On Friday 23 June 2006 12:01 pm
Michael DeBusk wrote:

> ** Reply to message from paul marwick  on Fri, 23 Jun
> 2006 12:29:57 +0100
>
> > While I like Ubuntu, and think that it is a good distribution
> > for a Linux beginner in many ways, its pandering to the lowest
> > common denominator (obviously if you're going to be dual
> > booting, you'll have Windows installed) is annoying to say
> > the least.
>
> OS/2 users are used to dealing with such behavior, though. :)
>
> Linux *needs* a distribution that's easy to install and configure.

No. Linux "needs" a LARGE hardware vendor, or several, that will
step up and 
preload it on desktop systems and advertise same. My company offers preloaded 
Linux server and desktop systems as well as preloaded eComStation desktop 
systems. But we are a tiny hardware vendor and so do not make much of a 
difference in the overall market. The argument that " is too 
hard for average people to install" is a red herring. If you know any 
*average* people you know they do not install their own operating systems. 
You and I are not average in that regard my friend. ;-)

> Installation is one of the things that gave OS/2 a difficult reputation,
> and look where we are now; it's one of the things that gave Windows the
> "easy" reputation, and look where *it* is.

Sure, but again that is a spurious argument. "Average Joe" does
not install 
his own operating system. He buys a box off the shelf or off the web with an 
operating system already installed. When "Average Joe" has a
problem with his 
computer he calls (Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM, etc.) technical support for 
desktop box warranty calls or "Geek Friend" or a local vendor that offers 
support for non-warranty stuff. "Average Joe" does not do his own
technical 
support nor his own operating system installs. If "Geek Friend" is only a 
Microsoft drone then "Geek Friend" is going to talk down anything
that is not 
Microsoft and will only help with Microsoft junk.

People will use what comes on their PC most of the time. They also want it to 
be similar to what all their friends use. Microsoft operating systems got 
where they are now by nefarious scheming, closed door arm twisting from the 
Big Dogs at Microsoft and PRELOADS. Not because of technical merit nor ease 
of installation. Heck, a Microsoft OS install can be a Royal PITA, so that is 
obviously NOT it.

Here is how I think of and illustrate it for people. Microsoft is where it is 
now because of momentum in the market started several years ago, like a small 
snowball started rolling from the top of a long snowy slope, nothing else. 
The gargantuan snowball it has become will finally stop rolling in the plains 
below and then melt. But that takes time. Eventually a gaggle of Linux 
penguins, which are just now marching down the snowy slope, will be swimming 
in the sea left by the melted colossal Microsoft snowball.

Gene Alexander
-- 
Mandriva Linux release 2006.0 (Official) for i586
 11:47:16 up 5 days, 21:07,  8 users,  load average: 0.12, 0.15, 0.16
ERA Computers & Consulting - http://www.eracc.com/ <- get VOIP here!
eComStation, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenServer & UnixWare resellers


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