IBM and Its Thoughts on Desktop Linux

Knuckles writes: "According to c|net, IBM will give desktop Linux a thumbs up at the Desktop Linux Conference in Boston on Monday. Sam Docknevich of IBM's Global Services group will give a speech titled, "The Time is Now for Linux on the Desktop." It seems that IBM will not go for the multi-purpose desktop, though, but for machines performing narrowly defined functions (kiosks etc.). However, basic office workstation seem to be included in this definition, according to C|Net" And in a classic case of the right-hand not knowing what the left-hand is doing, Realistic_Dragon adds: "IBM was leading the words of Red Hat's CEO in comments to the UK government last year saying that '...open source was not ready for the desktop'.

Comments

Re:Linux for security

[cscx]

I'll take a secured NT4 kiosk over Linux any day.

Re:Linus Says Linux Desktop is Where It's At

[Queer Boy]

He says Linux on the desktop is the only part he cares about

Yeah, and Mr. Torvalds also had a little rant about Linux being the kernel and nothing else. I think he's running out of VC money. X11 needs to be replaced. Linus or someone with as much influence needs to standardise a desktop API. Gnome and KDE need to lock out using window managers with their enviornments and just allow "skins" (widgets stay in the same place with same general shape, just colour/texture changes).

The biggest problem with Linux period is that there are no standards, and the ones that are there are causing problems moving forward (X11). That's great if you're doing anything specialised, then Linux really just IS the kernel. People do not want to go to a Linux box at work and have it work differently than the Linux box at the library, school, home, etc.

I wish Linux developers would start trying to rip off the Mac instead of POS Windows. For chrissakes, just read Apple's Human Interface Guidelines.

Do it for mommy!

[Neo-Rio-101]

But doesn't anyone understand?

All the geeks want to make Desktop Linux so their moms can use it. Then, supposedly, she will love them and FINALLY let them out of the locked basement!