On Sunday December 24 2006 9:36 pm, John Meyer wrote: [snip]
> I've heard this argument too many times to count. > With all due respect to the author, the argument is based on the > assumption that we want to be mainstreram, that we want everybody and > their grandmother to be running Linux. Personally, I don't. Why? Ah........you're not alone in that, I don't think. However, there's much to consider like economics. There MUST be a steady growth of new users to keep the coffers at least partially full to finance companies like Novell. Further, we need that growth to have the hardware support and applications that so many have wanted for so long. > Because inevitably software manufacturers will dumb down Linux to the > point where the protections cease to be relevant. People will be > running their computers 100 percent of the time in root mode because > they can't be bothered with the hassle of using 'su' when and only when > they really need to upgrade something. That's ignorant and it happens with any OS where a user can run as root. Linux MUST be easy to install and manage for the masses, PLUS allow those who want to get into the guts of it to do so. It CAN be "all things to all people." > Part of the reason why I believe Linux has been insulated from so many > worms and virii and other things is the crucial part between the > keyboard and the chair; the user that understands not to open every > attachment they get, to be wary of phishing scams and whatnot. > Is that being elitist? Maybe. But maybe I want to keep what is unique > in the Linux world unique. Yes.....it's being elitist, but I understand feeling that way, as there's at least a tad bit of that in all of us. If for no other reason, in that a lot of us have been using Linux for a long time and have "paid our dues" sometime ago. ;) However, a Linux world is a LOT better to deal with than a MickySoft world. > In as far as multimedia support, yeah, SuSE doesn't have that out of the > box. You know how long it takes for me to set it up? 2 minutes. And > for that little inconvenience Novell and others don't have to ratchet up > the price of every Linux shipment out there. No.....it's not any big deal. > Those that want to make linux mainstream have their points, and I > respect them. But there are some of us who may not think it is so bad > where we are right now. But, that's now. For SUSE to continue to exist, as well as other distros. and Linux developement in general, it MUST be driven by money or it won't happen. It's an ugly reality, but reality none the less. Fred -- MickySoft, the ultimate corporate parasite. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
