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Time to Try a Linux Desktop?
bigbadwlf writes "EWeek has an opinion column, posted yesterday titled, Isn't Now the Time to Try a Linux Desktop? Quote: 'The crackers currently have the whip hand over Windows, and Microsoft's assertion that Internet Explorer is now part of the operating system shows its flawed reasoning. Worried sick about the latest rash of Internet Explorer security problems? I have the perfect solution for you, one that's even better than switching to Mozilla, Firefox or Opera. Switch operating systems: Go to Linux.'"
Netscape is dead and they're still winning the browser war. How is this possible? Well, consider what Netscape's goal was -- and why Microsoft reacted so violently to prevent it: Netscape wanted the Web, not Windows, to be the primary platform for new applications.
Microsoft may have obliterated Netscape in market share, and eventually forced them out of business, but look around. Every year, more and more applications have moved to the web. We are entering an era where it doesn't matter what operating system is on your desktop as long as it has a web browser.
Netscape wanted to move apps to the Web. Microsoft wanted to keep everything tied to Windows. By that measure, what do you see happening out there? Netscape is still winning the browser war. Microsoft knows this all too well, which is why they're now trying to marginalize non-Microsoft browsers by adding proprietary formats like XAML.
IBM's monopoly was broken not by a competitor who beat them in mainframe market share, but by a paradigm shift. The same is happening to Microsoft. The very fact that there are already a few million Linux desktops out there -- and that they're doing real work -- proves this.
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Amazing, I'm getting modded troll. I think this just proves my point. I was simply trying to point out that a new perspective was needed to help Linux spread. I actually got modded as Troll for that. How much you want to bet that the people who modded me troll are Linux developers. Let me guess: Flamebait
I am sooo sick of constantly hearing this on slashdot.
/etc/x11/xf86Config or wonder why they have an rpm conflict with some package. What use Debian instead? Ok, please educate my mother on dselect?
I am going to be modded down but I dont care.
Windows is perfectly fine for non server use.
My gf and I are in a long distance relationship. She wanted a new computer since hers was unreliable and slow. I gave her my older system with Windows2000 instead of Mandrake Linux like her friend wanted to isntall. Why?
A.) It does what it wans it to do
B.) Windows2000 is fairly stable and bugfree ( The windows is crap argument is old since the Dos Win3.1 codebase is finally purged)
C.) The applications are there
D.) the applications are more stable( Yes Linux distro's have beta level software that constant core dump ) Run Cine on SuSE and count the times it freazes Linux solid. Its more stable under Windows.
E.) It works with most hardware
F.) MS Office
G.) even a dummy can use it.
H.) She likes to yahooIM and Yahoo keeps changing their protocal so Gaim is non acceptable.
I.) She uses her cam
J.) She likes her windows based games.
So IE has security flaws? Burn a cd of Firefox for your windows users. Problem solved.
The average joe does not want to edit
Why does Joe need the power of Linux, shell scripting, or running cron jobs at night to update their systems?
Joe wants to point and click to MS Excel and get some work done.
If Joe six pack buys a digital camera he would like to just plug it in, insert the software on the cd to install the bundled editing software and be on his way.
You need to be educated to learn even which software package to use to sync his digital cam. Then learn the gimp?? Unexceptable.
JOe wants software that is well tested and not beta level. %70 of the stuff on sourceforge is way too bugy.
Unix is great for Servers but not for desktops.
They never will be. Get over it guys its not important what most people use. ALso its much easier to tell users not to use insecure software rather than explaining how to apply patches to packages and doing a recompile.
http://saveie6.com/