Desktop Linux (fwd)

[Kenneth E. Lussier]

On Wed, 2004-02-25 at 11:52, Michael Costolo wrote:
> --- Jon maddog Hall <maddog at li.org> wrote:
> > You are right that Linux will fail on most at-home desktops in 2004-2005
> > because of a lack of "cool" software.
> 
> Would you define "cool" software?  Frankly, I am of the opinion that Linux comes
> with lots of cool software.  Or at least, lots of cool software runs under Linux (my
> apologies for the pedantry).  But being a physicist, I suppose my geek factor is
> pretty high.  What "cool" apps would you say are currently lacking for (non-geek)
> families?  

I would agree with Maddog's assessment on this point. "Cool Software" in
a family setting is usually defined in a few ways:

1) The most popular games that all of little Johny's friends have
2) Children's educational software (although I think that teaching your
4-year old Perl is a good thing ;-)
3) The applications that Mom and Dad use at work.

Also, note that "cool software" does not have to mean that the software
itself does cool things. In a general home setting, "cool software" is
the software/programs/games/apps that everyone you know has. Another
thing to keep in mind is the notion of "supported applications" that are
listed on high-speed internet connection provider web sites. Most of
them will list Internet Explorer and OutlookExpress. The perception to
many people is that their access provider will not support you if you
use anything other than the listed applications

Because of this, the adoption of software that very few people that the
average person knows use (i.e. Linux and Linux-based apps) will be slow.
 
> > It will also fail because the normal "support line" of at-home desktops
> > (the church, the club, the nextdoor neighbor) will not be there in 2004-2005
> > because it is not being used at work in 2002-2003.  
> 
> I am sure that some LUG members and Linux-using nonmembers go to churches, clubs, or
> have neighbors.  A good percentage of the traffic on this list is "how do I" sorts
> of questions.  I have found the Linux community to be exceptionally knowledgeable
> and willingly helpful with respect to day-to-day as well as the more complicated
> problems/issues.  Is this not the "alternate support line" you speak of?  If not,
> why not?  

The average home user wants a technical support number, not a mailing
list. Besides, if their problem is a networking problem, or they can't
get their e-mail to work right, then they have no help. You are right
that most of us know people through outside associations, and we could
help out our neighbor if they needed it. However, if you count the
number of Linux users versus the number of Windows users, then it is
clear that there are more people able to help in the Windows world.

> And does the acceptance of Linux on the desktop at home *really* depend on people
> using Linux at work?  I work with lots of folks who have used, for example,
> Microsoft products at work for years but are absolutely useless when it comes to
> (platform related) problem solving.

Yes, it really does depend on the use of Linux at work. People want to
use what they are familiar with. They use a computer at work far more
then they do at home, so the one at work is where they gain their
experience. At work, the only people who are using Linux are the
"techies" and "the IT guy". Since the average user doesn't think of
themselves as the same type of person as those that they know use Linux,
they are disinclined to  use Linux out of a perceived inferiority. 

> It would seem to me that the infrastructure you speak of needing already exists. 
> Perhaps it is more of an advertising/awareness problem?

There are definitely problems with the marketing of Linux. All of the
ads that I have seen are aimed at corporate infrasturcture (the IBM
ads), not the home user. That is because IBM doesn't want to deal with
the end users. As a matter of fact, there is almost no advertising done
for Linux by anyone that is interested in the desktop market. These are
small companies that don't have an advertising budget thatwill allow
them to reach the masses. 

C-Ya,
Kenny

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