Open Source vs. Microsoft in India

[Mr Wrath]

I know this is a little old...but, I thought it was very interesting none the less.

http://mandriva.blogspot.com/2007/01/tamil-nadu-india-may-shut-door-on.html

Might hurt Micro$oft a little

[meng]

The other interesting market is China.

[Mr Wrath]

That would definitely hurt Micro$ofts pockets as well.

[meng]

The impact of MS anti-piracy mechanisms won't be felt in the US and Europe as much as it will in Asia, that's for sure.

[dvarsam]

That would definitely hurt Micro$ofts pockets as well.

This is one thing!
Another issue is choosing "OpenSuse" instead of "Ubuntu"...
So, I guess Mark Shuttleworth & his programming team should work really hard to turn Ubuntu v7.04 into a better OS, otherwise "OpenSuse" will become the Linux leader...
Don't forget that after the release of OpenSuse v10.2, distrowatch upgraded Suse to 2100 hits per day compared to previously 1800...
That means that OpenSuse is closing up on Ubuntu...
And if OpenSuse goes on like this, by the Beginning of 2008, it will become the most popular Linux OS... leaving Ubuntu in 2nd place...

Thanks.

P.S.> This is pure speculation of course, based on previous performance & recent trends...

[Mr Wrath]

...that and having a person that is an Ubuntu user in the right position over in India (and the other countries contemplating to drop Micro$oft) would also be another great advantage. My former boss was an avid Ubuntu user, which then implemented the system into the company network as an archive server, and well, got me and a few others interested and using on a daily basis. If not for AutoCAD, it would be my only OS.

[macogw]

This is one thing!
Another issue is choosing "OpenSuse" instead of "Ubuntu"...
So, I guess Mark Shuttleworth & his programming team should work really hard to turn Ubuntu v7.04 into a better OS, otherwise "OpenSuse" will become the Linux leader...
Don't forget that after the release of OpenSuse v10.2, distrowatch upgraded Suse to 2100 hits per day compared to previously 1800...
That means that OpenSuse is closing up on Ubuntu...
And if OpenSuse goes on like this, by the Beginning of 2008, it will become the most popular Linux OS... leaving Ubuntu in 2nd place...

Thanks.

P.S.> This is pure speculation of course, based on previous performance & recent trends...

Look at DistroWatch again with a smaller time frame. OpenSuSE did pull ahead.

[macogw]

If not for AutoCAD, it would be my only OS.
I see that phrase a lot on here. Can we do something about that? I don't know crap about CAD, but how about forking some other Linux CAD program and making it act more AutoCAD-ish so all you engineers are happy? If you find one written in Java, I'll help (it's the only language I know well enough)...or if it's C, I'll try to help (get some practice...)

[Mr Wrath]

...it's not specifically just the CAD program for me but some of the files that CAD can pull in...i.e>.job, .cr5, etc...

[Mr Wrath]

With the popularity of 'Linux' continually growing, maybe some developers will come up with something as an equal or a close to equal of/for AutoCAD. I know there are some developers working on the CAD situation, but if 'Linux' starts to become the primary OS of states and countries...then hopefully more applications, programs, etcetera will start to be focused on to make 'Linux' more of a fully usable OS in any and every business aspect. Ubuntu has been making leaps and bounds in the business industry as a free OS, unlike RedHat, etc...I applaud the Ubuntu developers and all the supporters that have taken this OS to what is now.

[mips]

That would definitely hurt Micro$ofts pockets as well.

I don't see how it really hurts M$ pockets if the majority of their products are already pirated in said countries.

[smoker]

I don't see how it really hurts M$ pockets if the majority of their products are already pirated in said countries.

i'm quite sure it is because of the price of ms products in said countries that piracy is so widespread. with the evolution of linux and the drastic measures ms are bringing in with vista, i don't think it will be so long down the road before more people will be running legal alternatives to ms products, especially if they're being trained to use such alternatives in a work environment.

[teejay17]

This is one thing!
Another issue is choosing "OpenSuse" instead of "Ubuntu"...
So, I guess Mark Shuttleworth & his programming team should work really hard to turn Ubuntu v7.04 into a better OS, otherwise "OpenSuse" will become the Linux leader...
Don't forget that after the release of OpenSuse v10.2, distrowatch upgraded Suse to 2100 hits per day compared to previously 1800...
That means that OpenSuse is closing up on Ubuntu...
And if OpenSuse goes on like this, by the Beginning of 2008, it will become the most popular Linux OS... leaving Ubuntu in 2nd place...

Thanks.

P.S.> This is pure speculation of course, based on previous performance & recent trends...
What does everyone feel about this? What would make OpenSuse close the gap on Ubuntu? Is there a particular reason, or more than one? What could make OpenSuse become the most popular distribution...and what can Ubuntu do about it?

[Mr Wrath]

:-k In my opinion, advertisement. Even though Micro$oft is the computer world's bane-of-existence, there is something to be learned. They got as big as they are through advertisement. Bill knew what could happen if he just kept getting the word out. Even when his distro came out with nothing new, he still played for all it was worth, and people bought into it. Spreading the word, showing family members (difficult, I know), co-workers, friends...this will widen the gap from Ubuntu and the rest of the OS's. This is just my opinion.

I could be wrong. :-| What does everyone think?

[kuja]

I don't see how it really hurts M$ pockets if the majority of their products are already pirated in said countries.

Heh, I doubt it, it just gives them another excuse to raise the prices on things.

I don't think M$ is to worried about their pockets right now. They could go for years and years without cutting any profits.

[EdThaSlayer]

More people will get a fake M$ cd.Although pirated M$ software will only hurt them in the beginning. People then will either buy M$ software in the long run(even pirated versions will benefit M$ since this would mean a larger M$ market share). I do hope that India pulls this off :).

[argie]

I'll starve for a day they do succeed at this. The majority of people who use computers in government here (I live here) are in a boxed-in mindset. I've seen it. Our textbooks teach us Menu-by-Menu instructions for Microsoft Office. From the fifth grade onward (10 years) children are taught 'how to use a computer' except all the instructions assume a Windows OS and this assumption stays until the end of schooling (and I suspect, through college).

I've seen them visibly struggle in the absence of a 'Start' button. Retrain all of these? It's going to cost them lots. Besides all the software is pirated anyway.

Correct the 'Computer Science' textbooks first.

EDIT: If they are referring to those who do think outside a Start button, then fine. I guess that'd work.

[teejay17]

There needs to be Open Source/ GPL textbooks to go along with FOSS. Ever try purchasing a Linux book lately? They're around 75 bones for a real good one.
I know the authors need to put bread on the table, but there must be a more environmentally sound way to go about this, like an eBook.
Even the eBooks require a payment of sorts, or that you have to have a hardcover book ($75) to accompany the online component.
All this proprietary business that goes into teaching FOSS is hampering the learning of FOSS,

[tagginannie]

i'm quite sure it is because of the price of ms products in said countries that piracy is so widespread. with the evolution of linux and the drastic measures ms are bringing in with vista.


I just read on Cnet that that MS sent a free laptop with that has Vista and all the bells and whistles to a few
bloggers in return for good reviews about Vista. That just goes to show just how confident they are in their
latest and greatest disaster if the have resort to bribery:D :D


Suzy

[civilian]

haha! It would be nice if windows would loose its monopoly over the world because then game developpers would have to make their games multi-platform compatible, therefore making it easyer to play games on linux, and it would also allow me to flush my useless (with gaming on linux) windows partition.

[mips]

Heh, I doubt it, it just gives them another excuse to raise the prices on things.

I don't think M$ is to worried about their pockets right now. They could go for years and years without cutting any profits.

My point exactly. If they really wanted to they could stop piracy. I actually read somewhere that they prefer people to pirate their stuff and get locked in than use something else. It makes a whole lot of sense to me.

[LeMax]

The Free World is going up.
on http://www.freewebs.com/freesofts4win/ list one of the best opensource softwares on Windows.

bye

[fistfullofroses]

The main reason SuSE pulled ahead is this : Ubuntu is still a new name in the Linux world. SuSE has been a respected distribution for a long time. Still, if one were to go to Frye's Electronics today and visit the Operating System book section one would find Ubuntu books a plenty and Red Hat and SuSE close behind in number. SuSE was set up to be powerful, complete, and pretty. Ubuntu was set up to be easy and powerful. Pretty is coincidence seeing as GNOME is virtually unchanged (excepting small graphics and abouts) in its port to Ubuntu. SuSE is still there for the same reason the Slackware is. It is old and respected. It is trusted. People are still coming to be comfortable with Ubuntu. Give it time and I feel this will change. Ubuntu is bringing a ton of people to Linux for the first time. None of the other distributions have been able to do this in the same scope that Ubuntu has.

[bobbybobington]

Heh, I doubt it, it just gives them another excuse to raise the prices on things.

I don't think M$ is to worried about their pockets right now. They could go for years and years without cutting any profits.

I highly doubt that, after a year their stock would tank, cause guess who would want their money back.

[teejay17]

[...] People are still coming to be comfortable with Ubuntu. Give it time and I feel this will change. Ubuntu is bringing a ton of people to Linux for the first time. None of the other distributions have been able to do this in the same scope that Ubuntu has.
And that's awesome. I can see Ubuntu really taking off; it just gives that comfortable feeling.

[Johnsie]

It's nice to see things like this. I don't really care if Suse becomes more popular than Ubuntu. It's all Linux at the end of the day and the more people who use Linux the better. Most Suse users use exactly the same software as us and it's open source so in essence they are helping to improve the software that we ubuntu users also use. Our community also does things which are useful for Suse users. For example, if I report a bug in Songbird or Firefox then everyone who uses that software can benefit when a fix is released, no matter which platform they are on. All Linux distro users have a part to play in improving the software we all use. Remember, a lot of the software in Ubuntu wasn't even written by Ubuntu users. It exists because people from other distros were willing to share. This, ease of use and cost are the main reasons why countries like India want Linux.

[teejay17]

It's nice to see things like this. I don't really care if Suse becomes more popular than Ubuntu. It's all Linux at the end of the day and the more people who use Linux the better. Most Suse users use exactly the same software as us and it's open source so in essence they are helping to improve the software that we ubuntu users also use. Our community also does things which are useful for Suse users. For example, if I report a bug in Songbird or Firefox then everyone who uses that software can benefit when a fix is released, no matter which platform they are on. All Linux distro users have a part to play in improving the software we all use. Remember, a lot of the software in Ubuntu wasn't even written by Ubuntu users. It exists because people from other distros were willing to share. This, ease of use and cost are the main reasons why countries like India want Linux.
Good point. The "us vs. them" mentality need not apply to Open Source Linux projects.

[Redlance]

Exactly in linux there really is no us vs. them. With open source what is GPL'd and improved benifits all who CHOOSE to use it :) Or chose not to use it. or choose and decide to improve it. or... well i digress

[ashmew2]

This is one thing!
Another issue is choosing "OpenSuse" instead of "Ubuntu"...
So, I guess Mark Shuttleworth & his programming team should work really hard to turn Ubuntu v7.04 into a better OS, otherwise "OpenSuse" will become the Linux leader...
Don't forget that after the release of OpenSuse v10.2, distrowatch upgraded Suse to 2100 hits per day compared to previously 1800...
That means that OpenSuse is closing up on Ubuntu...
And if OpenSuse goes on like this, by the Beginning of 2008, it will become the most popular Linux OS... leaving Ubuntu in 2nd place...

Thanks.

P.S.> This is pure speculation of course, based on previous performance & recent trends...

We wont let that happen ,will we ?!! Too bad we werent here with Ubuntu wen MS ha already started taking over!!!!

[kanha]

In my college Indian Institute of Technology,Kanpur computer center is using fedora on all 2000 machine
Reason:
they used redhat in late 90s so they will continue with that
huh:lolflag: