I use Ubuntu on my main system at the moment and I love it. I love the fact that I can change and adapt the UI to fit with my work flow which changes on a semi-regular basis. If Linux was marketed as a custom, made-to-order OS that new users could create with the help of trained professional capable of setting it up the way the user wants I think it could gain some momentum in the desktop market. There should also be a selection of pre-set versions with certain specialties like entertainment (ala Windows Media Center) or business. If the software was treated the same way hardware is by Dell and others then I think it could become popular. Instead of pointing out the open-source aspect and focusing on the flexibility it gives users, a new software business model could be created. The few times I installed windows on a system I spent far too much time deleting the excess crap that I didn't want. If that stuff wasn't there to begin with and each user was givin an OS tailored to their needs, as long as they were capable of expressing their needs, I think Linux could become incredibly popular. Following Microsofts example seems like a universally bad idea. Linux is all about innovation, not imitation. It is different from Windows and Mac OS and should be treated as such. The presentation to consumers should be different as well. It's not about building a better Microsoft or Mac. It's about building a better OS.
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I use Ubuntu on my main system at the moment and I love it. I love the fact that I can change and adapt the UI to fit with my work flow which changes on a semi-regular basis. If Linux was marketed as a custom, made-to-order OS that new users could create with the help of trained professional capable of setting it up the way the user wants I think it could gain some momentum in the desktop market. There should also be a selection of pre-set versions with certain specialties like entertainment (ala Windows Media Center) or business. If the software was treated the same way hardware is by Dell and others then I think it could become popular. Instead of pointing out the open-source aspect and focusing on the flexibility it gives users, a new software business model could be created. The few times I installed windows on a system I spent far too much time deleting the excess crap that I didn't want. If that stuff wasn't there to begin with and each user was givin an OS tailored to their needs, as long as they were capable of expressing their needs, I think Linux could become incredibly popular. Following Microsofts example seems like a universally bad idea. Linux is all about innovation, not imitation. It is different from Windows and Mac OS and should be treated as such. The presentation to consumers should be different as well. It's not about building a better Microsoft or Mac. It's about building a better OS.