As I see it, the problem is not with the coming of Mac OS X to Intel machines.
The problem is that there are still ease-of-use issues left unresolved within the Linux community.
HOME USE
Ease of use means help me as a consumer do the fun things I want to do:
1. email 2. browse 3. shop online 4. manage pictures 5. manage music 6. protect me from viruses, spam, and adware
How easy is it to do these things with Gnome and KDE right out of the box?
Don't tell me I have 91 options on how to check email, browse, listen to music, etc. You do the research for me and have the best tools already pre-selected and built-in from the outset.
It's nice that I have 91 choices for each thing that I want to do, but what I really need is for you to do that selection process for me, so that when I turn on my computer, the technology stays out of my way and let's me have fun.
WORK USE
Ease of use means help me as a business do the efficient things I want to do:
1. email, contacts, calendar, meeting scheduling 2. browse 3. serve websites 4. manage documents 5. etc 6. protect me from viruses, spam, and adware
Again, have the best-of-breed tools already installed so that I just click it and make it happen. And I don't want to think about it anymore. I want it to "just work".
I want the technology to help me but it also needs to get out of my way so I can concentrate on my business, not on the technology that supports my business.
NEXT STEPS
So the real issue is not that Mac OS X is coming to Intel or anything like that. The real issue is can Linux provide an easy and fun experiene for the home user and a powerful and efficient experience for the business user?
What I would like to see is the Linux community come together and work together toward these very specific directions, rather than continually forking the distributions, arguing about different OSes, feeling threatened by other OSes, etc.
I look forward to seeing a Gnome Home Desktop or a KDE Business Desktop. Move forward with UI design. Innovate. Show Mac OS X and Windows a thing or two. We've had years of experience with a desktop. Build on this and move forward.
What the Linux community needs is more structure and direction. Freedom is great, but without structure and direction and cooperation, it turns into an amorphous blob that is quite ineffectual in actually doing anything. In short, the Linux community needs to put its own house in order.
If it doesn't, it will continue to remain as a project of hobbyists or just a free tool in the hands of big corporations who are simply using it for what they can get out of it because they don't have to pay for it.
You are a great community. You have made some great accomplishments. Many of you already know and feel what must be done. Band together and do it.
This is your time. This is your turn. Above all, have fun!
Slashdot Mirror
As I see it, the problem is not with the coming of Mac OS X to Intel machines.
The problem is that there are still ease-of-use issues left unresolved within the Linux community.
HOME USE
Ease of use means help me as a consumer do the fun things I want to do:
1. email
2. browse
3. shop online
4. manage pictures
5. manage music
6. protect me from viruses, spam, and adware
How easy is it to do these things with Gnome and KDE right out of the box?
Don't tell me I have 91 options on how to check email, browse, listen to music, etc. You do the research for me and have the best tools already pre-selected and built-in from the outset.
It's nice that I have 91 choices for each thing that I want to do, but what I really need is for you to do that selection process for me, so that when I turn on my computer, the technology stays out of my way and let's me have fun.
WORK USE
Ease of use means help me as a business do the efficient things I want to do:
1. email, contacts, calendar, meeting scheduling
2. browse
3. serve websites
4. manage documents
5. etc
6. protect me from viruses, spam, and adware
Again, have the best-of-breed tools already installed so that I just click it and make it happen. And I don't want to think about it anymore. I want it to "just work".
I want the technology to help me but it also needs to get out of my way so I can concentrate on my business, not on the technology that supports my business.
NEXT STEPS
So the real issue is not that Mac OS X is coming to Intel or anything like that. The real issue is can Linux provide an easy and fun experiene for the home user and a powerful and efficient experience for the business user?
What I would like to see is the Linux community come together and work together toward these very specific directions, rather than continually forking the distributions, arguing about different OSes, feeling threatened by other OSes, etc.
I look forward to seeing a Gnome Home Desktop or a KDE Business Desktop. Move forward with UI design. Innovate. Show Mac OS X and Windows a thing or two. We've had years of experience with a desktop. Build on this and move forward.
What the Linux community needs is more structure and direction. Freedom is great, but without structure and direction and cooperation, it turns into an amorphous blob that is quite ineffectual in actually doing anything. In short, the Linux community needs to put its own house in order.
If it doesn't, it will continue to remain as a project of hobbyists or just a free tool in the hands of big corporations who are simply using it for what they can get out of it because they don't have to pay for it.
You are a great community. You have made some great accomplishments. Many of you already know and feel what must be done. Band together and do it.
This is your time. This is your turn. Above all, have fun!
Snowmotion