Re: Linux on the desktop

On Mon, 8 Dec 2003, Daniel C. von Asmuth wrote:

> Thus quoth Alex Butcher on Mon, Dec 08, 2003 at 01:16:42PM +0000:
> > On Mon, 8 Dec 2003, Daniel C. von Asmuth wrote:
> > 
> > > Why is Linux so slow to conquer the desktop?
> > 
> > I would dispute that if you're talking about corporate desktops - I think
> > real movement is happening in that space these days.
> 
> I see few Open Source desktop in small companies. 

My terminology was vague. I probably should have said "enterprise desktops"
implying government agencies, national/multinational companies, etc.

In general, small non-ICT companies are barely able to manage their existing
mainstream ICT infrastructure. They're also very frugal, which means it's
hard for them to pay for quality external assistance. Add a vaguely-obscure
OS with a reputation for being hard to use (regardless of what we know) and
they're pretty unimpressed by it.

> > As far as the _consumer_ desktop goes, the users of such machines are not
> > really ready to accept the changes that FOSS brings. They're used to buying
> > individual shrinkwrapped software from supermarkets and high street stores
> 
> Consumers are aware of the drawbacks of Windows and even the advantages Linux
> brings. If they can't install a recent distro, a friend or relative may be
> able to. I believe consumers will be willing to put up with having a penguin
> in the home. 

Maybe, if they have a competent Linux geek handy. Heck, I provide free tech
support for my (Windows-using) father, so...

> > > The major obstacle seems to be the lack of applications.
> > 
> > Which in turn has a significant cause that is the paucity of preloaded Linux
> > machines for sale. Which in turn has a significant cause of "lack of
> > consumer demand", no doubt.
> 
> I expect that demand only to grow if Linux can meet their needs. I should
> have added a lack of device drivers is also slowing that growth. 

...or more specifically, documentation for driver authors. If the precedent
for closed drivers set by nVidia becomes the dominant trend, then Linux will
end up as unstable as some other OSs I could mention...

[snip]

> > > A viable commercial Linux application will need some unique feature. There
> > > are examples, like Mathematica, SPSS, and BitKeeper, but these are outside
> > > Joe Sixpack's budget.
> > 
> > Joe Sixpack probably couldn't find a need for those kind of applications
> > anyway. Only a small proportion of Linux users (who in turn presently
> > represent only a small proportion of the total software market) have a need
> > for that sort of thing.
> 
> A Microsoftish argument: 'Joe Sixpack is sufficiently served by Windows XP
> Home Edition and Microsoft Works'. When advanced functionality becomes cheap
> enough for professionals and small companies and not prohibitively hard to
> use, it will be downloaded or bought.

Not many Joe Sixpacks I know have a need to perform post-secondary level
mathematics, statistical analysis, or manage source code trees.

> > I foresee a future where the masses are mostly provided for with FOSS,
> > leaving proprietary software vendors to cater for the high-end and
> > specialist users who have wallets to match their requirements. Such vendors
> > may even choose to extensively use FOSS (whenever possible) in creating
> > their products so as to reduce the cost of development and the
> > time-to-market.
> 
> My point is what forces are driving towards such a future and what circum-
> stances are blocking it.

The users, mainly. ;-)

Be patient and allow things to percolate down from the enterprise desktop.

> Kind regards,
> Daniel von Asmuth

Best Regards,
Alex.
-- 
Alex Butcher      Brainbench MVP for Internet Security: www.brainbench.com
Bristol, UK                      Need reliable and secure network systems?
PGP/GnuPG ID:0x271fd950                         <http://www.assursys.com/>