Is Linus Torvalds Speaking for Linux Anymore?

An anonymous reader writes to tell us CNET is currently running a story asking 'Is Linus Torvalds even speaking for Linux anymore?' It examines both Torvalds' recent public statements on other operating systems and his current approach towards Linux. The author wonders if his utopian view of how an operating system should be viewed and used is just too alien from what the majority of users are really looking for. "if it were up to Torvalds, beauty and intuition would take a backseat to functionality. But when you look at distributions like Ubuntu or OpenSuse, it looks like no one is paying attention. 'An OS should never have been something that people (in general) really care about: it should be completely invisible and nobody should give a flying [expletive] about it except the technical people.' Sure, that statement makes some sense, but in the grand scheme of things, it's the design and usability factor that makes the operating system much easier to use. And while both Mac OS X and Windows have their issues, for the average person, it makes more sense to use those than Linux."

Comments

Re:FUD alert

[Vectronic]

Agreed Mod Parents-Parent Up...

The Operating System is never really "seen" unless you are looking at the source code.

Is mainly up to your choice of GUI (KDE, Gnome, XFCE, etc) and what they, or the applications you use look like and function the actual Operating System's influence on this is rather limited, thats why you can effectively make Windows "look" like Linux, or Mac, or vice-versa...

Re:set in stone

[tattood]

It's too bad this Linus guy's direction becomes set in stone and we're stuck with a very rigid product that can't be modified to suit our individual needs.
You obviously know nothing about Linux. One of the most powerful things about Linux is the ability to customize and add/remove what what you do or do not want. Thats why there are so many distributions and different projects that do similar things.

Sorry, you're wrong. The UI IS NOT the OS

[mcmonkey]

It is the system you use to operate the computer... It's what makes the silicon and copper do what you want.

Huh? You are 100% wrong. I'm a user. I don't want the silicon and copper to do anything. I don't know what silicon and copper can do. I don't know what silicon and copper are.

I want to surf the web and type up some email. I need a user interface to help me perform those tasks. That's the GUI, windows manager, CLI, applications, whatever.

Now it just so happens, inside this box on my desk, is a bunch of silicon and copper. The interface I am working with needs some way to get those raw materials to carry out the commands I am directing through the interface. That is the OS--the bits that get the hardware to do what they need to do so that my instructions to the interface are completed.

The interface determines when sending an email, do I click the send button or speak 'computer, send email.' What happens after that is the realm of the OS.

It's like the separation between business requirements and software requirements. Business process requirements should be completely independent of the system implementing those requirements.

Re:set in stone

[Moofie]

>>>--joke-->

*FWOOOOOOSH!*
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            --you
          A

Re:FUD alert

[twistedsymphony]

Tech support phone call: "Hello? I can't see my operating system. I think its invisible. Can you help me?"

Response:

"Your operating system is working as designed. Nothing to see here..."