2004: The Year of Linux

[JailBush]

According to an article at http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1398069,00.asp, 2004 will likely be the year Linux grows up or blows up.

Wouldn't it be great if it was the year Linux became a superstar, and Microsoft blew up? So where are all the Linux candidates? Who's making open-source software a campaign issue?

[Occulus]

1. linux NEEDS no candidate.

Linux is open source; people will continue to work on it regardless or in spite of government intrusion.

I truly do hope linux becomes welcome in classrooms and businesses all over the world. It's not ready for desktops- not yet; it's faaaar too technical for the 'average' user- but it WILL get there, given time.

If linux is ever able to run ALL MS Windows applications and games, Micro$oft will quickly die a painful death.

Running all windows games and application ought to be the holy grail of linux development.

[JailBush]

3. Oh yes it does...

Linux is gaining popularity mostly among computer geeks. It's still a big unknown to the general public.

As you say, it might find its way into households eventually, but wouldn't it be great to speed up Microsoft's demise? Making Linux a campaign issue is a great way to both publicize Linux and bash Microsoft. It might encourage a few home users to take the plunge a little earlier.

Furthermore, Linux's eventual victory isn't absoultely certain. I'm sure Bill Gates has many more dirty tricks up his sleeve. I'd like to see Linux kick his butt before he has a chance to pull another fast one.

Open-source software is about much more than better software. There are a wide range of social issues at work.

[bpilgrim]

7. that's why gore 'invented' OS X ;-)

Former Vice President Al Gore Joins Apple’s Board of Directors

“Steve and his team have done an incredible job in making Apple once again the very best in the world,” said former Vice President Al Gore. “I have been particularly impressed with the new Mac OS X operating system and the company’s commitment to the open source movement. And I am especially looking forward to working with and learning from the great board members who have guided this legendary company’s inspiring resurgence.”

more...
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2003/mar/19gore.html

:evilgrin:

peace

[0rganism]

11. Check out WINE, the Linux MSWindows emulator

It handles a lot of those "office apps" people are so in love with.

There are also "equivalent" software packages that can use MS file formats and network protocols.

As for interface, I've seen X-Windows setups with fvwm that exactly mimic the Win98 GUI -- without the frequent blue screens. Gnome/Sawtooth provides a much nicer gui, tho.

Linux is ready for workhorse consumption, it just needs a bit of faith from consumers that it won't eat their brains. The only area of true lack is video games, and office users usually aren't supposed to be running those anyway. But... if one must have a game-capable system at work... why not have the IT guy set up dual boot?

[mhr]

2. Mandrake 9.2 Here, Stable, Fast, Crash Free

eom

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. Hear! Hear!

But not exactly perfect. Needs a little work to get it to run correctly.

On the other hand, their developer file servers(Mandrake Cooker) Just added kernel 2.6.0-1.1mdk and from the looks of things, they just might surprise us all with a 10.0 release, with KDE 3.2, sooner than we all suspect.

[lysergik]

4. No. It wouldn't be great if MS blew up.

I don't see what your obsession with MSFT is. I've long gotten over the virtual pissing match of yore about which OS is better. They've all got their place, plain and simple, end of discussion.

[JailBush]

9. Wrong pissing match!

You wrote, "I don't see what your obsession with MSFT is. I've long gotten over the virtual pissing match of yore about which OS is better. They've all got their place, plain and simple, end of discussion."

It isn't just about operating systems. Sheez, if you don't have a clue by now, what can you possibly contribute to politics?

[lysergik]

12. Right. and MS is the evil empire. n/t

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

5. I would love to see

I would love to see LINUX take off and go mainstream. It won't, at least not this year. LINUX must be accepted on consumer desktops, businesses and 'puter geeks won't be able to give it enough support without Joe Public endorsing it. In order for Joe to pay attention, this is what needs to happen:

- Run Windows games and apps, all of them
- Have an easier installation method for software. Not everything comes in RPM format. Newbies can spend days trying to figure out where their newest program got installed to.
- Have an easier installation method for hardware and drivers. Three hours to get Nvidia drivers running properly is B.S. That includes having to hand edit my X11 files to get it running again.
- Have a more secure, no-brain istallation. If sendmail gets installed by default and the service is set to start at boot, it isn't as secure as it could/should be for Joe Public.
- Recompiling a kernel is not for the newbies among us.

I like LINUX to play with personally. Why? I tinker with LINUX because I will spend two weeks tweaking the system to get ti the way I like it, then get fed up because I either can't run my MS apps, or I got sick and tired of spending hours to install a JAVA plugin on my web browser. Other than learning and playing with LINUX, I'll stick with Windows for now.

[lysergik]

8. Excellent points.

I also don't see why Linux is being singled out here, there are far better operating systems out there. Choose something from the *BSD family.

Fact of the matter is on a consumer level Linux and other *NIX operating systems are lacking user friendliness and idiot proofness. It has a LONG way to go before it will be accepted as a replacement for Win*

[bpilgrim]

6. ASIA thinks so... they are switching to linux/opensource

not to mention APPLE and IBM are betting BIG on linux/opensource :bounce:

and so am i... http://dvia.com

peace

[fshrink]

10. Why replace M$ with Linuk$?

What I don't like in MS is the monopoly and their obsession with maintaining it. Their OS is heavy, inelegant and loaded with stuff to stiffle competition. In fact, I don't want any superstar; just a bunch of compatible OS with different personalities (e.g. more games, more scientific apps, more art, more software dev. etc.). I know, Linux is open-source, but you can bet that if it gets bigger it wont stay that way for long: you'll be able to own the door but you'll have to pay for the key. The truly subversive act would be to devise a universal adapter in open-source...

[Deja Q]

14. YES!!! That would rule! Mandrake could make a comeback and

Novell Linux (formerly SuSE) with the integrated Ximian GUI (Novell also bought Ximian) would be killer too!

Groovy article, thanx! (I sometimes forget to thank people who find articles to post...)