Re: Linux for Kids
From: Ralph H. Stoos Jr. (rstoos_at_rochester.rr.com)
Date: 03/24/05
- Next message: KT: "Re: Learning Linux"
- Previous message: psychoabe_at_gmail.com: "ntalk and talk"
- In reply to: Mxsmanic: "Re: Linux for Kids"
- Next in thread: Mxsmanic: "Re: Linux for Kids"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 04:25:56 GMT
All,
I must interject one thought here. Microsoft has in fact done a lot for
computers.
Xerox, specifically PARC, invented the GUI with drag and drop printing
and file copy, the mouse, the precursor of Ethernet, and PostScript. We
gave all these to the world. Apple and Microsoft have made fortunes off
our philanthropic effort.
Microsoft does indeed capitalize on their large marketshare not by
innovating but by their stated policy of "embrace, expand, and extinguish".
The last I checked, Linux was grabbing marketshare from M$ in the server
arena by around 5% per year. Linux passed M$ in web server on the Net
last year.
Desktop market is different. Linux is supposed to have around 5% of
desktops at this point and accurate numbers are hard since it is
possible to get free, from one copy there may be many installs.
Linux features have and are being copied for use in the next Windows
version. I use XP at work because I must but, I do have a Linux
computer there as well.
Another area is embedded Linux, My company as well as many other are
using embedded Linux for all sorts of devices. The chances are that your
PDA, cable box, MP3 player, and cell phone use embedded Linux. At my
company, a rather huge one, we are using Linux for a number of our
products. In some we have a full blown distro for operation of the
device and another embedded distro to run the User Interface.
I started a Linux User Group at my firm in 1998 and it is now relegated
to training newbies as most folk are already up to speed. We are using
the sourceforge app as a CVS repository and sharing Linux code.
Linux will gain a lot more popularity. The Chinese has allocated 1
billion dollars to produce their own "national" Linux distro called
RedHouse. The German government has banned M$ software from their
government computers and adopted Linux. The government of Peru is soon
to follow suit.
I have used Linux on ALL my home computers for the last 10 years. In
the early days, Linux was not easy but, it is now. With the
introduction of Linspire 5.0, Linux is now officially idiot proof.
I have been training people in Linux for a long time and it only gets
easier. Linux will take away still more of M$ desktops over time. Will
it dominate, who knows? If nothing else, it should help make M$
innovate and compete more. It is a good alternative and that should
help everybody.
The soul of Linux and Open source is cooperation and sharing to make the
best software. I don't see an arguement that makes this a bad thing.
Regards,
Ralph
Mxsmanic wrote:
> chris writes:
>
>
>>We don't "hate" him, just despise his business methods and don't like his
>>"operating systems".
>
>
> Why don't you hate Scott Neely, Larry Ellison, and Andy Groves? They're
> just as bad.
>
>
>>No. Windows is not a "good commercial product". It is unreliable,
>>insecure, slow, and not "fit for purpose".
>
>
> This is demonstrably and obviously untrue. Only those with a religious
> attachment to other operating systems seriously believe it.
>
>
>>There are several good reasons for hating his "enterprise". Microsoft has
>>held back computing for over 15 years, and has bribed, stolen and forced
>>its' way to the top of the heap.
>
>
> No company (except perhaps Intel) has advanced microcomputing more than
> Microsoft.
>
>
>>Microsoft has NEVER innovated - they have
>>just seen a technology that they think will suit their purpose and then
>>stolen the code (like "Stacker" for example), or bought out the company
>>that developed it.
>
>
> Did Linus invent his kernel, or did he "steal" the concept from, say,
> UNIX?
>
>
>>There are even some significant parts of Windows that
>>are directly stolen from BSD.
>
>
> Whereas Linux looks nothing like any other OS.
>
>
>>No. Modern, forward thinking schools in this country are using other
>>operating systems, despite Bill Gates "buying" his way into the
>>"government" with huge bribes.
>
>
> No, they are not. Preparing students for the real world is important,
> and raising them on operating systems that practically no one uses is
> not a step in this direction.
>
>
>>No it isn't. It's insecure, unstable, slow and bloated.
>
>
> The usual baseless assertions. Show me the benchmarks.
>
>
>>Unfortunately, the average domestic user sees Windows as "free" because it
>>came "free" on their new computer.
>
>
> So?
>
>
>>Win 2003 has a mean time to crash of around 20
>>minutes, and lasted just under four minutes on the 'net before it was
>>compromised - it cost over $100 per minute of uptime!
>
>
> Show me the benchmarks.
>
>
>>Linux is now also better for the desktop - the kde is better integrated than
>>much of Windows, and the "Office" options (OOo, Koffice) actually work
>>properly without crashing.
>
>
> Linux is lightyears away from Windows on the desktop, and even further
> away from the Mac.
>
>
>>Real computer users call Windows "GameOS" - it's all it's any good for. It
>>certainly isn't fit for serious use.
>
>
> With a quarter-million "serious" applications available only on Windows,
> it's the only game in town for most people with serious work to do.
>
- Next message: KT: "Re: Learning Linux"
- Previous message: psychoabe_at_gmail.com: "ntalk and talk"
- In reply to: Mxsmanic: "Re: Linux for Kids"
- Next in thread: Mxsmanic: "Re: Linux for Kids"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
Relevant Pages
|
