Desktop Linux: The Dream Is Dead

I've read this whole thread with interest, and the original article that started it. Windows whether you love it or hate it, has for a long time been the main stream OS that the vast majority use, either at home or in work.

It always was going to be a battle for any OS to break the hold that MS has, and while some people might argue against the dumming down of the interface within some flavours of Linux,if you want to get some people to change you're going to have to provide them with some familiarity.

Desktop linux is far from dead, but until more companies who develop software and hardware start to embrace it in a serious manner there is always going to be a ceiling.

For me personally, I've tried linux quite a number of times over the years and now in Ubuntu, I've found all that I need and little need to use windows.

 

And yet you still dual boot. What's keeping you from leaving Windows completely now?

 

Hi All

I have sparred with a number of contributors to this section of the forum in respect of Linux (including Katio) and all I get back is, wait and see, you will be surprised, Linux will be the manna from heaven, or words to that effect.

Let me say this, anything in direct competition to Microsoft (or purporting to) has to be serious and committed. Just look at what happens in the real world. Lets take Open Office, been on the market for years, good but far from outstanding. Even the free label is not sufficient to wean many off MS Office. Why, because it is sluggish and frankly not upto the standards of MS Office.

It is exactly a poor mans alternative. So what do the proponents of open source do, they do NOT FORM a cohesive group. No, they open up different "forks", so now we have OO, GO Office, and several others based on the same basic offering.

If you don't like one you dislike em all.

Its exactly the same with Linux. Microsoft is rich ruthless and professional. So amateurs are not going to perform well against Microsoft.

And so it is with Linux, one gets a proliferation of forks , branches, call it what you will. WHAT IT IS NOT, IS SERIOUS COMPETITION. In other words Amateurs

Microsoft must be laughing all the way to the bank as far as Operating systems are concerned. NOT SO in terms of the the mobile phones etc.

DEDICATION, is fundamental.

Terry

 

That's because I have to provide remote support for work, and the setup they use is licensed for a windows connection. It's the only reason I kept windows. I've a number of other machines, and they'll all linux.

 

TerryWood, you can't compare the Linux kernel and OpenOffice, at all. The way they are (or used to be) developed differ significantly.

OpenOffice was developed by Sun. Outside developers were never welcome. Now look at the kernel's contributors.
Also there are no "forks" to speak of, some set of patches and modifications "based" on upstream. With Linux there's just one, Android.

Linux is in direct competition with Microsoft, absolutely dedicated, professional, with a lot of cash to back it and contrary to rumors on the street very successful - in the server space.

To sum it up, your concerns apparently are not the problem. Just proves my points above...

 

Linux is manna from heaven for what it offers and for free, no ifs and or buts.

 

Linux is not windows and windows never become linux

 

Amen to that, lets not even think on those terms really