Hi Guys,
1. Summary: GUIs are good if you want them, the command line is better if you know what you are doing.
2. Icons on the screen? Nah, folders with code names! (?)
3. 'Blind' touch typing a command line - or equally blind movement of a mouse cursor? (My problem is that my keyboard is dyslexic and I don't think you can run a spell check on a command line).
Well that's how things should be. Consumer choice? Tory Blair seems to be somewhat chummy with BG (who to be fair is distributing some of his absolutely unspendable wealth on good works as opposed to poncing (am I allowed to say that?) holiday accommodation from people (who may or may not need favours or perhaps a title) in exchange for a contribution to 'charity.' Prudence and Charity seem to do well with our chums in 10 & 11. I'm a bit worried however about our nuclear submarines running on 'doze!
What I think has to be taken into consideration is that when Joe Bloggs goes into his local 'puter shop on his first buy, inevitably he'll go away with the box with the spec that just covers what he said he wanted to do when he went into said shop (it's for Joe junior to do his homework) - which probably isn't what he really really wanted to do which is run Tomb Raider. But he will almost surely have a box with 'doze pre-loaded. And when he loads the software (apps) of his choice it will barely run - but in happy pointy-clicky ignorance he'll be happy 'til his HDD is absolutely full of 'recyclables' and 'temporary' internet files. Now I know you guys are different and if you are running hardware stores you'll possibly be loading Linux! I'm sure on an equal footing, a good sales person could train Joe to operate either 'doze or 'ux, but there isn't an equal footing or a level playing field. There's a dealer margin on 'doze - if it pre-installed, it still ain't free! I don't know if you guys do any test shopping? I used to wok for a retail chain and often would go into competitors shops to see if they were better salesmen than me and my crew. I still go into PC World and ask questions - which still bring uninformed answers. 'You don't need to know that - just point and click! Linux? What's that? We supply XP Home. We don't sell Macintosh!' However, I have seen boxed Linux in one stationary store - horrendous price. Well, 'it's complicated and the instruction manual is expensive!' Unless Joe develops an interest in alternative O/S - he will just never know there are alternatives. If he gets bitten, he may note that alongside the multitude of magazines on the rack in WH, there are a few Mac and Linux titles. he may even buy one and find the cover disk doesn't run in 'doze. I believe however there are other Euro governments who insist gov business is conducted in 'ux?
So what's my point? Linux will not become the obvious and popular alternative to 'doze until your average sales person in the 'puter store can demonstrate that it is equal to 'doze in every aspect that a store browser (window shopper) can get touchy feely pointy clicky with display goods and see that it works. Nobody but nobody will go into your average 'puter store and start typing command lines (excepting you guys of course!) It won't become my replacement until I can run QuarkXPress (and I mean QuarkXPress 'cos it is an interchange format still) and Photoshop CS2. Both of which run beautifully from point and click icons on my desktop!
I think that may be six-pennorth!
Cheers,
BD.
NB: I have enjoyed the varied replies to this thread!