On Tue, Jan 21, 2003 at 10:55:31AM -0600, Dan Minette wrote: > Given that lack of support, I think it will be a very long time before > Linux has any real market share.
You are basing this observation on notebook computers? For desktop computers, there are several vendors that will sell a PC with Linux running fine with all the hardware and drivers already installed. And desktop computers tend to use more established hardware for which drivers are available for Linux. There is a large market for general-use desktop computers, and it is not drivers that is holding Linux back from that market. For notebook computers, the story is different. Since hardware is much less standardized for notebook computers, Linux drivers are often harder to come by. The manufacturers of the specialized hardware always write a Windows driver, but often not only do they not write a Linux driver, but they won't even make the hardware specs available to those who would write a driver. Nevertheless, Linux can be installed on many Dell notebook computers without much difficulty. The real problem comes in with specialized hardware, for example, some small-volume, new piece of hardware used for some task that, say, less than 1% of computer users tend to do. If it is a good piece of hardware that is used for some technical application, the chances are good that a Linux driver will be written eventually, but if you need to use brand-new specialized hardware, then you are probably out of luck with Linux. Of course, that market is, by definition, small. So it is strange to decide that that is what is keeping Linux from gaining "any real market share". -- "Erik Reuter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.erikreuter.net/ _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
