LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Ian Loxton <ilox@airnet.com.au>
  To  : Linux SA <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 23:49:38 +0930

"Desktop users threaten Linux viability"

I am posting this message in favour of discussion, not that I agree 
with his points. In fact I disagree with much of his comments and some 
I have a strong dislike to.

The full discussion is continuing on the CompuServe Linux Forum;
http://forums.compuserve.com/gvforums/default.asp?SRV=LinuxForum
Select the "Industry News" Message Section then Select the thread "Tech 
Talk Intimidates". Access is free as a guest. Responding to the 
discussion in the Forum requires you to sign up for free access.

Cheers,  Ian

 Subject: Tech Talk Intimidates
 From: Doug Yriart (Sysop)

 "So far, efforts to make Linux more friendly to desktop users
 have tended to cripple the parts of Linux that do things
 Windows can't.

 I see growing numbers of desktop users as a serious threat
 to the long term viability and success of Linux. The world
 does not need another desktop OS, except for the ABMS crowd
 (Anything But Microsoft). The world does need a more capable
 server operating system that scales better than Windows, is
 more secure and less bug ridden. Microsoft has a long
 history of success crushing rival desktop operating systems.
 Microsoft is having a lot of trouble countering
 server/multi-user Linux.

 Hacking Linux to make it desktop friendly consumes resources
 better invested in making Linux a better server.

 Linux is inherently a multi-user operating system. Windows
 is a single user operating system, even the server editions.
 To make Windows support multiple concurrent users requires
 an application such as CITRIX or Windows Terminal Server.
 The tendency seems to be to want to strip out the multi-user
 features of Linux to make it more "friendly". There is no
 point to Linux without the multi-user features."


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