Future: Linux will replace Microsoft Windows getting 98% desktop market!

[Bob Raymond]

Ken Morris <kenmo na hfx.andara.com> wrote in 
news:fp6j6ucft153fohgadvb9gpukdrk1kgh4n na 4ax.com:

> I wouldn't bet the farm on it. Although Linux may surpass some
> versions of Windows, especially Windows 9x, in stability I doubt it
> will ever get as easy to install and configure as Windows. I'm hoping
> it does 'cause I want someone to give Microsoft a run for their money.
> And I'm hoping it's Linux now that BeOS is dead.

I'd say for most distros with a graphical install, Linux is already 
easier to install than Windows.  That entire graphical install program 
(even the kernel load is graphical in most distros) can be much more 
appealing to newbies than the same blue-screen, white text Microsoft has 
used since DOS.  Now configuration once set up can be a little tricky for 
the newbie, but that's improving fast too.

> I like what I see in the Linux distros I've looked at so far.
> Especially Mandrake 8.1. It was one of the easiest OSes I've ever
> installed but I still had problems with my USB mouse and I still had
> to do some configuring to get my burner to work. I just don't have to
> do those things with Windows 98SE or 2000 or XP. I must admit 8.1 was
> a big improvement over 7, which didn't recognize my sound card,
> ethernet nic or Promise PCI ATA controller. 8.1 did recognize all
> these things. And YES I was impressed.

SuSE 7.3 Pro set up my burner automatically.  It's not too hard to do 
that in the distros that don't do it automatically either (just a little 
append= line).  I'm surprised you had a USB mouse problem.  I haven't 
really had one of those since I was using Caldera 2.3.  XP you have to 
install add-on software for burning, which can be very expensive, 
incompatible, etc.  Now rewriting doesn't even work at all for me in XP.  
Roxio has yet to add support for my burner, and Nero doesn't seem to like 
working with Windows Explorer too much.

> I see Linux's true strengh as a Network Operating System. I think over
> time it will displace Netware and give NT Server a good run for it's
> money. I just don't see it as a home os as it lacks the gaming support
> (yeah I kow about WINE) nor do I see it as a business office desktop
> platform as there is nothing on the desktop that can touch Microsoft
> Office.

Star Office?  K Office will be up there once they can get their Word 
import filters straightened out, but already Excel files are a snap with 
KSpread.  And it's WineX for games, not just Wine.  You need both.  
What's wrong with some of the current gaming offerings?  Quake 3, Unreal, 
Tribes 2, and quite a few more are available natively for Linux, and they 
are pretty popular for Windows still.
 
> I work for the Government of Nova Scotia in Canada. I've had
> delegations from Japan, Washington, Iceland, etc arrive at our office
> asking us for a laptop with MS Powerpoint so that they give our
> management or our Politicians a demonstration of some proposal they
> have developed in Powerpoint. The business world uses MS Office. There
> is nothing we can do to change that untill something  better and less
> costly is available. One thing Microsoft does well is Marketing !

KPresent is getting there.  If someone on the KDE team would follow 
through with one of their commercial ideas they keep having in the 
interviews, it would have marketing.