[NTLUG:Discuss] Desktop Linux - From Open Source

[Dennis Rice]

Have been following the discussion regarding Open Source.  It is one 
topic, but the mags continue to say every year that this will be the 
year of the Linux Desktop.  My response is that I wish it could be.

An issue brought up was the ease of adding applications to Linux.  My 
issue is that this is a very important issue with a variation in 
problems caused by a multitude of distributions, requiring a variation 
of installation procedures.  This is where M$ Windows has a big leg up 
on Linux, one writes software according to their very specific rule book 
(no other comment provided).  M$ does have one problem that Apple has 
overcome, M$ supports a variety of hardware whereas Apple says that the 
software has to run on their OS AND hardware -- nice control.

Linux has the best of all worlds, it lets you do it your way.  And of 
course, you get to have the pleasure of figuring it out.  That means one 
must be intelligent (or at least desire to be).  M$ is designed to be 
operated by the very dumbest user that could not care the least about 
what it takes to make it run.  The user only need to take a list to the 
store and they will provide a system that will support the operation.  
Simple installation GUIs are provided to install every application -- 
just a click or two and the application is installed.

There is the "committee" that is attempting to establish standards in 
the Linux world, the Linux Standards Board (LSB), but like any 
committee, there are too many differing opinions and as such I do not 
observe much constancy.  They are like the committee that invented the 
camel, one, two, or no humps (horse).  Best example is Red Hat and 
Debian.    Where are applications installed, what is the procedure 
......    Does the common user really care?  Do they want to be bothered 
by such issues?

I believe that the common user wants to obtain an application, be it 
proprietary or open source, have an easy method to install it, and an 
easy interface to use it by.  Meet these requirements and we will see 
Linux truly grow into dominance on the desktop, until then, keep buying 
stock in M$.

Dennis