WINE & Win4Lin etc., versus pure Open Source desktop solutions

Robert Green aloha_moon at yahoo.com
Tue Jul 31 18:22:34 PDT 2001


I wanted to offer a differing opinion (with no intent to start a
flame war!) about the 'lets go open-source only!' thrust.

Somebody mentioned that we would be serving the cause best to not
include WINE, Win4Lin, or other Linux-running-windows type
demonstrations.

I think we would *best* serve the cause by making every effort to
show Linux as practical and workable, particularly as a desktop
solution, and show that it can either run without any M$ integration,
or can easily give the best of both worlds for users who need to
maintain some degree of inter-operability with the Windows world --
because the more people we make stop and go "hmmmm...." the better.

Many folks may like the idea of linux, but aren't ready to give up on
Office, or Outlook, or whatever. If we get em running Win4Lin, or
WINE, we still got them to try Linux, which means we've made headway.


This is the same reason I think we should hand out Mandrake CDs - it
has a 'linux on windows' install available that people can try
without having to go buy a second hard drive, or re-partition their
existing drive. We should think "dual-boot friendly" towards the
Windows folksand leave them their security blanket. We need to make
every effort to be approachable and win them into our camp, even if
it means to give a begrudged nod towards the popularity of M$'s
bloatwares for the time being. 

Aloha,

Rob

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