I will tell my opinion here too.
I've been in the Windows world for years now, but I've never felt
offended by the remarks coming from the Linux world since I've always
had a sympathy for Linux and "open"/"free" software, as defined in the
GPL.
Even though it was, and still is a mystery to me some actions of the
Linux "fans": I will give as an example the protest at the Win98
launching. I felt miserable for those who participated at the protest...
I understand an opposition towards Microsoft. I don't understand an
opposition towards Microsoft products' users. It is the freedom of
choice. We are free to choose Linux, if we feel it suits our needs best.
It is others' choice to choose Ms if they feel they should.
Microsoft indeed has a great marketing department. None stops SuSE or
RedHat from having one too. We should fight with the weapons provided by
ration and logic and not be misled by our feelings. I strongly believe
that offending people who use Ms products is not the way of drawing
their attention to Linux.
If anything, Linux needs enthusiasts and not fanatics.
I had a fight with myself until deciding not long ago to finally switch
on Linux. Why was it so difficult? (it took me more than an year to
decide, while I tried several versions of RedHat - from 4.2 to 5.2)
Because it was (now it's estompating/vanishing) a perception of the
"old" UNIX users: the command line (prompt) is always the best.
Remember, please that GUI is not a Ms invention, but a Rank Xerox one in
early 70'ies and it was developed by Apple. Ms just took something it
was already discovered. And all the UNIX fans said that "graphical
gadgets" that loads the system useless can't be but a bad thing. And I
believe that we must make a difference bewteen increase in productivity
and comfort in use, added to a ease to learn (not all people want/need
to know the inner structure of an operating system) and some graphical
gadgets (that Windows I admit has).
Right now Linux I think is ready to go in the front line - the KDE
graphical environment is the first one I like more than Windows
interface. And in plus, Linux has the enormous advantage of letting
anyone interested to tweak around as much as he/she desires, unlike
Windows. And again, in plus, it has all the advantages of the UNIX OS
inheritance, with all the stability, reliability and performance that
comes from here.
All that still needs to be changed is our attitude. The "save the
whales"/"greenpeace" attitude, with fanatic actions, a reminiscence of
the times when Linux didn't have a chance against commercial OS's (like
Windows) MUST be changed with a more rational, logical and deep
attitude. We must replace the desperation of the losers (please remember
the protests i mentioned about in the beginning) with the calm
and serenity of the winners.
Thank you for taking the time of reading my opinion.
Dan
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