Re: "Red Hat recommends Windows for consumers"

From: T. Ribbrock (emgaron_at_gmx.net)
Date: 11/04/03

  • Next message: Wade Chandler: "RE: "Red Hat recommends Windows for consumers"" 
    To: redhat-list@redhat.com
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2003 13:26:03 +0100

    On Tue, Nov 04, 2003 at 12:24:22PM +0100, Michael Schwendt wrote:
    > > Well. I *can* see his point, at least a little bit - but it still
    > > feels strange, this coming from Red Hat.
    > > Anybody else who shares this view?
    >
    > Do *you* disagree?

    Yes. I don't think it was very smart. Seing the recent wave of worms
    and viruses, I regard it as downright dangerous to recommend Windows
    to any home user. I also think it was dangerous to Linux, as it will give
    MS more leverage to complete the lock-in they're after. "Linux will be
    ready in a few years" - great, but it might be too late then. The third
    issue I have is the possible impact of this statement on what PHBs think
    in business ("Gee, if I can't even use it at home..."). That shouldn't
    happen, but I think we all know it will happen, unfortunately.

    Having said that, I can see the point in toning down the expectations
    of potential migrants, as a scared off newbie would be bad for Linux'
    future as well. Nonetheless, I still think we should get as many home
    users to move as possible, 'cause many of them already can. I mean,
    what *is* the average home user? When I think of "the average home
    user", I think of people like my dad or my wife - e-mail, web, office
    apps, maybe the odd dabbling with photos (either digital camera or
    scanner) - that's all possible right now. Installation is an issue,
    but on the other hand, the people I have in mind never install
    anything themselves, anyway - they either buy pre-installed or ask
    their son/neighbour/etc.pp. - and that's not in any way specific to
    Windows. Another thing that comes up is ease of use. Well, Windows
    isn't easy to use - I learned that lesson rather quickly when my
    father bought his first PC, with no previous experience.
    I've seen the other version as well: My wife is using Linux at home
    as well since a couple of years and although her only experience was
    Windows, she's very happy with the system. She really surprised me,
    when she asked to dump KDE and replace it with the GUI I use: Window
    Maker. Just proves that ease of use isn't that easy to pinpoint.
    Nonetheless, I wouldn't necessary recommend Linux to that type of user
    - I'd rather point in the general direction of Apple's MacIntosh, as
    I've seen complete newbies getting the hang of MacOS rather quickly,
    when compared to Windows.

    That leaves the "spoil sports" :-) : Gamers. It appears that Windows
    is a reasonable gaming platform (I wouldn't know). Hence, to that type
    of user, Windows might be the only alternative, short of a console.
    There isn't much point in denying that.

    Further on, I fail to see the point of the statement from a Red Hat
    point of view: They're not even offering any product for the typical
    home user anymore - they said themselves that they're after the
    businesses. Hence, why this statement? It just doesn't feel right.

    Cheerio,

    Thomas 

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                Thomas Ribbrock    http://www.ribbrock.org 
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  • Next message: Wade Chandler: "RE: "Red Hat recommends Windows for consumers""

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