The message 200311281003.58824.gt@pobox.com from Graham Trott gt@pobox.com contains these words:
I think we get onto dangerous ground claiming that Linux is "better than" Windows - or vice versa. One isn't better than the other; they're each better at some things. Windows excels at game play and driving new hardware (try finding a DVD copier for Linux) but requires you to restart the machine regularly and pay for pretty well everything you use. Linux is good for "always on" use, makes an undisputedly better server and IMHO is preferable for code development as it's more predictable and easier to organize. But I need a Windows box next to it for a variety of things, including deployment testing and even for some websites that assume IE.
Windows is 'better' at some things because so much is written specifically for it. Trying to run windows apps in say, Wine, will (probably) slow them down a bit - my Debian box, though a PIII 450 is *MUCH* slower to load than my Win98 box, which is only a PII 233MMX, and there's only a fraction of the stuff on the Debian box that will be there when I know what's available and what of it I want.
Yes, I know that some of it won't actually load, but then, neither does it in Windows, and a 2 Gig drive is Ÿ full (though 'tis true I didn't put most of it there)
Things are improving fast and in many areas the gap is closing, but Linux on the desktop hasn't got anywhere near the critical mass needed to attract commercial software writers to port their products and make the system a viable alternative to Windows for the average Joe.
It needs a lot of (seemingly) innocent requests to manufacturers: "May I have Linux drivers, please?" (I do!)
So let's avoid "better" unless we really enjoy pointless arguments. The Mac has survived (so far) on being "different". Use that as a base and avoid the mistakes they made. Softly softly catchee monkey.
Only just, and how are they managing? All the Mac users I know are ruefully admitting a move towards Muco$not compatibilly tea.
And the Acorn? Content with their schools market.........
I don't think we can be allowed the luxury of 'softlee-softlee catchee monkey'. What is needed - and quickly - is something your ordinary punter can feed into the CD-ROMdrive and unleash, and which will pretty-well self-install with a few pretty basic prods as to preferences as it goes, and then start up in an adult and non-patronising (MY computer, MY documents - YEUK!) way, and be intuitive and user-friendly.
It's all very well for those of us who are reasonably competent between the ears, but remember, half the population is below average intelligence, and we have a couple of generations of young people who haven't been taught basic English (amongst other things) at school.
Oops! Am I beginning a rant?
I'll get my goat.