Linux and OS in general

[monkeyboy]

Linuxviolin: You have no real need for Linux about "freedom" and "open source"... Even in Windows you have these, except for the OS itself of course.

We don't need opensource, how about.
The quagmire of copyright law and contract law in computing that goes alomg with closed software.
The fact that much of the propritory software is not owned but licensed after purchase.
User lockout of the core functionality of the programs.
One of my faves market and price control due to close source codeing.
Product activation, or the fourty five minute song and dance with customer service.
Hardware vendor lock in.
Malicious features, software calling somewhere on its own for god knows what reason.
Imposed upgrades, sorry but we broke your install, again. Want to upgrade?

Wait do I hear a yes butt or is it the spin exspress coming?

[linuxviolin]

monkeyboy , I think you misunderstood me, or maybe I misspoke. I just meant you could also find "freedom" and "opensource" in Windows. There are plethora of open source apps for everything. You can customize your desktop, even much if you want: some years ago, I have seen some Windows desktops which, when you saw them, looked like anything but Windows, really. If we didn't know they were running Windows we could almost believe they were with another OS.

Etc

I have not said the open source is bad or something like that.

By the way: "Anything that is not given is lost" (Indian Proverb)

[monkeyboy]

So if we ignore the proprietary OS and the supporting proprietary software and only look at the open source Windows programs then everything is right? Sorry I can't torture reality that far to accept you contention.

Winston Churchill: "When you hold the high position, you proceed with ease."

[linuxviolin]

So if we ignore the proprietary OS and the supporting proprietary software and only look at the open source Windows programs then everything is right?

"supporting proprietary software "? You have just the proprietary OS. For the rest, you can have just open source software for practically everything...

Sorry I can't torture reality that far to accept you contention.

There is nothing to torture.

[DrHu]

I am a hardware man from way back; if LEO, mercury delay lines, Eccles-Jordan mean anything to you, you know how far back.
To me hardware is the core and I write code to make it do something.
.... because it is a competition between like minds.
Still, a bit more user friendliness would go a far way in making Linux a true replacement of MS.

..mercury delay lines, Eccles-Jordan..
Ooow! that is a long time ago
--I did Mainframes myself, and haven't really seen anything yet that didn't exist already (at least in concept) in the mainframe or earlier computer science era (ie after WWII and the accounting data processing of the 1960's)

I wasn't sure which OS will ultimately prevail, but I see you might mean Microsoft

I would argue that hardware or tech efficiency and performance has gone by the wayside, and for some time past, it has been about marketing and commercial interests; sizzle and not results --because such results as there are, even in software development or computer science haven't been that outstanding-- if it was compared to architecture or engineering (Electronics or otherwise), it (software) would have to be given a failing grade

• For the longest time now, efficiency and performance have not been the main idea for products..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:S ... _disasters

I would also say that for Linux users nothing that Microsoft or Apple have offered is an enticement
--any computing data processing needed can be done within Linux

• In fact I would recommend to anyone that believes they always will need the latest MS office suite to actually find out what they do need rather than blindly follow the crowd
  --does anyone need more than
• A few font formats
• A method of managing more than a few pages
  --if you are creating a book, any DTP is a better choice, even if people struggle alongside word to author their project
• Some way of creating a printed page
• Some way of transposing the contents to a portable format, such as PDF
  --that's about it
  Any RTF style editor could handle that project, and would be easier and cheaper to use..

People really just have to look and decide, not decide and then look..

[monkeyboy]

"supporting proprietary software "? You have just the proprietary OS. For the rest, you can have just open source software for practically everything...

You know audio drivers, video drivers, printer drivers, codecs, etc, etc, etc. Third party proprietary software not written by, supported by or distributed by Microsoft. I sure if you take a moment you will see the obvious difference between the OS and the supporting proprietary software. If not well that is you choice spin it like you want to.

[mephisto]

Maybe we should have this discussion in 2 years. I got the feeling Redmond is gonna be doing Linux a major favour with Win 8 and all its restrictions and the novelty "touchy" value.
It's what made me switch, and it will be forever. I've had it with Microsoft.
What I've seen from Win 8 so far is cringeworthy and/or laughable at best.
No way that I'm gonna go along with their Microsoft Windows store concept... they'll be giving away Windows before too long.
And make their money on the back of their developers selling software in their store, the Apple way, a 30% cut on everything sold is a lot of easy money.
They'll make more on that than they make from the OS sales soon.

And let's not forget computers have become a consumer product. And as most of them are being sold with an OS already installed.. so.. there is no competition really.
Only after you have got enough experience and insight Linux becomes an option to the consumer masses.
I doubt that 1% of them ever get to that point though.
To them a computer is just an appliance, like their toaster or coffee maker.
Hence the succes of tablets.

I know people that have worked with computers professionally on a daily basis for over 10 years and they don't even know the difference between the Operating System (Windows) and Microsoft Office. After 10 years they don't know what a program is, as opposed to the OS.
It's all "their computer" to them. They don't care and they're not interested, all they want is to get the job done.
All the "freedom" philosophy in the world is simply wasted on them.
What would consumers=slaves understand about freedom anyway?

[trollboy]

On Valve’s interest in Linux

“The big problem that is holding back Linux is games. People don’t realize how critical games are in driving consumer purchasing behavior.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for the 2,500 games on Steam to run on Linux as well. It’s a hedging strategy. I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space. I think we’ll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people. If that’s true, then it will be good to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality.

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