CNet Promotes Essential Open-Source Software to Joe Public

Zool writes "A feature is currently running on CNet explicitly promoting open-source software alternatives for typical home users, with programs rated and compared to commercial offerings. Although there's no mention of the Linux advantages to home users, the list is extensive and certainly written with the intention of snagging wider open-source adoption and understanding in the mainstream. 'Why should you care about open source? You should care because the vast majority of common applications, even complex commercial stuff like Adobe Photoshop, Windows Media Player and Microsoft Office, have free, open-source alternatives. And this point is worth reiterating: open-source software is free. No cost. Zero. Zilch.'"

Comments

Re:Technical Communication is your specialty?

[Red Flayer]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Open Office is a very beautiful thing for everyone I know personally who has ever tried it.

I'm not sure that's quite the reason why it's beautiful. You see, OO uses different drivers than MSOffice.

In MSOffice, the cupholder on the computer (you know, the one that's a little flimsy but has a handy button to make it go back inside so you don't break it off accidentally) is a coffeecupholder. That open bit in the center (you might call it the eye) is quite nice, I'd say it's near the Platonic ideal of a hole.

In OO, the "eye" is even better, it's quite gorgeous -- it might even be the platonic ideal of holeness. Not because the hole is any different, but because the cupholder is different -- in OO, the driver defines that accessory as a beermugholder instead of a coffeecupholder.

So, you see, the reason so many people find OpenOffice wonderful is that beauty is in the eye of the beerholder.