Better is better that sooner -- of course!
But we are in rush.
M$ will release longhorn in a couple of years and osx will evolve in a couple of years too, maybe resolving many of the issues you have mentioned.
I don't think that M$ will do a revolution -- xp is too crappy to fix it without a from ground up rewrite:) but linux must be ready to this to do a serious break-in on the desktop systems.
Monopoly is very hard to break, but linux have the weapons to do it. In my personal opinion osx and macs will remain a system for a small elite -- not for the masses.
Linux can be for the masses but need to be simpler. You're right when you say that FC is great, but in my opinion the change from redhat to fedora core left users and potential users a bit confused (many people doesn't know that FC is an evolution of RH) this fact mustn't be repeated!
As I said in my other replies I think that Linux (and GNOME) hackers must look at other OSs to take some inspirations. I've understood the anger in your first post (simply I have never posted my temper about windoze:) ) and my reply wants only to explain you some of the features I hope to see in Tux/GNOME one day, remembering that a feature that linux "clones" simply becomes better: for example think about the linux kernel modules: they give you the advantages of a monolithic kernel with the flexibility of a microkernel -- no other os got this before linux... but this is a single example taken from thousands of other.
The thing that linux really misses is fast support for new hardware, bacause of the obtusity of hardware vendors that releases drivers just for the "king of the crap", most of the times we need a good hacker that have to do an enormous work to make it work -- reverse engeneer the hardware to make a favor to the vendor: it's ridiculous!
This situation is better in the last years: in a little bit of cases thanks to hardware vendors (like nv and ati), but in all others thanks to the great hackers we have.
For example most of the wlan cards today runs on linux thanks to the ndiswrapper driver that emulate the ndis subsystem under linux, but NO native support for now: like as linux is the last wheel of the wagon!
Some others SELL, oh my god, SELL DRIVERS for THEIR hardware... it's a scandal!
If this situation will change... then... there wouldn't be so many obstacles to linux diffusion.
[:) Sry 4 my english:) ]
I'm sorry but I have never used os9 (I used os7 years ago), so I can't say much.
On the threading implementation U are right, but the rest of OS in very good.
Back to apps installation...
Mantaining the current structure of the linux filesystem (with/etc/lib/bin/var etc) for many apps packages are necessary -- you cannot simply copy them like you do with firefox or openoffice).
By the way firefox needs gtk and friends, so, if a people is not a tech he has to install it, so it needs a package...
Please, try to understand me: you cannot say that installing ALL applications is simple under linux... try to install the applications found around... one need wx --- but what version, one need qt --- but the threaded or not threaded one --- one another needs libsomething --- and not everything can be found on something.sourceforge.net or www.something.com. Think that a non expert user never arrives to the... questions!
You cannot say that BSD is not a good OS: it's security and stability centric.
Linux misses some of the features BSD has in the network layer (especially in pf), and on the other side Linux have based a lot if its net layer upon the BSD one.
The 3-button-mouse should be provided by default not as an optional (what's the meaning of 1 button? it sucks!)!
The application I've mentioned doesn't require fink because they're native apps fully integrated with the OS (you simply drag them out from the DMG into the applications folder).
Using fink graphical apps still sucks, 'cause they depend on X11 (like gimp, that works at its best on linux).
If Linux will have a real aqua theme and it hurts you, you can change it (you can do it also under osx, but it's more difficult).
I've compiled for years EVERYTHING myself, so the installation problem is NOT my problem, but is the primary obstacle to linux diffusion: if I write an app I've got to provide rpms, debs, tgzs and ebuilds if I want that everyone can install it - I don't want linux to be only for experts - I want linux for everyone from the 1 year-old child to the 120 years-old people. Linux should be usable from the unix guru to the complete idiot.
I don't understand why U don't appreciate some of the features of osx: gnome is basing part of the work on it (just think to spatial nautilus).
I do use NVIDIA driver and it's good, but it's NOT at its best -- can be improved -- and nvidia knows this.
ATI drivers are released very slowly and in my opinion they have not the quality of the actual nv drivers.
OSX is NOT the best, but has features that has to be considered to bring tux at its best.
I use Linux everyday for everyday work and I'm convinced that's the best of the bests, but can grow taking the good things of others, osx included.
Yeah, but it's rock-solid.
Macs' HW is not a great one, it's the OS that's great.
1. Remember that's a BSD;
2. Proprietary = Support, Opensource = Lot of apps. osx got both.
3. Look 'round for other programs (yes, the terminal sucks, but if you try iTerm you'll never blame - Mail sucks? try Thunderbird - iChat is crappy? try Fire).
4. It's the one OS that REALLY uses the high performance graphics card (Quartz Xtreme is a superb engine).
5. Safari is the fastest web browser outa here (but you can install firefox or camino or mozilla).
6. The priniting engine is very good by the way (what you see is really what you get).
7. Aqua is very exciting, nothing to say.
8. Remember that's a BSD.
On a fact you're right:
1. Networking is very crappy (eg. you cannot have persistent smb mounts without external programs) and computer browser is simply stuck.
The only thing that really sucks (a lot) is the one-button mouse: under linux (I use GNOME) U really use the 3 buttons (browsing with linux lets you drop the keyboard).
However osx is and can be a good example for making Linux the best OS all 'round here: Linux is good, but now misses good video drivers (none of the existing ones is good enough), a consistent set of apps, an unified package management system (cross-distro) and a very good looking ui.
But GNOME is on the way (in my opinion kde is very out of the way) and GNOME and Freedesktop guis are doing a great (more... greatest!) work to make it better.
Maybe one day linux will have all of this, and will be really better than osx.
I didn't mention wxp and others: too crappy, it simply sucks.
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Better is better that sooner -- of course! But we are in rush. M$ will release longhorn in a couple of years and osx will evolve in a couple of years too, maybe resolving many of the issues you have mentioned. I don't think that M$ will do a revolution -- xp is too crappy to fix it without a from ground up rewrite :) but linux must be ready to this to do a serious break-in on the desktop systems.
Monopoly is very hard to break, but linux have the weapons to do it. In my personal opinion osx and macs will remain a system for a small elite -- not for the masses.
Linux can be for the masses but need to be simpler. You're right when you say that FC is great, but in my opinion the change from redhat to fedora core left users and potential users a bit confused (many people doesn't know that FC is an evolution of RH) this fact mustn't be repeated!
As I said in my other replies I think that Linux (and GNOME) hackers must look at other OSs to take some inspirations. I've understood the anger in your first post (simply I have never posted my temper about windoze :) ) and my reply wants only to explain you some of the features I hope to see in Tux/GNOME one day, remembering that a feature that linux "clones" simply becomes better: for example think about the linux kernel modules: they give you the advantages of a monolithic kernel with the flexibility of a microkernel -- no other os got this before linux... but this is a single example taken from thousands of other.
The thing that linux really misses is fast support for new hardware, bacause of the obtusity of hardware vendors that releases drivers just for the "king of the crap", most of the times we need a good hacker that have to do an enormous work to make it work -- reverse engeneer the hardware to make a favor to the vendor: it's ridiculous!
This situation is better in the last years: in a little bit of cases thanks to hardware vendors (like nv and ati), but in all others thanks to the great hackers we have.
For example most of the wlan cards today runs on linux thanks to the ndiswrapper driver that emulate the ndis subsystem under linux, but NO native support for now: like as linux is the last wheel of the wagon!
Some others SELL, oh my god, SELL DRIVERS for THEIR hardware... it's a scandal!
If this situation will change... then... there wouldn't be so many obstacles to linux diffusion.
[ :) Sry 4 my english :) ]
I'm sorry but I have never used os9 (I used os7 years ago), so I can't say much. On the threading implementation U are right, but the rest of OS in very good. Back to apps installation... Mantaining the current structure of the linux filesystem (with /etc /lib /bin /var etc) for many apps packages are necessary -- you cannot simply copy them like you do with firefox or openoffice).
By the way firefox needs gtk and friends, so, if a people is not a tech he has to install it, so it needs a package...
Please, try to understand me: you cannot say that installing ALL applications is simple under linux... try to install the applications found around... one need wx --- but what version, one need qt --- but the threaded or not threaded one --- one another needs libsomething --- and not everything can be found on something.sourceforge.net or www.something.com. Think that a non expert user never arrives to the... questions!
Looking around I've found this http://harrington.com/QuadReadMe.html Maybe can help.
You cannot say that BSD is not a good OS: it's security and stability centric. Linux misses some of the features BSD has in the network layer (especially in pf), and on the other side Linux have based a lot if its net layer upon the BSD one. The 3-button-mouse should be provided by default not as an optional (what's the meaning of 1 button? it sucks!)! The application I've mentioned doesn't require fink because they're native apps fully integrated with the OS (you simply drag them out from the DMG into the applications folder). Using fink graphical apps still sucks, 'cause they depend on X11 (like gimp, that works at its best on linux). If Linux will have a real aqua theme and it hurts you, you can change it (you can do it also under osx, but it's more difficult). I've compiled for years EVERYTHING myself, so the installation problem is NOT my problem, but is the primary obstacle to linux diffusion: if I write an app I've got to provide rpms, debs, tgzs and ebuilds if I want that everyone can install it - I don't want linux to be only for experts - I want linux for everyone from the 1 year-old child to the 120 years-old people. Linux should be usable from the unix guru to the complete idiot. I don't understand why U don't appreciate some of the features of osx: gnome is basing part of the work on it (just think to spatial nautilus). I do use NVIDIA driver and it's good, but it's NOT at its best -- can be improved -- and nvidia knows this. ATI drivers are released very slowly and in my opinion they have not the quality of the actual nv drivers. OSX is NOT the best, but has features that has to be considered to bring tux at its best. I use Linux everyday for everyday work and I'm convinced that's the best of the bests, but can grow taking the good things of others, osx included.
Yeah, but it's rock-solid. Macs' HW is not a great one, it's the OS that's great. 1. Remember that's a BSD; 2. Proprietary = Support, Opensource = Lot of apps. osx got both. 3. Look 'round for other programs (yes, the terminal sucks, but if you try iTerm you'll never blame - Mail sucks? try Thunderbird - iChat is crappy? try Fire). 4. It's the one OS that REALLY uses the high performance graphics card (Quartz Xtreme is a superb engine). 5. Safari is the fastest web browser outa here (but you can install firefox or camino or mozilla). 6. The priniting engine is very good by the way (what you see is really what you get). 7. Aqua is very exciting, nothing to say. 8. Remember that's a BSD. On a fact you're right: 1. Networking is very crappy (eg. you cannot have persistent smb mounts without external programs) and computer browser is simply stuck. The only thing that really sucks (a lot) is the one-button mouse: under linux (I use GNOME) U really use the 3 buttons (browsing with linux lets you drop the keyboard). However osx is and can be a good example for making Linux the best OS all 'round here: Linux is good, but now misses good video drivers (none of the existing ones is good enough), a consistent set of apps, an unified package management system (cross-distro) and a very good looking ui. But GNOME is on the way (in my opinion kde is very out of the way) and GNOME and Freedesktop guis are doing a great (more... greatest!) work to make it better. Maybe one day linux will have all of this, and will be really better than osx. I didn't mention wxp and others: too crappy, it simply sucks.