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LindowsOS Marches On
alphabet26 writes "I just received Lindow's 2001 Wrap-up e-mail, and it looks like they're still forging ahead regardless of the lawsuit Microsoft filed against them. In the update, CEO Michael Robertson included a letter in response addressed to Bill Gates, and also some screenshots of what the new LindowsOS will look like. He predicts the retail version will be available in the early months of 2002."
looks to me like win2k + object desktop.
update comments set karma=-1, reason='offtopic' where sid=26315
Wow, it's Windows with different icons! I'm so impressed. Anyone remember linuxOne?
this is getting old and so are you
blog
They should not cease their work until either they choose (i.e. if the market decides they are complete vapourware after all....), or until they are forced to, if a suitably independent judgement decides they are in fact infringing on an extant trademark.
Now the prime issues are will they actually get a decent useable product to market, and can they get suitably independent justice. Their adversary is one of the largest patrons of the legal trade after all...
jer
We may be human, but we're still animals
- Steve Vai
In the event the server is /.'ed, here's what it reads....
Via Fax and U.S. Mail
(425) 936-7329
Mr. Bill Gates
Chairman, Board of Directors
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
Re: Lawsuit Over Our Use of LindowsOS-Proposal for Settlement Discussions
Dear Mr. Gates:
I am writing Chairman to Chairman to discuss the lawsuit your company filed against our use of "LindowsOS" for the LINUX based operating system we are advertising and developing.
I also had the opportunity to read press accounts which state or imply that Microsoft wants to resolve the controversy "voluntarily" and out of court. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss personally a potential informal resolution of this matter. Please call me to discuss this option as soon as possible.
As I understand your lawsuit, you say purchasers will be confused because of our use of "LindowsOS" and Microsoft's use of "WINDOWS" on its "XP PROFESSIONAL" and "XP HOME" operating systems. The corresponding and quite different logos placed next to each other are set out below for your convenience.
[image] [image]
As you can see, the distinct labeling and the differences of our products compel the conclusion that there will be no consumer confusion. We can also create different labeling if necessary or appropriate.
Lindows.com does not yet sell a product-at this point all we are doing is advertising. As you also are undoubtedly aware, when our operating system is ready for distribution, we plan on selling our LINUX based operating systems over the Internet to very sophisticated and discriminating customers who would not be confused that our product was created or sponsored by Microsoft. In contrast, you are selling about 90% of your operating systems to sophisticated OEM purchasers while about 10% are sold as CDs on store shelves. I can assure you that Lindows.com has not done and will do nothing to cause consumer confusion or trade upon Microsoft's goodwill. All we are trying to do is give consumers a distinct choice.
Needless to say, the lawsuit came as a complete surprise. For months, we have been very public with regard to our plans. Detailed descriptions of our operating system have been extensively disclosed and written about in advertising and media. Yet we were given no notice whatsoever of your displeasure with our use of the "LindowsOS" mark or slogan until the lawsuit was filed one business day before Christmas, alleging it was a prohibited use of your mark or slogan "Windows."
We are additionally puzzled because there was never any contact between our companies prior to the lawsuit. I would have thought that a phone call or fax, or even a formal cease and desist letter, would be a more appropriate first step to get to a voluntary resolution. On the other hand, I am glad to read in your court papers and press accounts that you are not trying to stop or prevent our company from launching our LindowsOS product-you just want us to stop using the mark or slogan "LindowsOS". That's good to hear because, like you, we are working hard to innovate and offer consumers a choice of novel and resourceful products.
I look forward to meeting with you to discuss the outcomes which work for both sides. It is my sincere interest to focus on delivering a unique product and not to get dragged into a lengthy court battle, so there is no need for any lawyers to meet with us.
Unfortunately, because you filed your complaint one business day before Christmas and have demanded a response in the shortest possible legal time frame (hearing set for January 11, 2002), we do not have much time to discuss this matter. Therefore, I would like to request that you continue the hearing on the preliminary injunction so that we could resolve this issue before we get bogged down in a quagmire of litigation.
I look forward to speaking with you as soon as possible.
Very truly yours,
Michael Robertson
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Lindows.com, Inc.
cc: Steve Ballmer, CEO
Dear Bill,
Why didnt you talk to us before you sued? Either way we'll keep doing what we're doing till someone in the court tells us to stop.
Have a nice day.
BOSTON SUCKS!
Also, Lindows screenshots look surprisingly good, apparently it runs IE and MS Word, something no Linux GUI has yet been able to do to my knowledge (Lotus Notes runs on linux), this looks like a big-time scam if you ask me. I think either Mr. Robertson has lost his mind or their marketing department is pulling a 'Daikatana.'
and don't you just love the ms bashing comments in the email on the outlook screenshot. if you're going for the microsoft-without-the-schnide-competitive-streak schtick then you've lost it already.
update comments set karma=-1, reason='offtopic' where sid=26315
Looking at those screenshots of outlook running...
:-)
Oh joy! Here I was, reading my email in linux and feeling all left out when one of those little email worms hit and my friends using outlook were panicking! Now I'll be able to join in on the fun...
Assuming that's not just windows with a few GUI mods.
Humorless sig goes here.
Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
God, I'm going to get so many 'foes' doing this. I'm simply doing this because I would have found it very useful.
Malike Bamiyi wanted my assistance.
can anyone say, KDE? Looks unfinished..
An OS's design influences how its native applications behave. Port a Windows app over to the Mac, and people will bitch like crazy. It just doesn't fit. Similarly, a windows app runninng on a linux box just has a fonky feel to it.
Windows apps are what makes windows what it is, and vice versa. If you want to run windows apps, run windows or an emulator.
there's more than one way to do me.
I do not see the benefits that this Linux-derived OS can bring, other than a little more publicity to our corner. Scott of Loki said that people who use Linux do so for the benefits Linux brings, and I agree.
Im not sure that the world needs/wants a better Windows than Windows. I don't need to remind anyone of the success of *all* previous endeavours to accomplish the same feat.
I am in the corporate world. I have no problem getting PHB's to use linux in certain environments.
Right tool for the right job buddy, that's all there is to it. These guys are wasting their time.
I hope these guys are just taking MS for a ride and have a nice strategy worked out to waste (m|b)illions of MS$ in court. The above comment certainly got me a pair of wet trousers
Never underestimate the dark side of the Source
Berto
If anything all this is - is some very good Wine work. I very much doubt in the time LindowsOS has been in development they have been able to write a windows compatbiltiy layer or something like it. I would like the commend the Wine people out there they are doing a great job and should keep up the great work. But as for LindowsOS this looks like a ploy to try to get Linux Newbies to switch over because it has some fancy styling and Wine installed. IF they can prove by randomly installing any windows based software that there setup works then I might become a beleaver until then im sticking with my Debian.
Here is a mirror of the screenshots.
Screenshot 1
Screenshot 1
kawai
Microsoft isn't trying to sue them to stop them from making their product. MS is suing to stop them from using their name "Lindows" which is a blatant rip-off of Windows. In order for MS to protect their IP, they have to defend their property from being diluted. I imagine if Lindows changed their name to Lindoors there wouldn't be a lawsuit. (of course maybe the chocolate company by the name Lindor might sue them :)
Anyway, what they are doing is perfectly legal. They're trying to make a business of that teeny segment of people that might in the slight chance want to run windows and linux on one platform.
"How much will LindowsOS cost? For $99 users can obtain LindowsOS along with the promise that Lindows.com will work hard to give consumers real value. Your satisfaction, is always assured, since all Lindows.com products come with a money-back, satisfaction guarantee. Creating a compatible, stable, easy-to-use OS isn't an easy job, and Lindows.com is committed to remain in this market for many years to come. This fee will help Lindows.com continue to provide support and future updates to LindowsOS."
They're charging $99 for this. How ridiculous. OEM versions of Genunie Windows cost about the same... and they are guaranteed to work with _all_ Windows software. This is like saying, "Well, a could get a Genuine Mac built by Apple, or I could get a clone for the same price." That's absurd.
"At the core of Lindows.com is a new operating system called LindowsOSTM, a modern, affordable, easy-to-use operating system with the ability to run both Windows® and Linux® software."
Revolutionary new OS called LindowsOS? Really. Kinda looks like a skinned version of KDE running atop Linux to me. Maybe they'll mask the bootup console output with a nice graphic. This is completely ridiculous for two reasons: 1) It costs about the same amount as Windows, which is guaranteed to run all Windows apps. 2) Linux is free. It's used (mostly) by programmers for things that suit their needs. Last time I checked $99 + $0 = $99. So... use Genuine Windows to run Windows apps... and boot into Linux to use Linux apps. If you're a die-hard Linux user, there's WINE anyway (which I think is what this is based on). If you're a die-hard Windows user, boot into Linux when you have to. End of story.
Those are awful big screen shots to be used when trying to get /.ed
Although... they do run IIS on this LindowsOS [joke]
Get your Unix fortune now!
I agree, there is a credibility issue. The fact that these people claim to be doing in almost no time what has taken wine several years. Lets analyze the situation...
.. ..... ROFLMAO
Case 1) Lindows is actually Windows2000,XP, etc with vmware or the like running linux on demand.
Case 2) Lindows is actually Windows2000,XP, etc with a custom linux emulator that runs apps on demand, seamlessly.
Case 3) Lindows is Linux running VMware for a Windows desktop.
Case 4) Lindows is Linux running CodeWeaver's Wine to launch windows apps on demand.
Case 5) Lindows is Linux running a new windows emulator or API that we haven't previously heard of.
Case 6) Lindows is a new OS, that is both windows and linux and runs elf and exe executables natively.
Case 7) Lindows is a hoax.
Now the breakdown.
Cases 1 and 2 are absurd. They would have reason to fear microsoft if they are just renaming and reselling Microsoft's product. However these solutions give the ultimate in Windows software compatibility (Joe Sixpack translation : my games will run really smoothly).
Case 3 is possible, but apps would run slowly, no OpenGL support, games would be lousy on VMware. Best chance of Software compatibility. Plus they have to license VMWare.. And why not just go with a known good linux distro and do this. The product would offer no market distinction.
Case 4 is possible. Games would run better than on VMWare with OpenGL and DirectX support. Some apps would be broken though. Once again, this is no different that what could be done with SuSE, debian, mandrake, slackware, etc...
Case 5 is possible though unlikely. I'm sure there would be some leakage of information if a superior wine had been brewing for the last couple of years.
Case 6
Case 7 is certainly possible. I'll not be the fool and discredit the claims that they are making on their website.
My guess is that Case 7 is correct, and Case 5 is a close second. Case 1 is possible if the company had the balls and stupidity to repackage and resell a Microsoft product.
-fc
.
. echo -e \\04 >
Mr. Bill Gates
Chairman, Board of Directors
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
Is that line under Microsoft Corporation the address or Microsoft's motto?
---
"The chances of a demonic possession spreading are remote -- relax."
I hit the screenshot link and got "file not found". A blank screen that does nothing? Looks just like Windows ME!!!! Good job guys!!!
Zing!
do not read this line twice.
While some computers may be cheap, my main workstation is a $2800 dell laptop. While I use VMWare to run the couple windows apps I need (Namely DreamWeaver), I would welcome an app which lets me run windows applications nativly. I'm not going to buy a duplicate of my machine to run windows, becaus e it is certainly not cheap.
Like it or not, if this is real (I have no oppinion on the matter), there is a good sized market for a product like this. If it's a solid product that costs less than VMWare, they will get lots of sales.
-Pete
Soccer Goal Plans
I know Windows is an absurdly generic name for a windows based operating system and I doubt there will be any confusion, but you have to admit, Lindows would be a bizarre name for an operating system if we weren't so familiar with the Windows OS.
Watch my karma get mauled for not completely siding with Linux... : )
--- Apparently I have an old
The website claims that Lindows will allow the running of both Linux and Windows apps. Why do the screenshots only show Windows ones? There's no demonstration of any sort of interoperability whatsoever.
Oops, I forgot that's what makes the industry go round. Back to reality and put idealism back in the toilet.
Although it is fun to point at the particular webserver you don't like and laugh, the truth is that in 95% of the cases, a "slashdotting" is simply an overload of the site's available bandwidth.
I can have 16 Windows 2000 servers running a well tuned IIS 5 application, but if they are all on a 10Mbps link trying to serve up 250k in images/pages to every visitor, slashdotting here I come!
Similarly 16 Linux systems with Apache doing the same thing on the same line will also be slashdotted.
So I encourage everyone to laugh at the trolls just as I do when they point out slashdotted servers. Just remember its all about bandwidth (usually.)
Natural != (nontoxic || beneficial)
If this product will
A: Run Word well
B: Cost significantly less than Windows
we'd use it. Obviously if it "works half as well" then it will be pointless, but that's not something we can assume right now.
How can you say they're "wasting their time" when you have no idea how good/not good the finished product will be? If these screenshots are honest, I say they could have something significant. If it runs Windows apps well (and it's cheaper or faster or whatever), it could well be the right tool for that job.
Not that I expect it to... but who knows? Not you.
.
Let's not stir that bag of worms...
Well, I can't get to the site, but my guess would be that the $199 is for a full retail package with support and bundled apps/utilities, as with most commercial Linux packages. My further guesses are that (a) they'll eventually offer some sort of stripped-down version for download, with no support and no bundled apps/utils; and (b) that $199 will allow as many installs as you want, as opposed to Win2K/XP/etc., which cost $199 per install.
Point b is the biggie, and it may prove compelling to many corporate and govt. customers if Lindows really runs Win32 apps flawlessly at a cost savings of thousands of dollars or more. But as I say, I can't get through to their site, and they're not even in beta yet, so this is purely speculation on my part.
-brennan
1. the pricing will be
2. they won't contribute back to GPL. They are here to make money you know.
I see two possible outcomes :
1. They succeed. We are all morons because they did in a few months what we (open source developers) couldn't do in ten years.
2. They fail. We are all deeply fucked because evryone will laugh saying : "linux is not for the desktop", "windows is easier", etc.
Men are born ignorant, not stupid; they are made stupid by education. Bertrand Russel
the point is that it gives people a chance to migrate.
This is not unlike Mac OS X and Mac OS 9(great, I said Mac, there's a mod down, huh?)
While i'm migrating from 9 to X -
I get to see and feel the power of a competently built OS
I get to see that my machine does not crash every few minutes
i get to see how great it is to run 20 apps all at the same time and not crash the thing
i still get to crutch back to my apps that i love and won't give up just yet.
This is the point of Lindows.
I've been able to be 100% Mac OS X since early January 2001 thanks to Classic. I am now only two apps away from being Classic-free on my machine (PhotoShop and First Class Client). And it only took a year.
I think Lindows is a great idea - I think that if they can make WINE function as well as Apple made the Classic environment (nearly-seamless cut/copy/paste, drag-n-drop, etc) The screenshots seem to indicate this as their goal.
They will succeed in their target area if they succeed in their goals - companies who want to save $200 + licensing fees + fee to connect to the server on thier $500 computers.
My God - its more expensive for the SOFTWARE to run an all Windows operation now than it is to buy the hardware!
But you have to give people some means of getting to a Linux solution.. you can't drop them into it head first.. then you can start doing the transition from MS-only to MS-free... you just need that intermediate step.
That's Lindows.
(BTFW: the screenshots *are* faked - they show the GOAL of Lindows.. not what they have today - how is that so hard to understand? Do i have to draw a picture for you? Oh.. i guess it needs subtitles too.)
This thing is going to be a great stepping stone to get people to migrate off windows, and will set up LOD when the required apps - SunOffice 6.0, OpenOffice, etc - get made.
You have to move people gradually - they don't take well to violent shocks - that's how people made it from Windows 3.1 to XP - even though the OSes are NOTHING alike - the gradual change, plus enough backward compatibity got Microsoft to where they are now.
MS did DOS -> Windows 3.1 -> Windows 95 -> Windows 98 -> XP
Apple did 680x0 -> PPC, and they did it again with Mac OS -> Mac OS X.
Lindows is going to try to do Windows -> Linux + WINE (done right) -> Linux.
Its an idea who's time is come.
guns kill people like spoons make Rosie O'Donnell fat.
Go, Jesse Jackson! Er, wait...
-Legion
I don't care how great a product this is, I hope this Robertson company goes down in flames and he moves on to something else.
I was around on mp3.com when the first RIAA attacks came. I actually beleived his rhetoric of fighting for the movement.
Then he sold out.
He settled. This was bad.
To make it worse, I just visited mp3.com after about a year of not caring. I was spurned by a thread on /. to get back into listening to indie music. Now, half of the fsck'ing songs on the top 40 are RIAA crap! WTF?!?
Yeah, he can pursue money in any way he chooses. But please, Robertson, drop the pretense of actually caring about the causes yo trumpet to the media.
This entire Lindows thing smells of getting VC, giving yourself a huge bonus, then bailing once the courts order you into compliance.
Piss off.
Method of processing duck feet
Ok, I'm sitting here thinking "Ok, this could be kind of neat. A way to actually challenge Microsoft... someone puts out a Microsoft Clone that runs all Microsoft software for free. We'll all slowly switch because, well, what's the point of paying for something when it's easily available for free." Great, I like things that are free... and this would allow some playing with Linux, which I've never bothered to do before (because everything I've needed for Windows I've gotten for free and didn't care how much more it cost).
But, ok, here it costs $99 and will only run some Windows applications, isn't open sourced, and most likely vapor.
Well, uh, what's the point? What does legit Windows cost? Not terribly much more than $99, and you know what... if it comes down to it I'm not paying $99 or $199, for either product, it'll find it's way onto the computer without the cost... so I might as well go for the original as opposed to the rip-off, if I'm already waltzing down that track to begin wtih.
Too bad, seemed neat.
--
RumorsDaily
One Way to rule them all
One Way to find them
One Way to squeeze them all
Of all the dough inside them.
If they do succeed we will soon see a Microsoft written 'Lindows'.
If they are using GPL code they will get caught. If they are using GPL code and they tell everyone we can [and will] make that revised code available.
I actually have no problem with a 'Windows Layer' for linux and even invite MS to come up with one. I bet when they start to write it and get half way through they just figure that the action IS where linux is.
Get your Unix fortune now!
Registrant:
lindows.com (LINDOWS-DOM)
P.O. Box 620603
Woodside, CA 94062
US
Domain Name: LINDOWS.COM
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Billing Contact:
Center, Network (LU9) noc@LINUS.COM
linus.com
P.O. Box 620603
Woodside, CA 94062
US
(650) 555-1212
Record last updated on 27-Jul-2001.
Record expires on 27-Jul-2009.
Record created on 27-Jul-1998.
Database last updated on 3-Jan-2002 22:19:00 EST.
Domain servers in listed order:
DNS1.HOSTPRO.NET 209.196.128.13
DNS2.HOSTPRO.NET 209.196.128.14
Registrant:
Upson, Linus (LINUS13-DOM)
P.O. Box 620603
Woodside, CA 94062
US
Domain Name: LINUS.COM
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Billing Contact:
Upson, Linus (OISHVRZVKI) noc@linus.com
Upson,Linus
P.O. Box 620603
Woodside, CA 94062
US
(650) 759-8402 123 123 1234
Record last updated on 19-Dec-2001.
Record expires on 15-May-2009.
Record created on 14-May-1995.
Database last updated on 3-Jan-2002 22:19:00 EST.
Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.ELECTRICRAIN.COM 64.71.143.226
NS2.ELECTRICRAIN.COM 63.192.215.189
--It's Pimptastic!--
I'm amazed at how much venom has spewed forth from this crowd over this little company. For those of you who seem to not get this idea
***THE POINT***
"My office runs outlook and IE, and I need to keep my palm in synch. But I've heard good things about that Linux operating system."
"Children need to explore the world of computing. While they've convinced me to switch from AOL to Earthlink, I don't think I could live without my copy of outlook."
"We've spent hundreds of dollars on software already, so while I hate Microsoft I guess I'm stuck using them."
They're NOT trying to get you to switch to Windows (though I wouldn't mind getting Dreamweaver to work. [ducks]). They're not here to fake screenshots. They're not trying to destroy all that makes Open Source good by commingling it with Windows. They're opening a migration path. If you have one app that you desperately need that only runs under windows, but you prefer or want to experiment with another operating system, you can. Connectix has been doing it for years with the Virtual PC for the Macintosh, and this is basically just a more integrated version of that (and one where Microsoft doesn't recieve unnecessary royalties). This is not going to take over the world, destroy linux or windows, but fill a necessary niche.
Good luck Lindows team, you have my support.
-Chris
The ______ Agenda
Look, more power to the guy for trying to create this product. I think it would be incredibly valuable if he pulls it off.
But the freaking name is obviously a rip-off of Windows. There is no question that it would create market confusion. For him to claim otherwise is just nonsense. After all, why call it Lindows if you're not trying to piggyback on Windows?
Look Robertson, just change the name. This is not rocket science. Or is this just some ploy to get free press?
Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
Oh man... did anybody else notice what was in the bottom screenshot posted at lindows.com? Outlook is open to an email with the subject "Microsoft Warns of 'Critical' Security Hole in XP". The body of the email takes up a good chunk of the screenshot.
Michael Robertson did this with MP3.com too - he subtly taunted the big record labels (and they eventually sued as well). While I wouldn't want to be in his shoes, I'm glad he's doing what he does because somebody needs to be a thorn in the side if the RIAA and Microsoft and he has done it in a very entertaining way.
-----
Free P2P Backup, Windows & Linux
the link provided only brings you to a page with javascript popups of the images, which are slashdotted anyway. here's a direct link to both images: First
...looks damn cool, should really help in the migration away from windows for people too comfortable with it to be able to switch.
Second
Use my userscript to add story images to Slashdot. There's no going back.
So can anyone prove that these aren't just screenshots of Windows 2000 with a stardock skin?
I can't prove it to you beyond doubt, but I know KDE when I see it, and this is it. The folder icon on the desktop is a dead giveaway (all the other icons seem to be customised, but this one has been left as the KDE default), as are the handles on the panel applets, which appear to be from Qt's built-in Windows style. Also, the window decorations (close/maximise/minimise buttons) are the KWin 'Redmond' style. Note the gradient on those buttons, Win2k's are flat. Note also the inconsistency between the applet handles on the panel and the toolbar handles in IE and Word - if nothing else this should prove that this isn't a WindowBlinds skin.
I have previously run both IE and Word successfully under WINE, and Notes is also supposed to work - yes, WINE even sets the right icons in the taskbar as the Lindows screenshots show.
So, it's pretty obvious to me that this is indeed Linux, and it's real. All it is is a distro with a slightly customized KDE and WINE setup to launch Windows apps. No great shakes, I can do all this already on my Debian box, and you can do it too on any distro that includes KDE and WINE.
If you still don't believe me, it'd be pretty easy to knock up similar screenshots under any of the major distros. Anyone fancy a go? I won't get a chance until I get home tomorrow...
If you're still not sure after all that, you're going to have to (gasp, shock, horror) actually sit down in front of a Linux box and see it in action yourself.
Why buy this, go through whatever trouble it may or may not be to set up, when Windows does nicely?
For me this is easy, I make part of my living writing Visual Basic programs, mostly front ends to various SQL databases. If I want to work at home, this means I have to have at least one system set aside with Windows installed or I have to dual boot. Since I am entirly a Linux User at home, this system is useless to me except for that single purpose. If I were dual booting, the Windows partition would be wasted HDD space except for that single purpose. With Lindows I can do my work on my main machine and retire that old 233 in the corner.
Fascism should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power - Benito Mussoli
Although I haven't seen enough of Lindows to figure out whether they have anything, I certainly think this kind of project is feasible. Most people would say "Why not just use a normal distro and Wine?" Why? One reason: Tivo.
Tivo takes the base operating system and customizes it to suit one goal: being a PVR. I can barely get my Linux box to play VCDs reliably, and I consider myself a power user. However, Tivo gets to cut away all the cruft and options until they're left with a base system optimized for video recording and playback. The pieces are all solid, so they can make something fairly bulletproof in a short time.
So, if the stated goal of Lindows is narrow enough, it might work. Dvorak thinks that the goal should be to run Office, and I agree. Most Windows users I know run Office, AOL, and little else. For business applications, they don't even need AOL. (Well, they don't need it anyway, but you know what I mean.)
A cheap, pre-configured system that runs Office would be a market hit. Other applications could be "unsupported" without alienating many customers. Support a few popular Windows games later and you gain another market as well.
Like I said, who knows if they actually plan this. It certainly is a possibility, though.
~chris
Read the full text my book Perl for the Web
A Chinese group called Xteam makes (or used to make? the 'buy' link is broken or I can't read the Chinese error message) some product called Xteam Lindows 3.0. Check out the cool icon at least.
Here's an English description of the software and company:
Linux for Windows:
Specially use for installing and running on Microsoft Windows, namely XteamLindows 3.0, offers convenience for those newbies who heard about Linux, curious to know more, and besides, it's a powerful tool for popularizing Linux.
Use my userscript to add story images to Slashdot. There's no going back.
I can certainly see how "Lindows" would clearly infringe on a trademark of "Windows." But my recollection, from several years ago, was that microsoft was quite clear that the claimed trademark was for "Microsoft Windows," not "Windows," both because a simple windows trademark would have infringed on others, and because it was a term already in common usage for, uhhh, windowing on a microcomputer screen.
So I remain baffled as to what trademark is at issue--I see no chance that someone confuses "Lindows" and "Microsoft Windows"--unless someone is claiming that "Windows" is not common usage, which would undermine the trademark anyway . . .
hawk
Image Mirror
Dude
Windows ain't even 99.9% compatible with Windows.
98.9% MABYE. On a good day. A really good day.
Some programs designed for DirectX 3 crash under DirectX 6/7/8/whatevermicrosoftshovedontheharddrivelast.
Odd glitchs happen all the time. For awhile my Win2k box insisted on just 'kinda' obeying the control-c and control-v commands. (Copy and Paste). Control-X worked most of the time, but not always. Oh joy.
I have seen machines try to 'finish installing office' when you try and open a GIF file. Talk about odd.
Need help treating your acne? Come here!
1. They succeed. We are all morons because they did in a few months what we (open source developers) couldn't do in ten years.
Note that Lindows can build on that ten years of open source development in WINE. It's not GPL -- it's an X11 type license.
From the wine-devel mailing list: "We switched from the BSD license to the X11 license on 2000/4/24 to enable commercial companies to be able to include WINE into their products."
The X11 license lets them use WINE without even displaying a copyright message like a BSD license would require.
Ian
>their Dell to do their finances on. These people
>could really benefit by a more stable underlying
>OS, that has roots in open source.
If they're *that* tight, they'd do even better with a pad of paper and pencil for the finances, skipping the computer entirely, and putting the $40 (and $20 for ISP) each month to paying off the credit cards, which they should cutup . . .
hawk
it could be running from windows
If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
And their logo should be something like this:
A chubby face is blowing wind, while with a naughty half smile, and a window shatters into pieces.
That's a connotation for an overall wiping of the Windows desktop.
1. They succeed. We are all morons because they did in a few months what we (open source developers) couldn't do in ten years.
Not necessarily. Look at it this way. Suppose you are a manager and need to reverse engineer a highly complex and heterogeneous set of software modules. This works out to be a series of tricky puzzles in a variety of areas: networking, memory management etc. Tough for a manager to put together a large enough team with the right set of skills to do this, but perhaps easier for an open source project with high visibility and prestige. Creativity is hard to hire, but easier to get for free if you are willing to let the programmers choose what they work on.
On the other hand, suppose you are pretty close, but there are a couple of tens of thousands of routine details to fix up. Somebody needs to go through and make sure all the UI stuff is consistent (not necessarily better -- make it work this way even if you don't like it), somebody needs make fonts that look just so etc. These are a bounded set of tasks requiring not so much creativity as organization and the ability to make sure that certain things get done on schedule even if they are mind numbingly boring. Here's were a company might be faster than an open source project.
It would be a simplification to say that open source projects can do some things better than a commercial outfit or vice versa. There are disciplined open source projects and creative commercial developers. However, each model has its natural strengths.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
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OK, I can't make it any simpler.
The requirement of buying office doesn't negate the potential price difference between Windows and Lindows (I don't know what actual prices are going to be - Lindows would have to be significantly cheaper to buy it merely as a replacement).
You may believe that StarOffice is an easy-swap kind of replacement for Office. I hear that now and again, but not usually from people who run large, document-centric businesses.
That said, I'm no expert on StarOffice. I do know, though, that there are many businesses - including us - that would be interested in a cheaper OS that was compatible with Windows apps, especially Office.
Also, remember that all users are not you. Many users by collectable plates. I know many that like Clippy.
Let's not stir that bag of worms...
The fonts are resized to a larger size in the screenshots, but the gdi objects don't scale with the resized font. XP does this for you. So people who resize their fonts are back into windows 95's GDI.
The icon's in the Outlook tree are not alphablended, the transparent parts are black. This and other things in the Office gui that isn't rendered correctly, but rendered as if it's office95 on a win95 box.
I also don't see the point of this OS. Migration some people say. I don't think so: first you have to migrate your, say 1000, desktops from windows to lindows (does it use profiles? policies?), and then, later, from lindows to Linux? Why? If you want linux, why not just migrate from windows to linux? You still have to pay for lindows!
Never underestimate the relief of true separation of Religion and State.
Caption says:
Click below to view some screen shots of our forthcoming LindowsOS.
I would not construe this to mean "cut-and-paste mock-up".
pr0n - keeping monitor glass spotless since 1981.
Does Lindows.com support Open Source? Lindows.com respects all applicable licensing and is proud to be a strong supporter of the Open Source community by helping to advance several Open Source initiatives. Some of the LindowsOS code will be Open Source. Likewise, as a business that plans on being around for a very long time, Lindows.com will at times have some unique and proprietary components.
From what I've heard & seen, Lindows is just Linux + a proprietary version of Wine (which is OK according to Wine's licencing). IMHO those guys are taking credit of other people's work, without giving back anything. And this FAQ is an offense to any Open Source developer. I'd like to have a list of the numerous Open Source projects they so strongly support.
Of course, but it's when you CAN connect to the site and get stuff like "ASP blahblah cannot connect to SQLServer: Too many connections", thats a REAL slashdotting.
Look up alot of oracle addresses, they do the same.
Curiously enough, Jesse Jackson Jr. (the son of Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr.) is in court now to stop another guy named Jesse Jackson from getting on the ballot. It appears this other Jesse Jackson wanted his name spelled identically.
Presumably they're not in the same party, but there's a huge potential for consumer (voter) confusion due to lack of differences in labeling.
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not really. it looks like XP with the icons renamed to "Lindows . . ."
Nope, it's KDE. As every KDE-user will be able to confirm.
News and bla for computer musicians: http://lomechanik.net/
OEM versions, gang! That's not what you buy off the store shelf. And he's right. In fact, the large computer manufacturer for which I worked for three long, torturous years paid about $45 for each OEM license of Windows 95/98.
-h-
And they ought to give back their changes. Still, perhaps some of them are licensed closed source, and they can't. And I guess that if they can make it work, it will be better than nothing. (Perhaps lots better, but that awaits proof.)
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
I actually didn't know what software they are using.
I simply read they were using GPL code so I went with it.
Albeit, if they do edit GPL code... I will be the first to open a mirror site with it.
Get your Unix fortune now!
You don't save any money. You pay them 99 bucks and what? like 189 for windows or something? Yeah you save a hundred bucks but not really when you see this bit on their site:
Because LindowsOS and Windows are on the same hard disk, you can browse and use all of your files and folders in My Documents or anywhere on your hard disk.
Now 189+99 = too much. Where is the point in this os? Install windows then install the programs you want then install lindows and run them from there. oh and make sure you like slow because thats how they run.
1) There is no company called "Lindows", "Lindows, Inc", or anything like it registered with the Secretary of State of the Great State of California.
:)
2) The "lindows.com" domain is not registered to any company, but rather to a no-name PO Box is Woodside, CA. I'm not familiar with the area, but I took the liberty of running a MapQuest between those two cities and found that they're 482 miles away. Now THAT'S a commute.
3) Come on, look at the picture of Michael Robertson... isn't that an obvious parody of Steve Jobs?
Anyway, you heard this evidence here first, and ReadParse said it.
Later,
RP
Fot the record..
Xwindows was released MUCH before Windows 1.0 was out - it was on the first graphical workstations far beyond the PC got their graphics from Hercules or CGA graphics..
Hetz (Heunique)
And all it takes is for Microsoft to put something in the next version of xxxxx that will totally break it. Possibly even included in a security patch.
I wouldn't be surprised if MS has (or soon will have) a clause in the Office license agreement that states that you must run the software on a Certified(tm) platform to be legal, or at least supported.
.
load "linux",8,1
.. or Wordstar?
Lindows could be an acronym for LINus DOes Windows Software....
Compelling apps? I don't know what you're talking about. I just installed Mandrakea this week for the first time, and now i'm running KDE, using Netscape Mail, Mozilla(farrr better than IE), GnomeICU for ICQ, GAIM for AIM, Star Office (like MS Office but 500$ less and no stupid freakin paper clip), Quake3 (natively), counter-strike (in WINE), XMMS (and Winamp 3.0 will run on linux natively), etc. etc...
I think Windows $$$ OS is what lacks compelling apps. Why pay for Windows shit if I can do it for free?
(which of course doesn't say much for Lindows 200$ os either)
I think it would serve these folks well to release a beta to developers, at somewhat less than $99. Why?
Many developers are the kind of people that want to try this because it's cool. If it only cost $50, it would be pretty easy to convince the boss that the new box we're getting anyway should run the Lindows beta instead of forking out for another Win2K license. And developers are the ones that you really want let loose on a beta for two reasons:
I am not required to work from home, so my employer does not need provide me with a system. I simply choose to and when I do, my boss pays me overtime. I am not bent about it, so you shouldn't be either.
Fascism should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power - Benito Mussoli