Linux struggles to make a dent in desktop • Hacker News Board

Re: Linux struggles to make a dent in desktop

#11

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 10, 2010, 5:38 PM UTC

icefox wrote: post #5

_3ex7 wrote: post #4

I continue to not understand why it matters if Linux "makes it" onto the desktop. Linux on the desktop already works for those who use it [no duh]. Is anyone out there really interested in writing software (for profit) on the Linux desktop? I assume that is why "Linux on the desktop" matters for some people. Otherwise, why not just let OSS people keep scratching their own itch?

Along the same lines, who writes software for the Any desktop these days? What was the last piece of software you paid for that ran on your desktop? v.s. how many times have you given out your CC on the web? All things being equal people will stay where they are. So when software moved to the web there wasn't any incentive to move OS's. The only shift I have seen is the shift to Apple where there is a hardware incent…

[deleted]

Re: Linux struggles to make a dent in desktop

#12

Post by RK » Wed, Mar 10, 2010, 6:48 PM UTC

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #9

That's a bad article, if you'd even go so far as to call it an "article". I notice he recaps the linux on netbook story as "people bought them, didn't like them, returned them" but didn't mention the "monopolist gets a big fright, drops price radically (while enforcing odd limits on netbook specs), puts large amount of effort into getting Windows 7 running well on low spec machines" angle. I find it a bit tragic that…

If I recall correctly, the report about Linux netbooks being returned in higher numbers than Windows netbooks turned out to be false.

Re: Linux struggles to make a dent in desktop

#13

Post by tychoish » Wed, Mar 10, 2010, 8:53 PM UTC

I think the definition of "mainstream" audience, in the first paragraph is the beginning of the problem.

If we continually redefine the "mainstream" audience to lower and lower common denominators, as the people who don't know and care about the technology they use, why should they ever care to use linux?

One of the biggest powers of free software is it's ability to teach people about computers and how technology works, lets start from there.

Re: Linux struggles to make a dent in desktop

#14

Post by metamemetics » Wed, Mar 10, 2010, 9:40 PM UTC

The only 'nix applications I use just run in bash. The windows applications I use, however, all require a windows desktop.

So it makes the most sense for me to just use Cygwin + Win7. I am happy with linux on Cygwin and my servers, but will probably never use it as my laptops OS.

Windows has vastly improved for programmers now that you can WinKey+[type] to access everything without using any icons or the mouse. I keep the taskbar on top above my program menus, have 0 pinned or desktop icons, and it is a great minimal interface I couldn't be happier with.