Open Source, Linux, etc

[mybodymyself]

See the poll question for info. This thread is for all of you whom are like me had troubles with this and etc.

Have say that open source, linux, etc computing should be more should be incorporated into mainstream computing then it is now.

[SuperSonic4]

Bear in mind the following is my opinion

FOSS should not sacrifice itself in order to appeal to the masses, for example firefox should not become bloated like IE just to gain market. This is more the case for GNU/Linux - I'm worried that ubuntu in particular is becoming too much like windows in order to resolve propaganda statement #1 - the "Store" is a worrying development.

With popularity comes pressures, it's impossible to please everyone and while you're market is small people choose you on your merits. ie: How many people on windows are on windows because it was pre-installed?

[pwnst*r]

poll is flawed. no "and etc" included.

[wulfgang]

No, I do not think it should. One of the things that makes Linux unique is that it is not mainstream, in my opinion, anyway.

[mybodymyself]

Bear in mind the following is my opinion

FOSS should not sacrifice itself in order to appeal to the masses, for example firefox should not become bloated like IE just to gain market. This is more the case for GNU/Linux - I'm worried that ubuntu in particular is becoming too much like windows in order to resolve propaganda statement #1 - the "Store" is a worrying development.

With popularity comes pressures, it's impossible to please everyone and while you're market is small people choose you on your merits. ie: How many people on windows are on windows because it was pre-installed?

No, I do not think it should. One of the things that makes Linux unique is that it is not mainstream, in my opinion, anyway.

Thanx for both of your responses. What an interesting view points for sure.


poll is flawed. no "and etc" included.

Sorry, for making a flawed poll.

[pwnst*r]

it's a minor thing, no worries.

[Bölvaður]

I would want everyone to use Linux.
Then every software firm would only make products for that platform. Also hardware manufacturers would begin making proper drivers!
We would then suddenly see many companies trying to compete with desktop environment and be selling their distros.

It's just going to be much easier to move from Linux to something better than non-POSIX system or some product which has corporations trying to dominate (and be successful).

When we have those distros competing it will mean the whole platform will advance at very fast pace.

[mybodymyself]

it's a minor thing, no worries.

Thanx for the response and I'm glad that you are fine with it.


I would want everyone to use Linux.
Then every software firm would only make products for that platform. Also hardware manufacturers would begin making proper drivers!
We would then suddenly see many companies trying to compete with desktop environment and be selling their distros.

It's just going to be much easier to move from Linux to something better than non-POSIX system or some product which has corporations trying to dominate (and be successful).

When we have those distros competing it will mean the whole platform will advance at very fast pace.
Have to say that I'm still confused with your response here.

[SuperSonic4]

I get the impression that the poster means that hardware manufacturers would make proper linux drivers instead of being a sideshow for windows - especially companies like Lexmark and webcam manufacturers

[mybodymyself]

I get the impression that the poster means that hardware manufacturers would make proper linux drivers instead of being a sideshow for windows - especially companies like Lexmark and webcam manufacturers
Okay and guess thats what I meant here. Anyway, still know what I'm talking about here.

[Georgia boy]

I'll agree to the part of drivers etc. But, keep Linux the way and the various distros the way they are. They shouldn't come to the state where they are all the same as Windows just different names. User friendly for beginners of Linux yes, bending over backwards to lose their identity no.

Tom

[cariboo]

I get the impression that the poster means that hardware manufacturers would make proper linux drivers instead of being a sideshow for windows - especially companies like Lexmark and webcam manufacturers

Actually Lexmark's commercial/office printers are well supported. I have a C520 here in my shop that works out of the box. It's just the cheaper consumer printers , which I consider throwaway, as it usually cheaper to buy a new one that it is to buy ink for it, that aren't supported.

On topic, I would like to see Linux pre-installed as a choice when you purchase a new system.

[mybodymyself]

On topic, I would like to see Linux pre-installed as a choice when you purchase a new system.
cariboo,

2nd your response to this.

[gsmanners]

Open source really should be the defacto standard, as it can withstand hostile environments better. This is generally better for the average user than a system that crumbles at the first sign of conflict.

Open source also promotes understanding of the system better, and therefore encourages efforts at education better.

[mybodymyself]

Open source really should be the defacto standard, as it can withstand hostile environments better. This is generally better for the average user than a system that crumbles at the first sign of conflict.

Open source also promotes understanding of the system better, and therefore encourages efforts at education better.
gsmanners,

2nd your response and thats how I always felt on this. At the same time wish others in my family, friends, etc would feel the same as us on this. Instead of doing what they have been doing.

[alphaniner]

Open source ... can withstand hostile environments better.

http://ubuntuforums.org/customavatars/avatar493510_1.gif


Open source also promotes understanding of the system better, and therefore encourages efforts at education better.

It doesn't so much promote understanding as require it. Subtle but significant difference. For my purposes, I'm glad it does. But this doesn't suit everyone, nor should we expect it to.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

"Mainstream..."

What is meant by Mainstream? Does it mean on the personal home computer?

I work for a company that has 80 thousand employees worldwide. We use a lot of open source software, and Linux. Except for management and accounting applications; Linux, OSS, and FOSS are preferred.

In the corporate environment, Open Source and Linux ARE MAINSTREAM.

[pwnst*r]

http://ubuntuforums.org/customavatars/avatar493510_1.gif



It doesn't so much promote understanding as require it. Subtle but significant difference. For my purposes, I'm glad it does. But this doesn't suit everyone, not should we expect it to.

^^this.

[yester64]

Open source really should be the defacto standard, as it can withstand hostile environments better. This is generally better for the average user than a system that crumbles at the first sign of conflict.

Open source also promotes understanding of the system better, and therefore encourages efforts at education better.

Yes, i have to agree.
Open Source would be nice to be THE standart in our world.
Since we have a closed system (like Windows) you put your hopes into a company which will maybe never fix the problem like security holes etc.
But OpenSource should not make any compromises to appeal to the mainstream. That would be the death of OpenSource.

[Crunchy the Headcrab]

I said yes, simply because I would like to see more hardware developers make drivers for Linux. I think there is a market for it but I know little about these things.

However, I think that dumbing down GNU/Linux in an attempt to appease the masses is a bad idea. Okay, that's the wrong word. It's not a bad idea. What I mean is that I'd personally prefer that it didn't happen. I'm using Linux because it's fun for me to learn new things.

[earthpigg]

i voted 'no'.

Linux and FOSS should not, as a goal unto itself, be more prevalent in mainstream society. that part would be incidental.

the part that should be more prevalent is the community way of doing things.

i fix my neighbors computer. i do things that are trivial for me but would be monumentally difficult for him. like changing from IE to Firefox.

he fixes my car. he, a mechanic, does things that are trivial for him but would be monumentally difficult for me. like changing my break pads.

the fact that Firefox is Free Software is purely incidental -- he wanted firefox for his own reasons, i wanted new break pads for my own.


the fact that this type of thinking would end up making Linux and FOSS, etc, more prevalent is purely coincidental. Linux and FOSS is one of many means to an end, not the end itself. Ubuntu isn't going to cure world hunger, let's not kid ourselves...

...but if people start adopting the philosophy that existed before Linux or the FSF was ever even dreamed up? the type of thinking that inspired rms to dream up the FSF, and later inspired Linus to license his stuff under the GPL? yeah, that might.

[mybodymyself]

"Mainstream..."

What is meant by Mainstream? Does it mean on the personal home computer?
Heres what I meant for mainstream. It means for all computing for consumer or business or whatever or etc. Especially, Microsoft Windows and Apple Macs.

[julianb]

FOSS should not sacrifice itself in order to appeal to the masses, for example firefox should not become bloated like IE just to gain market.

This is exactly why I want open-source to become more popular: when firefox gets bloated, people can easily jump ship to chromium or somesuch. (I use Chromium myself).

Same with operating systems: because it's open source, it's possible for folks to take Debian and make it more user-friendly (which is essentially where Ubuntu originally came from) and it's possible for folks to take existing Linux software and redesign it with less bloat (tiny core linux running chromium, as one example).

[del_diablo]

when firefox gets bloated, people can easily jump ship to chromium or somesuch. (I use Chromium myself).

Chrome is bloat compared to the great Opera.... And it features less. Just stating ye old facts.
Well, what you want is choice. The good thing about FLOSS and OSS is the forking, which essentially means choices. Forking and critic is good, it is what makes the movement what it is. It also created the fire-immune kernel developers among other things.
I would say that I would not mind FLOSS to grow enough to make the public aware, the people would knew the difference. And the hardware producers would for once create proper drivers(some of them, most already are).

Well, what hurts the marked today is a combination of lack of public awareness along with an idiotic marked who refuses to actually be flexible. Along with poor regulation in the most early dominant place(which rot spread to the world later), and the software makers REFUSE to create proper code or to port anything.

If x86 died over the night, we would have the entire corrupt and unregulated marked die over the night. We would have a gigantic bunch of idiots become decrapted over night. Microsoft would have a huge problem, as they are obsolete now. The fun part is that with this we would again have a free market.

[aviedw]

I would like to Linux become more mainstream but not at the cost of diminished quality. I think if Linux was to become more mainstream it doesn't mean that it has to follow behind the Windows model or the Apple model. IF Linux comes out in its own way, it just might change the dynamics of software development and cross platform implementations. In my opinion competition vs cooperation. The world is becoming a much smaller place and if we don't learn to truly work together we will be at each others throats.

(A little bit of a rant, but i hope my point is received)

[Jekshadow]

F/OSS cannot sacrifice any of its core values to become mainstream, but if the masses want what we create, they are welcome to use it.

[Khakilang]

I believe that Linux will get more support from hardware vendors and also more software will port to Linux like Photoshop and game like Warcraft.

[mybodymyself]

I would like to Linux become more mainstream but not at the cost of diminished quality. I think if Linux was to become more mainstream it doesn't mean that it has to follow behind the Windows model or the Apple model. IF Linux comes out in its own way, it just might change the dynamics of software development and cross platform implementations. In my opinion competition vs cooperation. The world is becoming a much smaller place and if we don't learn to truly work together we will be at each others throats.

(A little bit of a rant, but i hope my point is received)

2nd your response here. Prefer to have a machine with just open source or linux or etc on it. Instead of having Microsoft Windows or Apple or etc. Plus, that goes rest of us and mean not just here, but everywhere.