Stock Market...

[Warren Togami]

Not just one successful example.  Linux is simply not ready... not easy
enough for a complete newbie to implement.  Even though our server side
software is of higher quality than Microsoft, this is only on the hidden
backend.  What the great unwashed masses see are the user interfaces, and we
are still 5 years behind Microsoft in these enterprise server administrative
interfaces.  While KDE and Gnome are great improvements in the desktop user
interfaces, server administration interfaces are almost as bad as they were
years ago.

I've been playing with Windows XP lately and I am completely alarmed by the
improvements in Microsoft's next generation of software.  I hate to admit
this, but Windows XP will be the first consumer Windows operating system
with the stability and reliability of Windows NT/2000.  Some of you may be
upset at this admission, but ever since Windows 2000 we can no longer blame
Microsoft for instability and blue screens of death.  Nearly all problems in
Windows now are due to hardware or driver problems.  I have been using
Windows 2000 for nearly two years, and in all this time it has NEVER crashed
except when I was using experimental nVidia Detonator drivers, or
overclocking too far.

Windows XP will be just as stable, but it also includes many
anti-competitive abuses in tying virtually all software you may need,
destroying competition (Citrix, CD burning software makers, competing
instant messenging, etc.), while constantly encouraging users to sign-up for
Passport and use Hailstorm services during normal usage of the operating
system.  If you uninstall Windows Messenger (MSN Messenger), it breaks other
components that relies on Passport like Netmeeting.  Yes, you can no longer
use Netmeeting without having a Passport account.  It has built-in "remote
desktop" capability similar to Citrix or VNC with full sound transmission.
It is GREATLY superior and optimized over these competing products (possibly
because it was developed using undocumented Windows API interfaces).  It
also has a built in firewall that is superior to ZoneAlarm or Black Ice.  It
includes very poor CD burning software, and it has a broken ASPI layer
making competing CD burning software inoperable without a 3rd party driver.

All of these "improvements" make it sound good, but the abuses exist under
the hood in the anti-competitive bundled software features and breaking
compatibility with software that Microsoft doesn't like.  I sure hope the
courts force Microsoft to delay the retail release of XP, force them to
remove the "need" to use Passport, and also remove these arrogant further
abuses of their desktop operating system monopoly in their attempt to
dominate other software and services markets.

Windows XP is a severe threat because normal users will not recognize these
abuses.  Microsoft made it inconvenient to use 3rd party software, so users
will use the included Microsoft equivalents that work better than 3rd party
software due to their undocumented hooks in the operating system.  Windows
XP will continually pester them to sign-up for Passport, and Windows
Messenger users will skyrocket, sucking competition from competing AIM and
ICQ.

The government is our only hope.  The same government that is controlled by
corporate America's dollars.  (Don't expect any help from the spineless
government.)

Warren Togami
warren at togami.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "W. Wayne Liauh" <LiauhW001 at Hawaii.rr.com>
To: "Linux & Unix Advocates & Users" <luau at list.luau.hi.net>
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 1:39 PM
Subject: [luau] Re: Stock Market...


> One of the biggest problems with Linux is its "lack of stability".  Not
> about functional stability but version stability, something unavoidable
for a
> product that evolves at such a lightening speed.
>
> However, as Linus stated a few weeks ago, there is not much that need be
done
> on the 2.4 kernel, meaning that the Linux kernel is finally stabilized.
Now
> with the improved SMP, journaling FS, USB, and DRI firmly in place, I
think
> business owners can finally feel comfortable about Linux.  The end of the
2.4
> kernel signals the beginning of a new era for Linux.  However, to entice
> business owners to adapt Linux, we need have locally successful examples,
> I.e., can we convert a local bank or a law/accounting/doctor's office into
> Linux?
>
> All it takes is one successful example!
>