I think the only way for Linux to make it on the desktop is for it do be like windows, but do it better, faster, more reliably and cheaper.
I think lindows is a step in the right direction, most users are a complacent bunch, they don't like dealing with things out of their realm of knowledge, it's easy for us being know-it-all geeks to rant on about how much better life with linux would be, but the realities are that they don't want to change their UI and applications, let alone learn to use a scary new OS. Theres the other obvious points that there is nowhere for them to learn using linux, plenty of night classes or courses on windows, "We use it at work", now if you can give them something that they can use with their current skills.... jeremyb. > From: Jeremy Bertenshaw <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 2002/05/02 Thu PM 01:27:07 GMT+12:00 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], CLUG <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: Why Linux isn't on the desktop yet > > I like his comment: > > "Now comes the one sentence I told you about, explaining why Linux is nowhere to be >found on your average end-user non-geek desktop: The worldwide established standard >data format for exchanging word processing documents is Microsoft Word files, and no >Linux distribution I know of comes with an open source program that can handle them." > > What a load of garbage, so lets imagine a world with MS Word support in linux, the >majority of computer users (i.e. the non-technical non-geek types) who can't deal >with installing windows let alone installing linux will flock in droves.... I don't >think so. > > jeremyb. > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Date: 2002/05/02 Thu PM 12:12:53 GMT+12:00 > > To: CLUG <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Why Linux isn't on the desktop yet > > > > Great Article...and so true.... Who owns your data?? You or the vendor > > of your proprietary data format?? > > > > http://www.linuxandmain.com/tech/robformats.html > > > > > > Why Linux isn't on the desktop yet > > > > > > By Rob Landley <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > The answer to the title of this article is a single sentence, but you'll > > have to read the whole article to understand it. The Linux community has > > an amazing blind spot, and I'd like to rant about it a bit. > > > > I keep bumping into programmers who think some program or other is > > needed to change the world. They're wrong. "Linux just needs this one > > program and then we'll be ready!" they cry. I generally want to slap > > these people until they snap out of it (which is kind of hard to do > > through an internet connection). They are making a fundamentally wrong > > assumption. It's not about programs. It's about data. > > > > Let me repeat that. Data formats are important. Programs are not. > > > > Remainder of article at above link. > > > > > > > >Great Article...and so true.... Who owns your data?? You or the vendor of your proprietary data format??
http://www.linuxandmain.com/tech/robformats.html
Why Linux isn't on the desktop yet
By Rob Landley
The answer to the title of this article is a single sentence, but you'll have to read the whole article to understand it. The Linux community has an amazing blind spot, and I'd like to rant about it a bit.
I keep bumping into programmers who think some program or other is needed to change the world. They're wrong. "Linux just needs this one program and then we'll be ready!" they cry. I generally want to slap these people until they snap out of it (which is kind of hard to do through an internet connection). They are making a fundamentally wrong assumption. It's not about programs. It's about data.
Let me repeat that. Data formats are important. Programs are not.
Remainder of article at above link.