Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> The year of the Linux desktop!
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | You'll see these words in more than one article penned by the pundits.
> | Every year since about 2003 has been called the year of the Linux
> | desktop - and then, when that fails to transpire, those who predict
> | these things set about rehashing their predictions for the next year.
> `----
>
> http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/8327/1090/
>
Writers like this always make the mistake of assuming that 'The Year Of The
Linux Desktop' is the year when the majority of desktops suddenly become
Linux.
I don't see it that way at all.
I would say that we have already had the year of the linux desktop. Because
that was the year when MS Win people actually had a choice. Because it was
a desktop that they could install with minimum fuss and carry on with their
daily work. Emails, browsing, office.
Of cause the geek set (takes a bow) had the year of the linux ahead of this,
it did take more effort to attain it, but hey, we're geeks, we do this sort
of thing.
But now, for the non-geek set, you can buy a PC, download your Linux (or get
it off a magazine) and be running a viable alternative in a very short
time.
How long is it since anyone here took one of the popular distros and had
trouble getting as far as using the emails, browsers and office? I would
count it in years, many years really.
Ok, non-geeks tend to have trouble with the strong hints on how to play
their DVD films and other media. I often wonder why non-geeks tend to have
trouble with the words 'We can't give you the codecs, you have to get them
yourself from <This Link>'. Then in the Debian system they have problems
with the three line install process. They soon forget that in order to play
their media on MS Win they had to install extra players in order to get the
codecs, so they have MS Player and Macro Player and what ever other players
are needed for each thing. Personally I'm much happier playing everything
through one program, (two really, I tend to use the mini CD player a lot
just for music).
The reason we can go past the Year Of The Linux Desktop and not bother to
count bums on seats is fair choice, because fair choice isn't a numerical
thing. I don't care at all if the majority choose to use MSWin, I only care
that it is a choice.
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