> The trend in recent years is to make computers more > accessible to users > (it's always been a goal for general-purpose OSes > like Windows and > MacOS, it's being taken up by more UNIX and UNIX-like > OSes). The > marketplace doesn't want to have to rely on someone > with a phD to > administer/use UNIX and UNIX-like systems.
Wait, wait, wait! What is simpler: turning on a computer, booting up "a desktop", installing (once), clicking on a bunch of stuff, or... just flicking the switch on and using a Wii-like remote to do what you want, or using a "web browser paradigm" to instantly access applications? I would think that "just flicking the switch on" would be easier to use than the "desktop paradigm". You don't agree? > Plus, if > you want to win > marketshare away from Windows or MacOS then you have > to compete on their > terms. You have to make things simple and "just > work". Yes, but things can be made to "just work" *without* clicky-bunty installers, desktops and icons! "The Matrix isn't real. Free. Your. Mind." > Linux > distributions are doing this (and have been doing > this). They are > (slowly) converting people who otherwise wouldn't > have known what UNIX > or Linux was. OpenSolaris wants in on that action. > Sun certainly does > it's only to Sun's benefit to increase the > OpenSolaris user base). In > order to do so, you have to make things more usable > for the "non-geek" > user. Yes, this is all crystal-clear to me. But there is that danger of chasing ghosts. People's minds are so ingrained, that it seems that we're trying to fix the effect rather than going after the cause. And another thing: from a company that brought us the Blackbox project, and that is working on FishWorks, I think they *can* come up with a set-top box powered by Solaris and ZFS that "just works". Instantaneously. But why do we necessarily have to *slave* to the assumptions that Sun is always *the company* that must and should do everything? What, I can't build my own Solaris-powered set-top box that "just works"? Says who? And why couldn't I? And why couldn't it be mass-marketed and sold? This message posted from opensolaris.org _______________________________________________ opensolaris-discuss mailing list opensolaris-discuss@opensolaris.org
