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Advocates Join to Promote Desktop Linux
phatvibez writes "Cnet is running a story that says 'Several companies have joined to launch a consortium to promote Linux for desktop computers, a significant expansion for an operating system that today fits more comfortably on servers.' This is great news, I hope they actually do something and we see some great stuff come from this!" Another submission on this note: TweetZilla writes "According to ExtremeTech, Suse is taking a play from Xandros. Crossover Office and Plugin are now bundled into Suse's desktop to provide Windows and Office compatibility." Update: 02/04 18:18 GMT by T : Here's a link to the consortium's web site.
I was kind of surprised to not see Gentoo's name listed there. Especially since Gentoo was designed from the ground up to be a desktop Linux distro (as opposed to server.) Plus I just plain ol' like Gentoo, and get wood whenever I have the opportunity to pimp them. ;)
The article doesn't say so, but the Samba and Ximian teams are involved too.
,
faeryman
If you check the homepage of the consortium, you'll see that Ximian is there too. So it's not all KDE companies.
Free Geek, in Portland, Oregon does provide Linux as a desktop solution to those who are not computer literate.
Free Geek, formed as a response to the growing problem of disposal of obsolete computers, has a program to take discarded computers, fix them up,
load them with Debian Linux with Openoffice, and then give them to those in need.
Parts of the program include mandatory volunteer time for those who wish the free computers. This volunteer time does include taking computers apart, testing the components, assembling the computers, loading them with a Debian image over the network, and then basic Linux training.
Many of the people who partake in the program have never had a computer in their life. Almost all of them are not linux/server/geek literate when they walk in the door. When they walk out, they at least know enough to use the computer for basic desktop functions as word processing, email, and using the web on the Internet.
This can show that at a grass-roots level, promoting Linux at the desktop can work.
Mark
Cleara
[http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-desktop/]
...anyone who wants to be!"
"The Debian Desktop subproject is a group of volunteers who want to create the best possible operating system for home and corporate workstation use. Our motto is "Software which Just Works". In short, our goal is to bring Debian, GNU, and Linux to the mainstream world."
"Who's involved in Debian Desktop