You're obviously confused. Just to clear up any confusion, the book's author is not the inventor of the Dvorak keyboard, but is instead the famous Czech composer who brought us "The Moravian Duets" and "Slavonic Dances". Common mistake.
I see the "50% of home users just need to surf or read email" figure bandied about here quite a bit. However, I don't think I've ever met a non-techie who uses a computer simply to surf and read emails -- of course, those are only my own handfull of data-points, but I'm guessing the home user that does NOTHING but surf the web and read emails is a rare breed indeed (if they already aren't web-tv subscribers). If a houshold has children, forget it -- I can guarantee you that the PC will be used for a lot more than web surfing and email.
As far as Linux penetrating the home market-- I think you're almost certainly correct, the corporate desktop will be key to making rapid inroads in the consumer market. Of course, having said that, MS will likely fight hard every step of the way not to lose either market. Should be interesting to watch it play out.
I think that's a good way to put it. As far as corporate use goes, the basics are really there -- it's the legacy apps as well other apps specific to the business (inventory control, CRM, various apps written inhouse, etc) that may be show stoppers.
The consumer desktop is another animal entirely though -- I don't think Linux is particularly close there. Significant driver issues continue to exist (including the much touted dvd problems), especially for the latest, shiniest hardware, but the application issues are really the thornier problem -- and these apps are primarily games. We're not just talking about big titles here either. There are a ton of fairly obscure games for younger children that are expected to run, plus the usual slew of crapware that people (perhaps unwisely) download and install.
On a side note -- when linux versions of all that crappy spyware start showing up , we can all take that as a sign that Linux has finally arrived at the desktop.
It's not so much having them as possibly needing to support them in client applications that's the real bitch. As shitty as DirectX can be, there are times when I appreciate having The One True API for multimedia (except when it doesn't work as advertised)
The suitability of Linux for the corporate market REALLY depends on the corporation, but the basics are there. This all depends on how the system is to be used. Often various departments have specific apps they are required to use specific to their business (manufacturing, shipping, banking, insurance, etc). The assumption that a decent spreadsheet, email, wp and other basic office apps constitute a complete office solution is often faulty -- but not always. Clearly, Linux is becoming MUCH more attractive for businesses, and will continue to make headway on the corporate desktop. The tricky bit here are these business-specific (often legacy) apps that MUST be runnable on whatever platform is ultimately chosen.
He's is actually in a very, very small market.
I think we all understand that you can't draw broad conclusions about an OS based on a single install -- this IS an editorial piece, not a study. The author should probably be forgiven a bit of rethorical excess. As an aside, however, the home laptop market is not "very, very small". It is, in fact, a sizeable market. About 24% of all PCs shipped worlwide are notebooks, with the percentage of those machines being bought by businesses beginning to be outstripped significantly by home user purchases. Expect this trend to continue as prices continue to drop.
It's about his not being able to play DVDs without obtaining the possibly illegal libdvdcss.so to play locked DVDs- or going over to lindows.com to obtain a "legally" licensed drop in solution available for all distributions, $5 for Lindows users, $35 for all other Linux distributions. Never mind that someone that wants DVD playback has to spend about $35-50 for a Windows player in the first place.
You are absolutely correct. Unfortunately, the reasons you cite, while correct, aren't particularly germane to his central argument. The fact that DVD play is unavailable out of the box is the real issue, not why it's unavailable. It's unlikely that grandma is going to care much about the particulars of why she can't watch that new director's cut of Emanuelle In Boise on her new laptop -- she'll just be cheesed off.
It's about his not being able to use the latest and greatest 802.11g card in the laptop, knowing full well that the vendor doesn't support Linux
Also correct (although I will take him at his word that he expected the driver to work), but also beside the point. Again, it's unlikely that the broader consumer will care about the details of why the driver doesn't work -- they'll just be pissed off that it doesn't.
The fact that Windows comes pre-installed on most major brandname laptops is a tremendous advantage for Microsoft, and one that they will defend with every bit of their considerable resources.
Of course, failure to fully support an of-the-shelf laptop doesn't mean that linux is wholly unready for the desktop. Under some circumstances Linux can be a great replacement for Windows in business environments. For the kind of broad consumer audience that XP reaches, however, Linux has a ways to go yet. Driver support isn't the biggest issue here (although it's mighty significant). I do think that at some point Linux will become a significant player, especially for businesses since the breadth of application software that has to be supported is usually narrower than for consumer markets, and there is often some degree of hardware uniformity which tends to ameliorate driver issues.
I've been using Linux since about 1.2 (well, I screwed around with the old SLS distributions, but never really used them for anything) when I replaced my BSDI boxes, and the progress made has really been remarkable -- but it ain't grandma-ready yet.
No -- I should have qualified my orginal post -- redundancy CAN be good. Obviously, it's a mixed bag. Unfortunately, it's also inevitable. Personally, I'm not going to contribute spare cycles to development I have no interest in when I could be doing something else, like curing cancer or drinking. Probably the latter, but you never know...
Basically, this is a distortion of the original article. I'd encourage people to read the whole thing here.
I may not entirely agree with a few assertions in the article, but arguing that the difficulty involved in getting an off the shelf laptop to fully support linux (dvd player and all) harms widespread consumer accceptance of the OS is not an unreasonable assertion.
His points on "Itch scratching" are well-taken. However, this is not ever likely to change when developers are unpaid volunteers. The simple fact of the matter is that people working for free will ALWAYS be inclined to work on stuff they're interested in. I'm not convinced this is an entirely bad thing as it tends to avoid monoculture, at least in these popular areas. For instance, I LIKE having a number of mail systems to choose from. This is a good thing.
Hey, last time I checked your own CIA Factbook (filled with errors) states that Canada has a Higher Literacy rate then Die Fatherland.
We may indeed be illiterate -- but an astoundingly significant minority would have spotted your incorrect capitalization of "Higher Literacy" right off the Hockey Stick. And, of course, that same minority would have noted that your characterization of the CIA Factbook as being "filled with errors" tends to undercut your argument just a tad.
Not that any post in this thread has impugned the literacy or intelligence of the Canadian population as a whole -- only those of you that post to/. (Relax -- I'm just kidding, I love our 51st state. No, I'm still kidding, really.)
Yes -- you're pretty much right on target. Our children are generally taught the basics of tort law starting at about 10 years of age or so, and are expected to have passed the state bar by 14. Included in most curricula is a vigorous spelling program, wherein students are required to be able to spell a number of words correctly, such as the ever-tricky flourish, prior to graduating.
The real problem with this technology is that it's only one-way. Once these devices can be implanted directly into the skulls of students, We will se a number of benefits.
For example, we could remotely help them with their homework, automatically remove them from dangerous situations, make them do funny dances and speak with foreign accents, as well as invade neighboring countries, all with the push of a button.
Perhaps you're correct -- but you've clearly -- and unreasonably -- ommitted the possibility of time travel. C'mon -- let's give the editors the benefit of the doubt!
Damn teenagers with their damn hot rods and their damn mod points!
Actually, I was only -2 years old when it came out, but Telstar was rereleased on the tres mod compilation "Popcorn" (featuring the title tune, of course) in the early 70s.
Slashdot Mirror
You're obviously confused. Just to clear up any confusion, the book's author is not the inventor of the Dvorak keyboard, but is instead the famous Czech composer who brought us "The Moravian Duets" and "Slavonic Dances". Common mistake.
As far as Linux penetrating the home market-- I think you're almost certainly correct, the corporate desktop will be key to making rapid inroads in the consumer market. Of course, having said that, MS will likely fight hard every step of the way not to lose either market. Should be interesting to watch it play out.
The consumer desktop is another animal entirely though -- I don't think Linux is particularly close there. Significant driver issues continue to exist (including the much touted dvd problems), especially for the latest, shiniest hardware, but the application issues are really the thornier problem -- and these apps are primarily games. We're not just talking about big titles here either. There are a ton of fairly obscure games for younger children that are expected to run, plus the usual slew of crapware that people (perhaps unwisely) download and install.
On a side note -- when linux versions of all that crappy spyware start showing up , we can all take that as a sign that Linux has finally arrived at the desktop.
AM managed to dominate the world USING ONLY VACUUM TUBE TECHNOLOGY!
The evidence mounts: users should be eliminated.
Woz? Is that you?
It's not so much having them as possibly needing to support them in client applications that's the real bitch. As shitty as DirectX can be, there are times when I appreciate having The One True API for multimedia (except when it doesn't work as advertised)
He's is actually in a very, very small market.
I think we all understand that you can't draw broad conclusions about an OS based on a single install -- this IS an editorial piece, not a study. The author should probably be forgiven a bit of rethorical excess. As an aside, however, the home laptop market is not "very, very small". It is, in fact, a sizeable market. About 24% of all PCs shipped worlwide are notebooks, with the percentage of those machines being bought by businesses beginning to be outstripped significantly by home user purchases. Expect this trend to continue as prices continue to drop.
It's about his not being able to play DVDs without obtaining the possibly illegal libdvdcss.so to play locked DVDs- or going over to lindows.com to obtain a "legally" licensed drop in solution available for all distributions, $5 for Lindows users, $35 for all other Linux distributions. Never mind that someone that wants DVD playback has to spend about $35-50 for a Windows player in the first place.
You are absolutely correct. Unfortunately, the reasons you cite, while correct, aren't particularly germane to his central argument. The fact that DVD play is unavailable out of the box is the real issue, not why it's unavailable. It's unlikely that grandma is going to care much about the particulars of why she can't watch that new director's cut of Emanuelle In Boise on her new laptop -- she'll just be cheesed off.
It's about his not being able to use the latest and greatest 802.11g card in the laptop, knowing full well that the vendor doesn't support Linux
Also correct (although I will take him at his word that he expected the driver to work), but also beside the point. Again, it's unlikely that the broader consumer will care about the details of why the driver doesn't work -- they'll just be pissed off that it doesn't.
The fact that Windows comes pre-installed on most major brandname laptops is a tremendous advantage for Microsoft, and one that they will defend with every bit of their considerable resources.
Of course, failure to fully support an of-the-shelf laptop doesn't mean that linux is wholly unready for the desktop. Under some circumstances Linux can be a great replacement for Windows in business environments. For the kind of broad consumer audience that XP reaches, however, Linux has a ways to go yet. Driver support isn't the biggest issue here (although it's mighty significant). I do think that at some point Linux will become a significant player, especially for businesses since the breadth of application software that has to be supported is usually narrower than for consumer markets, and there is often some degree of hardware uniformity which tends to ameliorate driver issues.
I've been using Linux since about 1.2 (well, I screwed around with the old SLS distributions, but never really used them for anything) when I replaced my BSDI boxes, and the progress made has really been remarkable -- but it ain't grandma-ready yet.
No -- I should have qualified my orginal post -- redundancy CAN be good. Obviously, it's a mixed bag. Unfortunately, it's also inevitable. Personally, I'm not going to contribute spare cycles to development I have no interest in when I could be doing something else, like curing cancer or drinking. Probably the latter, but you never know...
I may not entirely agree with a few assertions in the article, but arguing that the difficulty involved in getting an off the shelf laptop to fully support linux (dvd player and all) harms widespread consumer accceptance of the OS is not an unreasonable assertion.
His points on "Itch scratching" are well-taken. However, this is not ever likely to change when developers are unpaid volunteers. The simple fact of the matter is that people working for free will ALWAYS be inclined to work on stuff they're interested in. I'm not convinced this is an entirely bad thing as it tends to avoid monoculture, at least in these popular areas. For instance, I LIKE having a number of mail systems to choose from. This is a good thing.
We may indeed be illiterate -- but an astoundingly significant minority would have spotted your incorrect capitalization of "Higher Literacy" right off the Hockey Stick. And, of course, that same minority would have noted that your characterization of the CIA Factbook as being "filled with errors" tends to undercut your argument just a tad.
Not that any post in this thread has impugned the literacy or intelligence of the Canadian population as a whole -- only those of you that post to /. (Relax -- I'm just kidding, I love our 51st state. No, I'm still kidding, really.)
Amusingly enough, though, SpamAssassin filtered it out and it ended up in my spam folder.
Not to burst your bubble, but I think she's like 70 years old by now and likely incontinent. I know I am.
For example, we could remotely help them with their homework, automatically remove them from dangerous situations, make them do funny dances and speak with foreign accents, as well as invade neighboring countries, all with the push of a button.
Here's to the future.
Perhaps you're correct -- but you've clearly -- and unreasonably -- ommitted the possibility of time travel. C'mon -- let's give the editors the benefit of the doubt!
Actually, I was only -2 years old when it came out, but Telstar was rereleased on the tres mod compilation "Popcorn" (featuring the title tune, of course) in the early 70s.
When was 7 I'd dance to it all around the house in my footie pajamas. This behaviour only stopped recently.
Hmmm... Someone's obviously never heard of duct tape.
With this in mind, I am suing the /. editors for malfeasance in office.
I'll be rich, RICH I tell you!
Ha! The average web developer is would be even better off with a basic grasp of graphic design principles.
No kidding -- that is just so 1995.
And my move to Bangalore was all set, $10/month budget and all. Damn.