Re: What DO you lose with Linux ???
"(Ted Harding)" wrote:
>
> Apologies for duplicate postings, but I'd like to make sure I sound
> a diverse population.
>
> Today' London "Sunday Times" feature "Innovation" (pp 10-11 of "News
> Review", http://www.sunday-times.co.uk ) has an article by David Hewson
> (of "Linux, the Program from Hell" fame) entitled "Linux wins backing of
> computing giants".
>
> His attitude to Linux is much more moderate than it was: the article
> is basically balanced and fair, including some sound negative comment.
>
> However, he states:
>
> "Behind the hype there is precious little sign of Linux becoming
> a serious, versatile desktop OS. If all you need is a browser
> to get through the day, it's fine. But if I boot the PC I am
> using right now into any kind of Unix the list of stuff I lose
> -- music composition, accounting and personal finance to name
> but a few -- is endless because the applications just aren't
> there. On top of that, Linux is difficult to set up, fails to
> understand the difference between a desktop PC and a notebook,
> and lacks any kind of plug and play facility."
>
> I'm sure the last sentence is simply wrong in point of fact.
>
> If, in the previous sentence, he'd given a longer "list of stuff I lose"
> one might be in a better position to respond constructively.
>
> However, can I ask people what they would use for "music composition,
> accounting and personal finance"? I'm aware of good programs for
> creating musical scores which can also generate MIDI output, but I'd
> hardly call them top-flight composition tools; and it does seem that
> the accounting/finance area is thinly served.
>
> He didn't mention OCR (optical character rcognition) either. Where is
> the OCR program for Linux that works?
>
> Now that vmware is out ( http://www.vmware.com ) people who want to
> can run Windows applications on top of Linux without, it seems, losing
> much or indeed anything, so this could be the basis of another line of
> reply to Hewson's article: he can start up Linux and the "list of stuff I
> lose" would be empty because it would all still be there!
>
> Comments, info, contributions, anyone?
>
> Best wishes to all,
> Ted.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding@nessie.mcc.ac.uk>
> Date: 28-Mar-99 Time: 12:49:27
> ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------
Linux is young yet; just now becoming known to the masses. Up till not
it has been more of a hobby for most people, it seems, than a concerted
effort to be a Windows killer. So I wouldn't expect all the great apps
to be there. The people who poo-poo linux are doing so because the
superstructure isn't there yet; they fail to see that it's got a great
foundation. Windows on the other hand, has a great (more-or-less)
superstructure, but a crumbling foundation. I'd rather cast my lot with
the side that has a solid foundation that has room to grow into a
beautiful, functioning OS, than with the side that has to apply more and
more make-up to hide the crumbling edifice beneath it.
So Hewson makes some good points. Linus still isn't ready for the
desktop, at least for the masses. But it will be Tomorrow. So stay
tuned....
Reply to: