Re: apologetics

Christopher Taylor wrote:
<snip>
> 
> You can always configure your box as a command line server with no
> gui whatsoever if thats your joy, but I believe that the installation
> should default to a gui that's slick, feature filled, idiot proof,
> super simple and yes, basically the same as a windows or Mac box (and
> nearly as bloated to all the puritans). Under the hood its still Nix
> and that's what matters. KDE is pretty close these days, but the
> issues I raised clearly fall into the idiot proofing and convenience
> category. Including a network neighborhood that will talk to the evil
> wintel boxes without needing special configuration. Windows did it to
> Apple, why shouldn't we? Take all the stupid things that run of the
> mill non technical people love about windows and incorporate them
> into an X gui that sets all the settings necessary in the various
> config files. I have people calling me to walk them through a windows
> installer setup wizard. They aren't ever going to learn vi and edit a
> .conf file. They are NOT going to learn how to make and compile.
> Often these are the people with the signing power for the tech
> budget. They're paying through the nose for windows in the enterprise
> and they'll keep doing so as long as there's no alternative that
> gives them what they want...idiotproofness and a pretty interface.
<snip>
> Basically, if someone could make everything as slick and workable as
> Apple's OSX but have it sitting over linux and useable on ibm compats
> we'd see a steady decline in M$ use. And it would have to be FREE GNU
> not like "Lindows" with their purchase scheme. OSX is plug and play
> idiot proof, but lots of techs buy Macs because under the hood its
> still nix. [/end rant]
> 
> Someone had just suggested the "file association with a program"
> thing. Definately important.
> 
> Chris Taylor, Systems Engineer MCSE/MCSA, CCNA, A+, Websense WCSE
> 

Well, some company would have to figure out a way to make a lot of money
off of what you suggest, because they are going to have to pay for every
line of code to make Linux super-simple, idiot-proof, and bloated -
i.e., just like Windows. That is the kind of thing that Linux geeks
simply HATE to contribute free code to. Which probably means that said
operating system will probably have to be available online and off for
paying customers only, ala Libranet.

-Isaac Hummel