pure machine language
(had to be stoned for that). Networking is my thing now. I get such a
superiority complex when I'm planning, designing, or administering a
network. I know my stuff.
And I can type faster than I could ever hope decent speech recognition
software could ever keep up. I don't care about the latest advances in the
user interface - I want the machine to work. I want my software to work
properly. I want the ability to configure EVERYTHING because I know I
possess the skill set to do it correctly. And most of all I want to learn.
Whether Linux is a follower or a leader just doesn't matter. Linux works.
Linux empowers. Linux doesn't crash. Although there is sometimes a lot of
preliminary work, Linux lets me do the stuff that I need to do a lot faster.
Johnny doesn't need a caching proxy server. Hell I don't think I do either.
But I have one simply because I can, its cool, and I'm smart enough to do
it.
I want to know my operating system inside and out. Johnny doesn't.
I want to be able to easily write a dumb little program for no reason at all
other than for the challenge of doing it. Johnny would rather download
something.
I don't want to pay for my software. Johnny doesn't mind buying the software
he uses.
There are a lot of Johnnys out there. Its these people who are easily taken
by the smoke and mirrors of Microsoft. But the people in the Filthy Few, the
ones who will one day be senior account managers, senior analysts, and
senior vice presidents of major corporations because of their skill and
knowledge of the industry, know better.
I think most Linux users would feel the same way.
-Chris
