Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> Richard Stallman Calls to Liberate Cyberspace
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | 'the point is, we shouldn't be passive victims! We should decide that it
> | will not happen! And the way we decide that is by activism. We have to
> | do everything possible to make sure that those products are rejected,
> | that they fail, that they give bad reputations to whoever makes them.'
> `----
>
> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20060625001523547
That's a man I would have liked to disagree with. He is difficult to
disagree with though because i agree with everything he said, I think it's
the tone that comes over from the interview that I don't like, and his
reasons (where given) are different to mine.
I for one am happy with the slow growth of Linux, I think we are benefiting
from it in fact. Particularly because in the end we are getting Linux users
(mostly) who *want* Linux, as opposed to those who just want to try out the
new Kewl thing or as a revolutionary act against MS, or worse, as just
another computer game of the problem solving adventure kind like Myst.
If some popular magazine, say Womans Own put a Linux DVD on the front cover,
many would try it, because the free face cream was alright so chances are
this Linux will be alright too.
But it would do Linux more harm than good because all those that succeed to
get started on it, there would be many that can't make head nor tail of it
and find they have just wiped off their husbands night class work. Then
Womans Own letters pages, and probably the sister mags, would be full on
anti-Linux letters. It would be a difficult one for Linux to fight.
Much better then the way it is, growing slowly but accelerating. As those
more capable of getting started are growing, word spreads around them so
for each one they may be two more a reasonable time afterwards.
As for the hardware and drivers side mentioned in the interview, I am all
for not buying something that doesn't work on Linux. In fact I can't say
that I ever buy anything that will not work on my Linux. But he was saying
that as if it should be a revolution, I would say it more because there's
no use buying something that doesn't work.
As the Linux base gathers momentum more manufacturers are including the
Linux drivers, and I bet your socks that they are finding that it is no
where near as difficult as they thought it was going to be. In the design
of every driver that ever was, even as far back as the TSR (transient-
stay-resident) type drivers, duing design you pass through the point where
the driver is ready for Linux, then you carry on to add the less necessary
bumph that XP needs. So, you reach that point, compile or release source
for Linux, then carry on.
Lexmark has learnt that, its not so long ago I looked on their site for a
printer and check for a Linux driver only to find that they sent you to a
link where you can learn how to write your own. But now they have a link to
the Linux drivers that is just as prominent as the Xp link. Not every
printer is covered yet, but families of printers are.
That is another thing the slow steady growth is giving us (i.e. we are not
just a fad), manufaturers are getting less afraid to give Linux a space in
their driver downloads. It is nearly always 'unsupported', but I don't mind
that. it is also nice that they are sticking to the 'Driver does the
driving' rule, unlike on MS where the driver comes with a pile of junk that
takes over the desktop and flashes up a million popups a day, Drivers
drive, software requests, thats the way its meant to be, no noise
necessary.
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