Bob Young says Linux won't rule the desktop

Wee writes "I just came across this interesting Yahoo interview with Bob Young in which he says that Linux won't rule the desktop but will instead focus on replacing legacy Unix systems and enhancing Linux's embedded presence. He makes some pretty good points. The oddest quote: "So our opportunity is not to replace Microsoft on the PC. If you've got a perfectly good working PC, why you would go through the angst of replacing it?". Not sure where to start answering that one. My wife (a dedicated Win32 user) liked his car analogy. I need to get her to read 'In the Beginning was the Command Line'..."

Comments

Re:Alternative

[SpookComix]

I agree. As long as Linux continues to be a viable alternative OS, I believe that it's popularity will continue to rise.

I use Windows when I have to, such as syncing my Sony Clie (pilot-xfer is working on supporting it), playing DirectX 8 games (Transgaming is working on supporting that), and running MS Office when absolutely necessary (otherwise, I'm loving StarOffice 6 and KOffice.)

Linux has become an alternative for me, so I use it. Many others are discovering the same thing. It did replace Windows as my primary desktop, but only because I was willing to take the time to learn it, and willing to tolerate some of the lingering annoyances. It's getting better all the time, too.

--SC

Lies...

[bflong]

I hate it when journalists do this crap.

Bob Young says:
So our opportunity is not to replace Microsoft on the PC.

ZDNet reporter Matthew Broersma says:
Red Hat chairman Bob Young says Windows will continue to rule the desktop!

What a crock! That is NOT what Bob Young said. He said that they have an opportunity to expand their business in new directions. Directions that will be of more benifit to RedHat and their customers then "the desktop".

Good value

[javilon]

Remember the old quotation from Ghandy...

First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then you win.

On the server side of things they are on the "they fight at you" stage.

On the client, they are at the "They laugh at you", but that is _second_ stage. Considering that focus on the desktop came after focus on the server that is good enough for me. Actually, the relevance of this arguments about the linux desktop is that MS is starting to see scenarios where they stop laughing and start fighting coming closer. Otherwise it wouldn't be news.

I was running Windows as my primary desktop and Linux as my secondary until three months ago. Now it is the opposite. I have got vcl (www.videolan.org) for dvd viewing and xine (xine.sourceforge.net) for all the other video formats. Mozilla for the web. Kmail for mail. Open Office for those nasty MS office files you get sent. And I play wolfenstein (my preferred game) and all of Id games and a lot of free ones on Linux. I use kinkatta and jabber fot instant messaging.

The packaging systems are improving, so I only have to use urpmi against a ftp server everytime I need something.

And kde is getting better and better.

So basically, Linux can do almost all that Windows will do and I get control, and source code, and no crappy restrictions on things like givving applications to my friends, activation, content rights management, etc.

In fact, it is much better value. And I think a lot of people thinks the same way.

That from a home user point of view. If you look at goverment needs, where they can save so many $$$ by not having to pay and audit licences, and use open data formats, Linux has a lot of scope there as well (see korean, chinese, german, french and UK goverments at different stages of linux use on the desktop).