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Linux *Won't* Fail on the Desktop?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the rubbing-against-the-grain dept.

HanzoSan sent in a story claiming that Linux will Succeed on the desktop, and not just the server market where it already has had much success. I think that the latest version of KDE has demonstrated that it can compete, but with the increasing dependance on file formats that have no support on Linux, it's going to be awfully difficult. That said, Linux has been my desktop for many moons, and I don't plan on changing it (Maybe If Apple released TiBook's with 3 mouse buttons I'd at least have an option ;)

5 of 829 comments (clear)

  1. For convenience by weird+mehgny · · Score: 4, Funny

    I dunno which of Linux/Windows is better, so I run Cygwin in Win4Lin.

  2. Re:Well, what's the DESKTOP killer app? by TheReverand · · Score: 4, Funny

    I thought everyone knew... The killer app is here!

  3. Re:Universal File Formats by Pauly · · Score: 5, Funny
    Non lazy IT admin makes a change... now if only another 50 IT admins do this... DOC would be a rarity within months.

    Or you could simply take advantage of all those lazy admins and write a simple macro virus that configures Word in this way automatically. Imagine it, millions of Outlook users blithely opening an email with a subject "Improve Your Sex Life!" that actually does what it promises!

  4. Re:Well, what's the DESKTOP killer app? by frozenray · · Score: 5, Funny

    Get the various streaming media formats supported on Linux. Get the various video formats supported. Get the various "features" of broken web-browsers supported in Linux browsers. Once all the features of porn sites are easily accessible using Linux, then success will come.

    If what you say is true, then these guys are visionaries.

    Quote: "The goal of the Pornzilla project is to make Mozilla into a great porn browser."

    Note that the project has "Members" (apparently they're not trying to be funny here) as well as a "throbber" feature (whatever that is, I don't really want to know).

    The wonders of Open Source...

    --
    "There are already a million monkeys on a million typewriters, and Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare." - Blair Houghton
  5. Re:Whose desktop are we talking about? by drsquare · · Score: 5, Funny
    You're right. Let's compare the methods of installation of programs on Windows and Linux:

    Windows:
    • Open browser
    • Go to google.com
    • Search for name of program
    • Spend ten minutes navigating some shitty site to find the program you want
    • Click on "download"
    • Click "save"
    • Press "enter"
    • Open Explorer
    • Navigate to file
    • Double click on file
    • OK
    • Next
    • Next
    • Next
    • Next
    • Next
    • Accept
    • Next
    • Finish
    • Reboot

    Linux:
    • Open xterm
    • Type 'su'
    • Type in root password
    • Type 'apt-get install programname'

    As you can see, the Windows method is much more user friendly, and takes much less time. Linux will never succeed as long as it is so difficult to install programs.