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Linus Says 2004 is the Year for Desktop Linux

Posted by michael on from the huddled-masses-yearning-to-breathe-free dept.

lca writes "Linuxworld Australia has an interview with Linus Torvalds about the current state of the Linux desktop and where it will go this year among other things. Also discussed are topics such as hardware support, the SCO issue, and whether or not he will be moving to Australia."

1 of 727 comments (clear)

  1. Time to give up on the Command Line by Simonetta · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    The greatest impediment to adoption of Linux on the desktop in the home or office is the Linux community themselves.

    Linux and Unix in general forces a transformation of the entire approach towards the computer in its users. People become Linux followers and boosters only after this transformation takes place.

    Basically, Windows users see the PC as an analogue' ( a model with controllable parameters and comfortable guidelines) to the tasks for which they use the machines. Windows, to be functional and useful, mirrors and reflects the world and this elaborate and expensive interface is the key to the PC's productivity.

    Unix on the other hand, demands that its users master a highly symbolic computing environment based primarily on the motif of arbitrary symbols linearly placed on a command line. When Linux/Unix users complete the process of changing their entire approach to computing to fit this 1970's era approach, they find that they can do many things with command line manipulation that can't be done easily or at all with Window's GUI interface.

    This gives them the illusion that their OS is more powerful. However in reality the Windows GUI analogue interface is more powerful because it is easier to learn and therefore easier to manipulate. This makes it more productive and profitable for its users.

    Linux/Unix will start to make strides on the desktop when its users begin to realize how seriously far behind Microsoft they are in the areas that computers are actually used for and where they deliver the most productivity gains.

    The Linux/Unix community needs to discard the entire command line mentality and start paying serious attention to ease-of-use and interface issues before ordinary people will take seriously their claim that they and their computer environment is somehow actually better than Windows.

    Seriously.

    Thank you,