Thanks for the links, Jason, and welcome aboard! I really liked the newsforge article and agree with what Rob Limo stated.
I disagree with earlier posts stating that new users would be lost in trying to use Linux. AOL has plenty of interface design resources to hide that complexity from the users. I imagine that AOL would make a Linux distro that more or less turns a PC into an information appliance. I'll bet the majority of AOL users only use their PCs for AOL oriented web and email anyway. What do you think? I think M$ would be a little ticked off. I'm very excited at the prospect, though I want to keep my enthusiasm in check until I see more info. BUT, if AOL did buy RedHat, AND made a desktop distro, think of the huge market for software and support! This would be a huge shift in the battle for the desktop. Not to mention a need for a counter to .NET: Mono? .GNU? The mind boggles. Ok, back to checking my enthusiasm... :) John Hebert > -----Original Message----- > From: Jason DeWitt [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, January 21, 2002 7:56 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [brluglist] AOLinux? > > > I just saw this story this morning, it appears that it is > more than just a > rumor now. > > http://news.com.com/2100-1001-819243.html > > Also, here is a newsforge article telling why this is a good > thing, for > everybody except Microsoft. > http://www.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=02/01/19/1848219 > > Oh yeah, Hi. I'm Jason DeWitt. I'm new here. =) > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2002 10:34 PM > Subject: Re: [brluglist] AOLinux? > > > > Why would AOL go to the trouble of making an entire > operating system? All > > they would have to do is to make their own Windows 'shell' > program and > > have it replace Explorer with itself. (Anyone here > remember Microsoft > > Bob?). AOL users don't need an entire operating system for AOL > > integration, all they need is a small Windows program that > provides a > > space for them to store their icons... It could even put > its skin over all > > Windows applications to give the computer that 'AOL feel'. > > > > I think the average AOLer has just enough intelligence to > find setup.exe > > in case the AutoRun doesn't work... But I may be too > generous here... > > There is no way in hell they would ever survive Linux, no > matter how user > > friendly it became. Heck, Windows stupifies many people! > (I have even > > heard people complain that Macintoshes are HARD to use!) > > > > > > Unless AOL is plannning to use its special version of Linux > in some kind > > of embedded computer or applicance (kinda like those souped > up phones that > > do email). Then a customized version of linux would be > approriate in a > > situation where a customer never even knows what it is.... > > > > With all of the advancements, there will occasionnally to > be the need to > > dip into the command prompt in linux, just as in Windows, > it is sometimes > > required to exit the registry or run diagnostics from a > 'system disk'. > > > > Operating systems will *NEVER* be 100% foolproof. There > will always be > > people that find ways to screw them up, there will always > be people that > > open attachments titled "ME_NUDE.EXE" without thinking.... > > > > -Alex > > > > > > ================================================ > > BRLUG - The Baton Rouge Linux User Group > > Visit http://www.brlug.net for more information. > > Send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] to change > > your subscription information. > > ================================================ > > ================================================ > BRLUG - The Baton Rouge Linux User Group > Visit http://www.brlug.net for more information. > Send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] to change > your subscription information. > ================================================ > ================================================ BRLUG - The Baton Rouge Linux User Group Visit http://www.brlug.net for more information. Send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] to change your subscription information. ================================================
