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Re: Don?t Fret Linus, Desktop Linux Will Slowly Gain Traction

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Dan Espen <despen@verizon.net> writes:

> Rich <rich@example.invalid> writes:
> 
>> http://fossforce.com/2014/08/dont-fret-linus-desktop-linux-will-slowly-gain-traction/
>>
>>    When Linus Torvalds was asked last week at LinuxCon where he'd like to
>>    see Linux excel next, he replied, "I still want the desktop."
>>     [snip]
>>    "The challenge on the desktop is not a kernel problem. It's a whole
>>    infrastructure problem. I think we'll get there one day."
>>
>>    What? What challenge?
> 
> Send him an email and ask.
> 
> We all have our own ideas about what the problem is.

My last new computer was a 486 in '94. Since then it's been cheap used
for even free ones. Linux has always been able, sometimes with
considerable tweaking, to run them just fine.

But I just bought a new Acer E-series laptop and realize that keeping
up with new hardware, especially that from vendors who are unhelpful
with Linux, is a real problem.

The new Acer performs very nicely, albeit after some initial tweaks I
hadn't anticipated.  But the Synaptics touchpad (clickpad) doesn't
work at all. [1] AFAICT, it's new hardware [2] only a year or so on
the market, and Synaptics is known not to be helpful with OS
developers.

In my dogged but unsuccessful search for a driver, a module, guidance
on kernel tweaks or anything I gradually became aware of the vast and
rapidly increasing bits of new hardware being produced.  If the Acer
E-series and/or other machines using the Microsoft Precision Touchpad
become popular, presumably someone will write a module [3] that gives it
at least minimal functionality. But the rate of new stuff is so great
that it's a toss-up whether or not anyone will get keen on doing it
for this -- or any particular new device.

Is that what Linus meant by "infrastructure"?  Probably not.



[1] Not stuck. I dislike touchpads anyhow and an external USB mouse
    works fine. But it would be nice not to be *obliged* to plug in a
    cable and find a flat spot.

[2] http://article.wn.com/view/2014/04/22/Acer_Selects_Synaptics_Precision_TouchPad_Solutions_for_E_Se_9/

[3] Far beyond my skill level in C

-- 
Mike Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada

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Thread

Don?t Fret Linus, Desktop Linux Will Slowly Gain Traction Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-08-26 19:34 +0000
  Re: Don?t Fret Linus, Desktop Linux Will Slowly Gain Traction Dan Espen <despen@verizon.net> - 2014-08-26 15:59 -0400
    Re: Don?t Fret Linus, Desktop Linux Will Slowly Gain Traction Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2014-08-27 01:22 -0300
  Re: Don?t Fret Linus, Desktop Linux Will Slowly Gain Traction Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-08-26 22:39 +0100
    Re: Don?t Fret Linus, Desktop Linux Will Slowly Gain Traction "tdk" <forum.tdk@squte.com> - 2014-09-01 06:21 -0500

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