Why Linux will never be on consumer pc's.

[rcgreen]

When a user can do a reasonable
job of installing, configuring and
maintaining a system with GUI tools
and no tech support, it will begin
to be competitive.
When windows users reach the limits
of their abilities, there's always a
friend or co-worker who can help.
People are afraid to try an OS
that appears rare and exotic.
If they have one or two enthusiastic
friends they can turn to, maybe they'll
take a chance.
There was a day when one didn't
drive an automobile unless he was
a mechanic.
Some were content with that state
of affairs. It kept the stupid people
off the road.
Likewise, there was a time when
you had to be a programmer
to operate a computer.
Personally, I enjoy editing configuration
files, but most people have other things
on their minds and important work to do.

[oblio]

In my experience with the users in various companies, their knowledge of computing is so limited that the OS is of no concequence. Merely showing them what to do is. Whether something is done harder or easier from platform to platform, the user doesn't really know or care of alternatives and will do what is told to him or her.

[THEJRC]

good point Oblio.... good point

but when a user wants to install something to view some strange document... and they whine to management constantly about getting it...

then I have to fight with it.... M$ is simple enough that most users like these can install apps on their own without bothering me.... (this is just as bad as it is good though)

Really it all boils down to apps.... most businesses have their documents circled around M$ office... so to keep the compatibility problems to a minimum it makes sense to use office...

~THEJRC~

[oblio]

Star Office is now offering Ms Office compatibility. This is besides the point anyways. The fact remains that all these computer manufactures offer machines with linux pre-installed. These, with the exception of SGI are available as non-business gered machines. Va Linux especially, and they are by all means no small company. Dell as well...

[IchNiSan]

hmm,

I was under the impression(from an article I read not long ago) that dell had stopped supporting linux. A brief search just now disabused me of the misconception.

Thanks Oblio.

[Conf1rm3d_K1ll]

Originally posted by oblio
Star Office is now offering Ms Office compatibility.

You'll find that three major "alternatives" to M$ office ( PC suite 602 PRO, the above mentioned StarOffice and even EasyOffice 2001 ) have offered compatibility for quite some time now but as you stated, this is beyond the point..

[THEJRC]

PC suite offers M$ compat??!! nice to know....

The largest problem I've had with the compatibility of M$ is quite simply M$ access.... Staroffice doesnt do the trick.... and unfortunately I need to be able to run both M$ access and the other client side by side on the same database...

Anything out there that anybody knows about?? Might as well learn something I can use from this argume--uhhhmmm discussion

~THEJRC~

[souleman]

Most major vendors are offering linux on their machines....SGI is using Debian btw. The majority of those systems are either servers or high end workstations. That is still a long ways from a few years ago. I have heard many people say that linux will never be a desktop OS. Well, look at the advancements in KDE and Gnome in just the last couple of years also. The configuration has become much easier. Also, many companies, like Creative Labs, are creating linux drivers for their devices. I don't know of many servers that have a use for a good sound card. It is all a mater of time before linux becomes more common. It may never take over as the primary desktop os, but who no one says it has to.

There are always two opposing views. It is all or nothing. People say that either linux will NEVER be a desktop OS, or that it will be THE desktop OS. There is always a grey area. Mac has been around a long time. No one syas that it will be THE os, just that it is a desktop OS. Linux will be the same way. It will never have 100% market share, but it will get its share.