On Saturday 02 February 2002 01:45 pm, Greg Kettmann wrote:
<snip>
 A second point, against Mono and Wine.  It's very difficult to win when
 you're always chasing or lagging.  That is if you are adhering exactly to
 Microsoft then they control things.  New somethings, like XP, will come out
 which will fundamentally break some things and then there is a lag while we
 catch up.  That said, I'm hoping Mono will set it's own "open" standards, as
 mentioned in this post, and deny M$ the "embrace and extend" capability. 
 That said, Wine is great, but not as a platform for the future, more as a
 compatibility layer to plug the gap between what's available on Windows and
 that on Linux.
</snip>

What I don't understand is why linux developers seem to appear to be trying 
to "catch up" with Microsoft (coming from a non-developer).  There seems to 
be a mentality that in order to "win" (win what?), linux must offer the exact 
same set of tools as does Microsoft (the apparent current "winners") for some 
reason.  I've read so many articles on what linux needs in order to 
"dethrone" Microsoft.  They all basically say the same thing and it seems 
that more and more developers are listening, but I don't know why.  "Winning" 
apparently requires replicating underachieving (and buggy) software sold my 
Microsoft.  Office primarily, but now this whole .Net "platform" seems to be 
the new key.

Frankly, this boggles the mind.

My words to linux developers would be to continue to do the creative and 
innovative things that have brought us to where we are today.  Microsoft 
certainly didn't get us here.  I have serious doubts that following *their* 
lead will take us anyplace useful in the future.  So quit following bad 
examples and start leading again.

-Mike-
--------------------------
Michael A. Costolo

"History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of 
urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure."
- Justice Thurgood Marshall, 1989

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