[luau] Dvorak: Is Linux your Next OS?

Jimen Ching jching at flex.com
Tue Mar 19 12:52:20 PST 2002


On Mon, 18 Mar 2002, Warren Togami wrote:
>"Unfortunately, the Linux community spends too much of its energy on things
>such as nomenclature (like the name GNU/Linux versus Linux). I sense that

When debates about Linux on the desktop comes up, people often forget to
ask the question "why?"  Let's say Linux is the dominant desktop OS.  So
what?  If Linux, as a desktop OS, become just another Windows2000, does it
make a difference?  We've just replaced one crappy OS with another [*].

The reason why Linux exists, and why many people want Linux to succeed, is
so it can provide a better computing environment, a better computing
society.  If it becomes just another M$ like desktop OS, then it has
failed.  Independent of whether it is the dominant OS or not.

[*] When I use the term 'crappy OS', I mean more than just a good looking
user interface.  I am talking about better security, better
interoperability between applications, better standards conformance, etc,
etc.  Basically, I am talking about the business practices of Microsoft.
Does anyone really believe that business decisions have absolutely no
influence on these technical issues?  If these business decisions do have
influence, what can influence these decisions?  And more importantly, do
we care?

--jc

P.S.  There are many groups in the Linux community.  Two of these groups
are those who want a better computing society, and those who want a better
looking desktop.  There are enough users in the community to have both
these groups.  And both groups are equally important to the success of
Linux.  Dvorak is not only out of touch with the current state of the
Linux OS, but he lacks understanding of what is really important.

--
Jimen Ching (WH6BRR)      jching at flex.com     wh6brr at uhm.ampr.org




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