Regarding Linux will replace Microsoft Windows

Michael Austin maustin na firstdbasource.com
Neděle Březen 17 04:46:34 CET 2002


Well, I suppose I will weigh in here.   At the outset I will state that
I use technology it is best suited for.  Wxx on my desktop. OpenVMS and
Linux (Caldera) as Web, Ftp and Samba servers.  Why Wxx on the desktop? 
I have to interface with clients that have particular Wxx products and
it just makes life easier.  I am not a MS-Hater nor MS-Biggot. I am also
not a Linux/Unix Biggot.

<ramble mode=enable>          !-- for those that read HTML
RAMBLE=enable;export RAMBLE   ### for the Unix crowd
SET RAMBLE/MODE=ENABLE        !!! for those who know a real OS --
OpenVMS

>From a purely user-centric focus, the Wxx stuff will be around for a
very, very long time.  While Linux may be "free" the business community
has invested $$$Billions in the Windows products and really want a
product they have "real" support they can call 24x7.  They now have all
of their databases and documents and spreadsheets and email in those
products.  You cannot just waltz in one day and replace it.

1) As evidenced in the newsgroups I monitor, Linux is still a geeks OS.
2) As evidenced in the newsgroups I monitor, mere mortals have extreme
difficulty understanding Unix concepts.
3) As evidenced in the newsgroups I monitor, Linux apps are not 100%
compatible with their Wxx counter parts.
4) As evidenced in the newsgroups I monitor, third-party applications
are still a long way away from being able to "compete" at the same
level.

If Unix or Linux were so great as a desktop environment can you explain
companies that have hundreds or even thousands of little-bitty Sun and
Linux boxes they keep locked up in a datacenter somewhere?  Why not just
deploy them to the users desktops? Because the applications are a long
way from competing. Are they getting better, YES. But still have a long
way to go.
 
Will it be a dominant force in the future, absolutely. But only when
Linux is taught and forced on students beginning in the lower education
systems.  You must also keep in mind that if you have as many people
having as many problems in the Wxx arena, how do you expect them to ever
grasp having to try and figure out 'man' pages... as evidenced in the
newsgroups I monitor.  

I am a geek.  I have use and supported more than 10 different Unix OS's
not to mention the rest of my OS experience and I still have to go
looking to try and figure out how to get the system to tell me what I am
looking for.  I can figure it out 99% of the time, but it is because I
am a geek.  The average user today knows little more than to turn it on
and click this icon.  

On a support note, having all of the desktops using some form of
XWindows, makes it very easy to log into the box with X or telnet and
troubleshoot any problem they may be having.

<ramble mode=disable>          !-- for those that read HTML
RAMBLE=disable;export RAMBLE   ### for the Unix crowd
SET RAMBLE/MODE=DISABLE        ### for those who know a real OS --
OpenVMS



-- 
Regards,

Michael Austin            Registered Linux User #261163
First DBA Source, Inc.    http://www.firstdbasource.com
Sr. Consultant


Robert Grizzard wrote:
> 
> AM_ <alfred_molon na removeyahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > The major problem in my opinion is that at the moment Windows
> > applications for average non-technical users are still way better than
> > their Linux counterparts. Not too mention not sufficient hardware support
> > etc.
> > I have a dual system Win98/98lite and Linux. I find myself using Win98
> > mot of the time, because the Windows applications are better and my
> > computer runs faster under Win98 (P133 with 64 MB RAM) than under Redhat
> > 7.1 with KDE.
> 
> I have a computer at work that runs Slackware 8.0 on a 400 MHz PII with 128
> MB of RAM.  I have used another one with the same processor and memory
> population that runs Windows 98SE.  I greatly prefer the Slack machine
> because even with KDE it's fast and responsive -- unlike 98SE.
> 
> You're pushing that little box hella hard.  Add another 64 MB of RAM if you
> can, or try a different windows manager, and I think you'll be a lot happier
> with it.  I've used wmaker and BlackBox, but have found my preference
> normally is fvwm2.
> 
> --
> Well it's all right now, I've learned my lesson well
> See, you can't please everyone so you've got to please yourself.
>  -Rick Nelson



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