Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze
That expectation I think happens because Windows in a way made computers too easy to use. I'm only 37 keep in mind but I cut my computer teeth on an Apple2c and C64 where we had to load programs with floppies and in many cases program things ourselves. "Computer science class" was actually computer science class, not MSFT Office and IE class like it is in schools today. So people my age and older know what is happening when we click on the cute icon on the screen. People younger or older who didn't learn computers until the Win9x era don't know what is happening when they click it. They think IE and Media Player is part of the OS (if they even know what an OS is) because they've always had it.
The ONLY way the view of people you are lamenting about will cease is if Linux gets a serious hardware vendor who makes computers with an Linux distro on it as well as sells the periphals to work out of the box with them. Like Apple always has IOW. Asus could have been that vendor with its EEEPC line but with the addition of WinXP to those rigs and undoubtedly a special Win7 version when its ready their Linux line will remain a hobby toy.
Sadly, the strength of Linux is also why it fails in the non-tech marketplace - there's no incentive to make a buck off it. There's an incentive to make a buck with a MSFT running line because they'll even partly if not mostly finance you; despite the many anti-trust allegations and verdicts they continue to do that. This of course is also why Apple computers remain toys and not real competitors. If they opened the license and implimented a glitzy "Mac certified" campaign on hardware like MSFT does they'd rake in the dough I have no doubt about it. The purists would still buy the ones Apple makes too because it would be like owning a Porche, yea the Mustang could probably beat the pants off the Porche on the open road but it can't do it with the class of a Porche.
Rob
That expectation I think happens because Windows in a way made computers too easy to use. I'm only 37 keep in mind but I cut my computer teeth on an Apple2c and C64 where we had to load programs with floppies and in many cases program things ourselves. "Computer science class" was actually computer science class, not MSFT Office and IE class like it is in schools today. So people my age and older know what is happening when we click on the cute icon on the screen. People younger or older who didn't learn computers until the Win9x era don't know what is happening when they click it. They think IE and Media Player is part of the OS (if they even know what an OS is) because they've always had it.
The ONLY way the view of people you are lamenting about will cease is if Linux gets a serious hardware vendor who makes computers with an Linux distro on it as well as sells the periphals to work out of the box with them. Like Apple always has IOW. Asus could have been that vendor with its EEEPC line but with the addition of WinXP to those rigs and undoubtedly a special Win7 version when its ready their Linux line will remain a hobby toy.
Sadly, the strength of Linux is also why it fails in the non-tech marketplace - there's no incentive to make a buck off it. There's an incentive to make a buck with a MSFT running line because they'll even partly if not mostly finance you; despite the many anti-trust allegations and verdicts they continue to do that. This of course is also why Apple computers remain toys and not real competitors. If they opened the license and implimented a glitzy "Mac certified" campaign on hardware like MSFT does they'd rake in the dough I have no doubt about it. The purists would still buy the ones Apple makes too because it would be like owning a Porche, yea the Mustang could probably beat the pants off the Porche on the open road but it can't do it with the class of a Porche.
Rob
Originally posted by Snowhog
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