Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!feeder1.hal-mli.net!news.glorb.com!news2.glorb.com!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail From: Hans-Peter Diettrich Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy,comp.os.linux.setup Subject: Re: Why do I need to run Linux again? Seriously Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:55:13 +0200 Lines: 35 Message-ID: <90qmjcF5bnU2@mid.individual.net> References: <41c0852c-6e86-4c75-9c44-a6eb58187df5@w7g2000pre.googlegroups.com> <-tednV1yqNQ4bDrQnZ2dnUVZ8g2dnZ2d@lyse.net> <90qfjcFghpU1@mid.individual.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: individual.net 1VvXKuOxGwrZrZaTaGJPCwUuloaUpq+js6d6DZ8PQjHvqMXUSg Cancel-Lock: sha1:sn/LmmGucC9bxaGXX6d39NfXPX4= User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.21 (Windows/20090302) In-Reply-To: Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.os.linux.advocacy:15706 comp.os.linux.setup:193 The Natural Philosopher schrieb: > Its not an argument not to use Linux, just to be aware that you need to > plan in advance and not assume that peripheral X will indeed work as you > hoped. Right, but most users don't know how to compose a new machine, so that all (essential) hardware is supported by their favoured OS. Instead they buy a machine and can expect that everything will work out-of-the-box, using the also supplied software. In practice you'll have a hard time to find a notebook without full Windows support, or to find a one that is fully supported by (i.e. comes with) your favoured Linux :-( Looking back at my famous Atari ST I see the essentially same problem with Linux and mobiles nowadays: A system with a wide range of *free* apps is of no interest to commercial suppliers. While the ST came with superior hard- and software, at that time, it died soon due to the lack of commercial (business) software, compatible with (so called) "industry standards", what made it unusable in a commercial environment. This will not change unless those (companies), which establish their flavor of "standard", will accept nothing but Windows standards. Not to forget the support for Windows applications - everybody can find courses for all Windows business applications nearby, in contrast to Linux applications. Why spend money in learning how to use other software, when every newbie (student...) already is familiar with Microsoft products? Nobody must understand *why* all companies are eager to use the newest Windows software, as soon it's out in the field, instead of using already available mature and powerful alternatives. But everybody has to accept *that* it is as it is, and it will stay as is, unless the *majority* of the business people change their mind. The most prominent argument against free software is the TCO, that is *said* to make the Microsoft solutions cheaper than other software. DoDi