Re: [opensuse] Can you say ripoff - OT

Peter Bradley wrote:
Ysgrifennodd Dylan:
But new hardware comes out every day, and there are effectively
infinite permutations which cannot be effectively tested - how would
you compile, verify and update that list without it being out of date
before you started unless A) you control the hardware design process
(Apple) or B) you can dictate how the hardware and software interact
(Microsoft)?

Dylan

My point exactly, but much better and more succinctly put.

:)


Peter



It all adds to the cost. Say, for example, Dell decided they were going to provide an AMD based laptop and say it was
"Linux ready" They would then need to spend time (and money, which would have to be passed on to the consumer) testing
out various distros to have half a chance of being able to field Tech Support questions along the lines of "I've just
installed Solianux v9.8.7 and it doesn't work. Your advert says the systems Linux ready".

The problem gets worse with desktop/server machines where the choice of hardware components is much greater. This is why
companies like Sun only support specified versions of RedHat and SLES (wnd yes, even Windoze) on their 64bit products.
It's also why storage companies such as EMC need time to test combinations of hardware/OS/OS version before including a
configuration in their compatability matrix (it was getting on for 6 months after SunFire x4200 was released that it +
SLES9 made it onto EMC's list and they have quite an extensive testing facility!).

Coming from a Pr1mos and then Solaris background I've only really "dabbled" with Linux over the last 3 years or so.
Some distros have worked "out of the box" and some haven't - on the same hardware. Some are more geared towards "server"
usage, some more "desktop". So far, SUSE 10.1, SLED 10.1 and openSUSE 10.2 are the only ones I've managed to get to
install 64bit versions of on my current setup (Intel D945GCZL motherboard with 3.4GHz BTX P4, Seagate SATA, ATI Radeon
X550). Others simply barfed at not being able to find the disk (64bit Debian), or had problems with the display/graphics
(64bit Ubuntu 6.10).

One of the "problems" Linux has is its myriad variations and re-invented wheels, which is likely to confuse the hell out
of "Joe Public" who's been force-fed M$/Apple over the last quarter century. The success (or otherwise) of Linux as a
desktop will rely heavily on ease of installation, look&feel and ease of use. A distribution which is able to install
on practically anything (using "generic" drivers where necessary) and has an pleasant looking, uncluttered, *intuitive*
interface is likely to help turn the tide. Even though I keep "flying the flag" for FOSS/FLOSS here at work, the bosses
seem welded to M$ and heavily resistant to much less costly alternatives.

--
Paul Walsh
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