-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi Michael! On Sun, 16 Feb 2003, Michael Satterwhite wrote:
Personally, I like Linux a lot and intend to keep using it. It has the potential to move to the average desktop, but it needs to take into account the majority of people who are not computer types. I'm hoping that development comes. That's what I was talking about.
I have to admit that I am not a GUI man, I prefer the console, therefore it is possible to view what is going on better. I think that development will occur, maybe slower than the Windows platform but then we have better choice :)
The software choice is almost overwhelming, to be sure.
The development is definitely going to be slower than on the Windows platform for an obvious reason: money. I'm not talking about the money to develop the software - the thousands of very dedicated volunteers (thanks to any reading who are in that group), but the money as in profit from development. The problem with real computer types developing in this way is that they (unconsciously) expect the user to be a computer type. Telling a computer type to restart the print service seems natural. The problem is that the user might be a 65 year old grandmother who can usually find the on switch.
Please understand, I really want to see Linux do better on the desktop. After I've been around it enough to know how to really use it, I'm probably going to look at the source - I've done OS development before from mainframes to micros. I honestly believe that this is the main obstacle it needs to overcome (well, this and an almost unlimited advertising budget from M$).
I think so too, a quick search on Freshmeat showed a few tools that look like they may do the job but also there is a need,as you say, to make the whole thing more newbie/user friendly. Off course, Linux has the advantage that we are not stuck to one WM but we have the choice of several dozen :) However taking the "mainstream" WMs like Gnome, KDE and a couple of otghers, there is such a wide variety of needed tools and libraries that it is very confusing to new users. I am hoping to put together a small Pii based PC with some educational stuff that I can put into my children's, thus opening the way for a new generation to learn about Linux and at the same time not get too confused. Sean - -- Fidonet: 2:263/950 http://www.tcob1.net Linux User: 231986 Jabber: tcobone@jabber.org ICQ: 679813 THE VIEWS EXPRESSED HERE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF MY WIFE. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.1 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQE+T8GQHMnSWn2nApQRAuOyAKDOJ+MOZVg6iDhTMyjvKUt+Pc9nDACgvzm+ nhFc26hbTv2tzYAtJ9jXErs= =cYku -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----