[H-GEN] Re: Unix vs NT (religious war :-)

[Frank Brand]

(Note reply-to: being general at humbug.org.au vs Frank Brand <fbrand at uq.net.au>)

On Tue, 03 Aug 1999, Martin Pool wrote:
> (Note reply-to: being general at humbug.org.au vs Martin Pool <martinp at mincom.com>)

> 
> Perhaps what we need is not so much GUIs, but wizards.  Hear me out:


I have tried to keep out of this so far, I've already been through the Linux
mill several times but this is now getting to the sane stage. The heat is
ameliorating and the light is beginning to show.

I think I have noted in previous discussions with Martin that, if Linux is to
become anything other than a fringe player, it might move in a direction that
the current Linux devotees may not particularly like.

I think the Linux community needs to come to some conclusion regarding the
Linux strategy. Is it a specialist system for highly skilled (and in Humbug we
are talking a lot of extremely well skilled people, not all mind you there are
Doug and I to balance you out :^>) systems specialists OR is it a system to
rival Windows in all its versions as a system for all men and all seasons. 

I can understand Doug's problems as I know he has been grappling with various
router problems for 2 to 3 months. I had a buggger of a time even getting ppp
running ...it took me months, cost me about a thousand times more in phone
charges than in internet time as I dont think I made a true connection for
weeks.

I think even the most biggoted Linux zealot, deep down knows it is not an easy
system to deal with but I constantly see people on IRC channels (all around the
world) telling potential users that Linux can do anything...knowing that it
probably can after you have had 2 years experience with it. How many of those
users try Linux and then reformat their drives and return to Windows.

Personally, I enjoy these debates but this will be my first and last post on
the subject. I think the implied strategy development in them is exactly what
Linux needs. Linux is on a threshold...does it become a true rival Windows and
a wide market or does it remain a <5% of the market fringe, niche product for
specialists. Should we even be considering a Linux/Windows competition - is the
real competition Linux vs other NIXes for the UNIX market.

If whoever is driving current versions of Linux decides to compete with MS,
then sure, Linux needs to be a whole lot more user friendly ..along the lines
Martin is suggesting. Non-technical home users just would not tolerate Linux
even in its present standard. Red Hat have sort of moved along this track with
their Workstation/Server/Custom installation scripts.

I am just posing some questions here...not supplying answers but whatever comes
out of all the Linux hype has to be a consistent strategy...it is no use saying
Linux will capture the world if it is not competitive on a broad scale with
Windows. Similarly it is no use requesting lots of ease of use functionality if
the ultimate position of Linux is for specialist systems or backroom server
software.




 --
Frank Brand
E-mail: fbrand at uq.net.au
Home Page: http://www.uq.net.au/~zzfbrand

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