Re: Talk to your frTalk your friend into switching to Linux(Re:)

[gmgraves@slip.net (George Graves)]

In article <Josh.McKee-2305982203030001@pm3a18.rmac.net>,
Josh.McKee@cbns.com (Joshua T. McKee) wrote:


> George is very correct when he says that there really is no software for
> Linux.  Yes, there may be software for it, but most of it is not what the
> general population wants.  In another thread, someone claimed that there
> were "billions" of Linux programs.  I asked them to name 10,000 out of
> those billions...hoping that they would reveal software that I was unaware
> of so that maybe I might look into Linux a little closer.  What did they
> give me?  A list of ~2,800 programs that for the most part, only "geeky
> OS" people would be interetested in using.  I was hoping for big name
> titles...instead I get:
> 
> WebRman - a RosettaMan CGI-Gateway urlmon xIrc 2utf 
> @linuxbbs A ethernet device driver for Arlan 655 radio 
> modem A really simple failsave init extension A video frame 
> grabber device driver for the Cortex I BANAL BeroList 
> Bzip2-HOWTO-1.5.lsm CCCC C and C++ Code Counter CGMDraw CMU 
> SNMP DIPC (Distributed Inter-Process Communication) 
> Display_Dhammapada_Verse Distribute Driver for NSM 
> TrueSound Decoder Extended Module Player Flick Generic 
> Internet Games Service Hatman IRQTUNE -- A Linux IRQ 
> Priority Optimizer KMastermind LE text editor LFTP command 
> line ftp client LinCity MultiMail (source) Murple's BSD 
> Talk Daemon NewstoHOWTO Pixcon/Anitroll Quarks SIMPLE - 
> Simple Is a Macro Processing Language Element SPlay-Tk 
> SixPack File Transfer Protocol Supermount Synaesthesia TeD 
> Traceroute-Ulmo Trashcan Linux file utilities TurboVision 
> for UNIX Tutanchamun ULC VICE, The Versatile Commodore 
> Emulator Ver WINTERP -- OSF/Motif Widget INTERPreter 
> WindowMaker/AfterStep CPU/Memory Load Monitor X11 Icons for 
> StarOffice 3.1 XBanner XEvil XFracky XLines game for XFree 
> 
> [ rest of list ommited, but of similar interest. See other thread for
> complete list ]
> 
> Is this the best you can do?  If so, this only backs George's point. 
> While Linux may be a great OS (I'm a Solaris advocate myself), unix just
> doesn't have the application support it needs to compete with Windows and
> Mac OS.  Hopefully this will change in the near future...if it does, you
> can bet that I will look into using it (hint to prospective
> developers!!!).  If I've overlooked something right now, please name
> it...I'd be more than happy to give Linux its due.
> 
> Josh

I agree with Josh completely. After all, I built a dedicated machine 
ESPECIALLY to run Linux, I do have a profound interest in it. 
Unfortunately, at the present time, I can't find the kind of software
that I need. I mean this is pretty basic productivity- connected
stuff I'm looking for. Its not as if I want anything esoteric like
Macromedia Director or Adobe After Effects, just Something that
works similar enough to Illustrator and exports in the EPS format, 
a decent Page layout program, a decent Photoshop substitute (GIMP
ain't it) etc. 

George Graves


George Graves