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Undertoad · 10-21-2001, 11:46 AM

What you folks are going on about is exactly why I voted "no" on the "viable Linux desktop" question. Several months to get over the Windows addiction completely? Esoteric setup leading to root-able vulnerabilities? Nerdy buzzword-filled debate about different distributions? Emulators being a part of the dominance strategy?

Without question, open source will always lead to certain advantages. But as yet, all these advantages are by the geeks, for the geeks (understanding that I count myself in that description).

It's still true: what any platform needs to succeed with the general public is compelling applications. What Linux needs, then, is a compelling app that somehow takes advantage of openness for its strength. There are already a few of these, such as embedded devices. Increased reliability and security. There need to be more. Maybe something in distributed computing for example.

10-21-2001, 11:46 AM	#33
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	What you folks are going on about is exactly why I voted "no" on the "viable Linux desktop" question. Several months to get over the Windows addiction completely? Esoteric setup leading to root-able vulnerabilities? Nerdy buzzword-filled debate about different distributions? Emulators being a part of the dominance strategy? Without question, open source will always lead to certain advantages. But as yet, all these advantages are by the geeks, for the geeks (understanding that I count myself in that description). It's still true: what any platform needs to succeed with the general public is compelling applications. What Linux needs, then, is a compelling app that somehow takes advantage of openness for its strength. There are already a few of these, such as embedded devices. Increased reliability and security. There need to be more. Maybe something in distributed computing for example.