Niels Voll wrote:
<quote>Why Linux isn't ready for the desktop</quote>
wow - this is a huge generalization, and like so many generalizations
just simply false
I do _not_ run a Linux desktop on a daily basis as my main working
desktop, so most people would conclude that I'm not a raving maniac
Linux zealot. On the surface, I'm a person, who should agree with your
statement, since the main reason, I'm not running Linux as my main
desktop is the lack of easy out-of-the-box, or easy download/install
hardware driver support for my main machine, a rather new Toshiba
laptop. WiFi G and Sound are the obvious trouble spots, I haven't even
tried CD burning or other higher end activities. So the machine is a
dual boot system at the moment. But since WiFi and sound are rather
high priority items for me for daily use, my Linux installation for
now is just a secondary boot, when I want to mess about with something
Linux.
So why do I still disagree with the generality of your statement?
Because _no_ operating system (and hardware drivers) runs on any and
all hardware. Try running Windows on a sparc chip based machine from
Sun Microsystems for example, or on a PowerPC based chip from IBM. And
I bet, that quite a bit of hardware out there does _not_ have drivers
for Mac OS/X. Concluding, that Linux is not ready for the desktop,
since certain hardware can't be used for certain Linux distributions,
is as silly as saying that Mac OS/X or WinXP is not ready for the
desktop.
If my priority would have been to run Linux on my Laptop, I would have
chosen a different laptop. Just as people, who's priority it is to run
Mac Os/X, will chose an laptop from Apple, rather than one from
Toshiba. So why did I chose a Toshiba? Simply speaking, my priority
was the hardware spec of the machine, especially the 1400x1050 display
(I love all those pixels!)... Other people, end up running OS/X,
because they love Apple's hardware.
So, we all have to chose: Pick our hardware, and live with the
consequences of now being bound to certain operating system(s), games,
productivity and other software. _or_ Pick our OS, and live with the
consequence of being tied to certain hardware choices (and software
choices).
If I hadn't been so pre-occupied with picking hardware over software,
I most certainly would have been able to get a really nice desktop
system, which would run quite a number of Linux distro's wonderfully
well.
A sort of reverse argument: I most certainly have found incompatible
server side hardware (e.g. RAID cards) with certain Linux distro's,
kernel versions etc. But just because of that, not many serious people
would argue that Linux isn't ready for the server room.
You can run Linux desktops on many more hardware combinations, than
you can run Max OS/X (and arguably Windows). And I don't think, that
many serious people would argue, that Mac OS/X isn't ready for the
desktop.
If a certain software stack is a priority to you, chose your hardware
accordingly. This has been the case in computing as long as I know.
my CAD 0.02
...Niels
I think one of the key arguments I'm making that you are missing is that
IT CAN BE DONE. There are kernel patches to accomodate the S3 Unichrome
chipset. So why aren't these in the main kernel branch? There *are*
patched versions of xorg for unichromes. So why isn't it integrated
into the main tree? I'm not the type to expect things to Just Work, but
I would like it to be a bit easier to make it Work (i.e. not have to
search hundreds of websites for it). If I could just download the
binary drivers, enable the kernel module, and be on my way, I would be
more than happy. Given that the patches exist, how hard could it be?
Andrew Graupe wrote:
Let me start by saying: I like linux. I think the world would be
better if everyone used it, and at least a bit more spyware free.
That being said, I have just spent most of the day trying to get 3D
acceleration with my integrated S3 UniChrome chip. I will say this
in favor of nVIDIA and ATi, at least they're common enough that
people have come up with workarounds for the various linux bugs. I
write this near midnight, after a marathon session of patching,
kernel recompiles, and other unpleasantness. That being said, I will
still have to reboot often if I want optimum performance because
gentoo-dev-sources (which is fast for normal things) can't be patched
to work with VIA video chips. I think I'll stay with this for now.
At least if the Neverwinter Nights install (the entire reason I'm
doing this) goes without a hitch, it will mean a great advancement in
terms of linux games. I guess we don't hear about linux games that
much because it's so phenomenally hard to get to this point.
I don't mean to flame or troll, but this is the truth. Linux could
be a *TEENSY* bit more userfriendly. If the patches for VIA support
are out there, why haven't they been merged into the main kernel
tree? I have to think that VIA is a fairly big value-mobo
manufacturer (the PC in question is an HP; imagine how many are out
there), so it's not a fringe brand. At least it's done now.
Regards,
Andrew Graupe
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My computer beat me at chess, I beat it at boxing. We're even.
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