Well... I dont disagree Jerry,
However from my perspective (which is quite possibly flawed) is I see Linux *rite
now* in a kind of push come to shove perdiciment where really for the first time Linux
is openly aknowledged to be a competitor with a milti-billion dollar company, in fact
the *only* operating system (unfortunatly)
Its a choice- users really want just a few things
1)stability [linux has that]
2)they want to dialup to the web [which untill recently has become a nightmare for most
linux newbies]
3)they want to browse the web [IMO netscape is really the only choice for an across the
board accepted standard webbrowser *and* it seems to becoming less stable]
4) they want some kind of gui windowing [ you look at K or gnome then the otheres such
as fwm or icewm and tell me which one "most" users will choose]
5) they want a decent mail reader [which recently in this group has been discussed w/o
any real conclusions ie: this one works... what more do you want. It goes back and
forth
this one does this and that one does that not... I wish this one had this feature...we
cant seem to recommend--> *one* *Nice* standard, such as slrn for news. A high
percentage of folks arent into the news but all are into mail! and IMO linuxes best
shot
at mail is pine, which only now claims the next version will have a bit of color.Going
into the next millenium with a B&W mail reader is *absurd*!
Ive spent an embarrassing amount of my time.... trying.... to simply apply a patch
mailed this group, mailed pines group, mailed my lug, even mailed the authors!!!
NADA!!!
call me jaded or whatever but I just dont veiw that as progress, or rephrased--
progress
that will keep up with the times.
Many folks will just say... nice but... not for me. IOW not taken seroiusly-- for the
upcoming masses.Im not suggesting it be for the "masses" but rather a "significant"
bunch of enthusiasts who want a *choice*
Im not talking about transparent servers. Im talking desktop-- home desktop. That may
not be linuxes target rite now but neverthe less makes a lasting impression on those
who
*try* to welcome it.
6) they want their documents compatible with their associates .doc .xls. Reading
anything about SO makes my stomach churn... Maybe its ok on the new release. But I
assure you Ive spent more than appropriate time downloading- printing the docs- NADA
Ive also tried the handicapped version of applixware on 5.3 I no longer bother to
install it
7)they want to be able to hook up a printer without jumping thru a million hoops. a
simple printer!
8) and I think lastly.. they want a CHOICE... a *viable choice* and lets face it *most*
rather than stick it out to the bitter end... would just succumb to ms. Its easier to
succumb particulalry if its extradanordanillary difficult!
speaking for myself, Ive givin linux my best... but have gotten past the point of rtfm
or man this and man that.... factually much of linuxes problems if you will, is its
lack
of organization with the software writers , distrubuters and lack of *up to date*
documentation, whithout having to spend a day finding how to apply one file
I could go on and on.. Im sure the group gets my point and there has been discussion
adinfiniteum regarding Linux being ready for prime time. I suppose its all ones
definition of "prime time"
best regards
rob
Jerry Lynn Kreps wrote:
> dizzy wrote:
> >
> > yea well ...There seems to be a bit of truth to this statement
> >
> > "Today the browsers have gotten rich enough that it's not the kind of software
> > that you can develop and test in a university-type of environment," he said.
> >
> > the next post talks about execs leaving netscape....
> > then we hear about ie being ported to unix [yech]
> >
> > seems to me that before netscape was bought out by aol we had a chance but in the
> > last year or so its been downhill and ie seems to take up the slak.
> > One other observation on my part... concidence or not, but the instablity seemd to
> > arise when ns realeased its source-- it dosnt seem the OS programmers going
> > anywhere with it. It just seems to get more resource hungry and less stable.
> > Dont get me wrong... Ive *never* even used ie!! and I hate to see ns take a
> > downslide which IMO apears to be happening
> > rob
>
> It amazes me how 'down in the mouth' some people get just because Bill
> Gates is running around the country shouting "the Linux sky is
> falling". Gates isn't and can't do anything to change the future of
> Linux. It is not in his hands. Linux isn't like "Netscape", for
> example, which had to continually generate income for salaries, overhead
> and stock profits competing against M$'s browser without having M$'s
> marketing channel and without controlling the OS. Linux hasn't needed
> or used any of that. Linux has arrived where it is at today by being a
> fast and stable OS that is free, and by word of mouth. Nothing has
> changed. Linux will continue to be free no matter what M$ does. It
> will continue to be fast and powerful. Even RedHat knows that it's
> presence and growth is because of Linux and not the other way around.
> Linux will continue to grow, as it has been doing, because it is now a
> tested OS that has reached a critical mass.
> I view Gate's appearances, and those of his sychophants and FUD
> dispensers, as an indication of his/their desperation. More and more
> people/companies are realizing how much money can be saved, how much
> speed and stability can be achieved using Linux. A business with 30
> servers and 300 workstations can save nearly $500,000 avoiding a single
> Windows "upgrade" cycle! That ain't chicken feed. With the advent of
> high quality X-clients like KDE (and GNOME, if it ever gets out of
> beta), an exploding third party market and EOM/VARs selling PC with
> Linux installed, even the computer neophytes will find migrating to
> Linux easy.
> No need to dispare. "Just dance with the one that brought you to the
> dance."
> JLK
>
> --
>
> JLK
> Linux, because it's STABLE, the source code is included, the price is
> right.
--
Linux Home page http://www.connix.com/~dizzy73/LBM.htm
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