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View Full Version : Should Linux provide very exact Windows-Cloned-Applications?



frenchn00b
May 12th, 2008, 10:44 PM
Hi,

Is having cloned applications making easier life the move from Windows-User to Linux ?

Could it be positive for Linux ?

Simple Example of a very "simple" clone & very exact :
Linux: http://lxde.sourceforge.net/gpicview/screenshot.jpg
windows: http://www.actualtools.com/images/articles_24/transparent_win_viewer.jpg

Positive for Linux ?

regomodo
May 12th, 2008, 10:45 PM
if the windows version is the "best" way of doing the job, then yes. Otherwise, no.

There is no point in trying to be windows or being a GNU snob.

frenchn00b
May 12th, 2008, 10:46 PM
if the windows version is the "best" way of doing the job, then yes. Otherwise, no.

I think :
1/ it makes the move easier to linux
2/ the more programs, the better.
3/ it isnt much efforts for us ,since we just have to tune some of our apps to make it like windows (we have the source code in our hands !! that's a big power)

All positive

popch
May 12th, 2008, 10:47 PM
No, it should not.

Barrucadu
May 12th, 2008, 10:50 PM
No, that would make life boring. Mac software isn't exactly like Windows software and it doesn't seem to be hurting Apple.

ugm6hr
May 12th, 2008, 10:51 PM
It is this attitude that allows MS to accuse OSS developers of duplication but incapacity for innovation.

Even the Apple MS apps are not exact clones of their Windows parents. And OSX is very successful at gaining users from MS.

Redrazor39
May 12th, 2008, 10:55 PM
No, have apps that do the same things, look good, and work even better!

zmjjmz
May 12th, 2008, 10:56 PM
If Apple can do it, so can we.
Apple has different looks, no matter?

red_Marvin
May 12th, 2008, 11:14 PM
Linux shouldn't play catch-up, it should be spearheading the innovation.

SunnyRabbiera
May 12th, 2008, 11:18 PM
really, whats the point of having a new OS if it acts and behaves exactly like windows?
Might as well be windows!

smoker
May 12th, 2008, 11:29 PM
most linux apps are fine, why lower standards?

cardinals_fan
May 13th, 2008, 12:42 AM
Only when the Windows way works better.

SomeGuyDude
May 13th, 2008, 01:10 AM
Just out of curiosity, what is the topic actually asking?

"Linux" doesn't make anything. So what you're really asking is "should the Open Source community make clones of Closed Source applications?"

In this case, my answer is "why the hell not?" It's open source. People can make whatever they damn well please and I think the presumption of "you shouldn't want this" is an early step on the road that leads away from Freedom of Choice Town.

CitrusOrange
May 13th, 2008, 01:15 AM
I like the idea of Linux being different.
Don't need old Steve saying the developers of Linux are stealing intellectual property again. That and who wants to look like windows anyways? It's ugly.

SomeGuyDude
May 13th, 2008, 01:22 AM
I like the idea of Linux being different.
Don't need old Steve saying the developers of Linux are stealing intellectual property again. That and who wants to look like windows anyways? It's ugly.

Apparently some people do. Xandros is pretty popular and the Vista clone themes have a lot of downloads on GNOME-look.

init1
May 13th, 2008, 01:37 AM
No, I think applications should focus on functionality and usability rather than appearance.

RiceMonster
May 13th, 2008, 01:54 AM
No. I'm not using Linux because I want it to be like Windows.

However, what I do support is writing applications that have the same purpose as a Windows application that will not be ported to Linux. For example, I used to use Guitar Pro on Windows, which is guitar tab software, but for Linux, there is Tux Guitar which does the same kind of thing.

gabhla
May 13th, 2008, 01:58 AM
No. Our apps are better.

zetetic
May 13th, 2008, 03:26 AM
Should Windows provide very exact Linux-Cloned-Applications?

nikkiana
May 13th, 2008, 04:23 AM
While I don't think there's anything wrong with making programs for Linux that are essentially clones of Windows based programs, I do tend to think that's a little... erm... stifling. Why limit yourself? Maybe the way the program you're cloing doesn't exactly have the best workflow it could, why not improve upon it? Making an imitation of something is a good start, but why limit yourself to that? Why not aspire to be the best application that there is for whatever task you're aspiring to complete? I think it's fair to say that open source is about progress and innovation, not stagnation... If you're always copying, you're stagnating... Not leading the pack.

It's my personal opinion that the resistiance to widescale adoption of desktop Linux has more to do with a lack of approachable in-person support than it does whether The GIMP is an exact clone of Photoshop. If you're not the most technical person in the world, switching your operating system to something that no one else has on your block and no store near you knows how to support is kinda risky... What if something goes wrong? Who's there to help you?

Users will adjust to a different workflow if the resources are provided to help them do so. That means having excellent documentation, targeted at not only developers but actual users. That means providing screencasts about how to do things. It means making the information on how to use your app and how it may differ from the application commonly used to fill the void available. If the help isn't available, or if the help stinks, people will complain till kingdom come that you suck, even if you don't. In my opinion, excellence in support can, will and does overcome a lot of software usability shortcomings.

frenchn00b
May 18th, 2008, 10:02 AM
hence if No in majority ?

Why this distro linuxXP is very lot lot downloaded, the one just after fedora ??

Here is the site:http://www.linux-xp.com/

frenchn00b
May 18th, 2008, 10:04 AM
Apparently some people do. Xandros is pretty popular and the Vista clone themes have a lot of downloads on GNOME-look.

Indeed, we clone Mac, we clone XP (http://www.linux-xp.com/), and well ...
it works very well also like that & makes lot of fans !

hanzomon4
May 18th, 2008, 11:29 AM
Linux does not equal free windows replacement. And really why do this, if you like the windows way use windows... its ok. And don't give me crap about Linux adoption by the average user, that has nothing to do with not being like windows.

Daveski
May 19th, 2008, 12:39 AM
Having a consistant interface IS useful, but even though Microsoft publish guides, even THEY don't follow them. The trend these days is for the big software companies to use their own style - look at Photoshop, it is hardly familiar for users of other Windows apps.

Microsoft has explicitly encouraged the use of their new 'ribbon' style of toolbar / menubar in 3rd party apps - so long as they are NOT word processors, spreadsheeting apps, presentation or database applications...

rune0077
May 19th, 2008, 12:46 AM
If clone means a program that does, looks and feels almost exactly the same as the Windows app, then no.

If it means stealing an idea from a Windows app, and then make a new app based on that idea, perhaps even better/more feature rich/easier to use/whatever, then yes.

cardinals_fan
May 19th, 2008, 12:52 AM
hence if No in majority ?

Why this distro linuxXP is very lot lot downloaded, the one just after fedora ??

Here is the site:http://www.linux-xp.com/
Huh? What makes you think that Linux-XP is downloaded almost as much as Fedora?

uraldinho
May 19th, 2008, 01:14 AM
Im not sure what you mean by "exact clone". I haven't come across a program yet that is exactly the same in both OSs. Even firefox that is supposed to run on its own platform has minor differences. I believe Preferences is under Edit in one and under Tools in the other (i find this difference very annoying). You see it's not an exact clone ;)

To be honest, there isn't much that can be done with the menus. Some functionality is always going to overlap, and there is going to be a feel of a clone. I can see most of you prefer GNOME because it is different than Windows, but I prefer KDE because it's a style im more comfortable with and to me it feels better structured than GNOME. It's all about personal preferences.

I don't think anyone can accuse linux of being a clone of windows. If anything it is more of a clone of unix, and it incorporates lots of code donated from old unix projects. If anything, linux/unix programmers can accuse windows world of taking their technology ideas and implementing them in windows.

Methuselah
May 19th, 2008, 02:02 AM
No, but it's useful to be able to run windows programs.
Wine is an absolute priority, IMO.