On 06-Feb-99 Chris Martin wrote:
[snip] The average Joe hears "cheap/free" and "powerful" in conjuncton with Linux. From this, they don't want to make any choices of flavor, they just want Linux installed as easily and running as transparently (up to some point) as possible. [snip] The average Joe (and big $$) drives the market (hence, microslop). So, this brings us back to the fact that like it or not, RedHat and their buddies are on a track wholly different than the others; one in which they have paid some attention to detail, at least as regards image and the like and being involved with the "right" people. I know this does not a good product make ... but good products aren't what people spend millions on every year (again, witness microslop). [snip] Just wait until RH spends a little time and well funded effort on German distbns. . . .I think SuSE's claim to German fame will quickly fall by the wayside too. . . .$$$ knows no borders. . . ..boo hoo.
Chris's brutal realism rings plausible. I'm not convinced that the future will be quite so deterministic, but that's where it points. If it goes that way before LSB or the like is ratified between the major distributors, then of course RH will be the standard where LSB-type issues are concerned. And, if that happens, then the choice between distributions (assumed to conform to the RH base standard) will turn on the suitability for you of what comes on top of the standard base system. There are many many possible ways a distribution can try to stand out as different (and more suitable for whatever) from others. A generic dimension is soundness, consistency and reliability. Regardless of basic structure, RH in the past has skidded on the ice while trying to turn corners too fast. SuSE, so far, seems to have avoided this trap (though I'm not sure about 5.3 and my jury is still hearing evidence on 6.0). Also, SuSE has made a name for including an exceptional variety of applications, all compiled consistently with the distribution. Another way SuSE would be very well placed to stand out is in international support. Here in Europe we *know* about having xenophone neighbours; our exiled friends across the Atlantic seem to have a notion about non-English languages rather like our notion of the far side of the moon: we know it's there, but we don't really know what it's like (witness the WordPerfect-8/7/6 fiasco with non-English characters). Again, a distribution may pay special attention to specific application areas. SuSE, for instance, was a pioneer in getting office and database suites onto the distribution CD. A Europe-based distribution can exploit local fraternities: there are a lot of good European software houses devloping important applications; a "special relationship" with these would again be an advantage. Other areas to watch out for as Linux catches the world's attention are *real* DTP, graphics (including scanning), and CAD. And, above all, don't forget good documentation. SuSE has not done so well at this as it not only should, but could have done. Internationalisation applies to this area too. All the above would remain true if RH failed to become the "de facto" standard and LSB was ratified -- with even more force, in fact, because then *by*definition* there would be no basic difference between standard Linus distributions, and things like the above would be the *only* ways one distribution could expect to stand out. And I personally think that would be a better day for the world in general. A cessation of competition on "my basic Linux is better than yours: filesystem/install/sysadmin/upgrade/libs etc" and proper attention to providing useful functionality on top of a base system which *simply*works*, and is straightforward to use, is the way to go. Best wishes to all, Ted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding@nessie.mcc.ac.uk> Date: 06-Feb-99 Time: 16:44:56 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------ - To get out of this list, please send email to majordomo@suse.com with this text in its body: unsubscribe suse-linux-e Check out the SuSE-FAQ at <A HREF="http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/"><A HREF="http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/</A">http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/</A</A>> and the archiv at <A HREF="http://www.suse.com/Mailinglists/suse-linux-e/index.html"><A HREF="http://www.suse.com/Mailinglists/suse-linux-e/index.html</A">http://www.suse.com/Mailinglists/suse-linux-e/index.html</A</A>>