Open Source on Windows - Boon or Bane for Linux?

A not-so anonymous Anonymous Coward puts this tough issue up for discussion: "There seem some more determined efforts underway currently in some corners of the KDE project to port substantial parts of the software stack to the MS Windows platform. These efforts are now met by fierce resistance on the part of some of their core developers. Aaron J. Seigo summarizes his reasoning in his blog: 'If the applications people want are available on Windows, they will tend to stick with Windows...by porting software to Windows, we eliminate the majority of the competitive advantage of Free Software desktops in the eyes of the overwhelming majority of consumers while Microsoft has all the rope they need to shut the door once again on us ... Free Software desktop applications on Windows represent a no-win situation for Open Source, but Open Source desktops on Free Software operating systems do.'" (Read more below.) "Does it hurt the 'Linux to the Desktops!' battle fanfare, if Linux apps and other OSS are ported on a large-scale to MS Windows, or will it rather have a 'pave the way' effect? Does it help to migrate enterprises and public sector units if users to Linux if users are already familiar with Firefox and OpenOffice.org from Windows, or does it take away the motivation to migrate at all? Is porting Unix desktop software counterproductive? Does it even help Microsoft and damage Windows users?"

Comments

Why do people (not us) hate Microsoft?

[rewt66]

Not the /. crowd, but more "average" users. Why do they hate Microsoft?

One reason is "leverage". Microsoft does things to "leverage" the Windows platforms, that is, to use Windows' dominance to get users to use other Microsoft stuff. People hate Microsoft for this because being on the receiving end of leverage feels a lot like being forced. People resent being forced to do something. It doesn't matter what it is that they are being forced to do, they resent the force being used on them.

In the battle for user's hearts and minds, don't do the same things that they resent when Microsoft does them. Don't leverage KDE to move the OS kernel. Don't try to force users to switch OSes just to get KDE. Let the user choose.

(And, as a practical matter, if you get them on KDE on Windows, then it's easy to say, "Let's move you over to Linux. Nothing will change except that that computer will quit crashing."