Re: XGS/32 v1.4b Released!

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

stevementzer@earthlink.net (Steven W. Mentzer) wrote:

>>There is a lot
>>of applications all over the net too. The problem, and I agree with you
>>on this, the programs require a bit of technical intelligence on the user's
>>part. This is a definite departure from Windows which is designed to
>>be used by the masses. I have never approved of this idea. IMHO, all
>>computer users need some technical knowledge of the computer and
>>software they are using.
>
>Not gonna happen. I agree with you but 90% of the rest of the world doesn't. 
>And good intentions rarely make a difference. :)

Linux isn't that bad for the end user.  In my opinion, nobody
markets Linux for its most impressive feature: it is free and
so are its applications.

Linux' problem: no one has developed a distribution that's
easy to install and has all of the applications in one place.

Make a Linux package that has an installer as easy to use
as MacOS or GS/OS or even Windows 95/98 and combine
it with a set of say 12 to 24 CD-ROMs with nearly ALL the
Linux programs out there from StarOffice to WordPerfect
to games to emulators and the users will come.  Especially
if it was sold for a reasonable price of $20 to $30.

How would the Linux takeover happen?  Well for businesses,
it may never come (except for server applications) but for
the masses of home users, the idea of hundreds of new
programs fo $20 to $30 is appealing.  If the installer is easy
enough to use that setting up a Linux partition and installing
everything is a button click away, users would go for it.
To them, it'll be like buying a new program.  This would let
folks get used to Linux and like it more and as this happens,
user base would grow and so would number of apps.

Linux' other strengths should also be emphasized.  For
example, if you have Linux, you can use HFS so your PC
would be able to share data with Macs.  Thus, the ideal
Linux distribution should also be compared against single
purpose Windows products like MacOpener.

Linux.  Good OS.  Good idea.  Terrible marketing.  It is
like nobody's at the reigns, but then again that's the
Linux philosophy, isn't it?