W. Chris Shank on 19 Jan 2008 12:32:06 -0800


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Re: [PLUG] One True OS


WINE? Seriously? What are you going to do when you think the  
application works, but then there is that one feature the user needs  
once a quarter. They click that menu action and the system craps out.  
Then you have to spend 3 days looking for help, discover that you need  
a feature in the current SVN version and now you need to download and  
compile it - but it then breaks some other feature that used to work.

How far in the wind are you willing to stick your bare behind?  
Sometimes, you do need vendors with support teams that can help you.  
It totally sucks to have users breathing down your neck to fix  
something and have no place to turn.

On Jan 19, 2008, at 2:50 PM, Matthew Rosewarne wrote:

> On Saturday 19 January 2008, W. Chris Shank wrote:
>> you are right - consumer will get the brand-name probably and take
>> home Vista and it won't work well.  then they tell their friends and
>> the friends ask about alternatives. they hear about mac, go to the
>> apple store and are either turn-on by the crazy hipness and cool
>> stuff, can afford it and buy - or they are turned off by it and go  
>> get
>> a PC. there is no Linux store where they can go see Linux in action,
>> play with it, and have someone show them the cool features.
>
> Don't forget the common scenario: Customer takes it to kid-nextdoor/ 
> local
> computer shop and says "My new computer doesn't work!!!"
>
> Chances are these people will wipe the thing and install a  
> (questionably
> legal) copy of XP on it.
>
>> IT departments are avoiding Vista because of the cost, complexity,  
>> and
>> business continuity risks of upgrading. They are waiting until every
>> vendor for every application they have says they support Vista and  
>> the
>> hardware makers do the same. Only then will Vista get into businesses
>> in a serious way. The opportunity for Linux (or Apple) lies in the
>> time between when XP is no longer available and when their apps can
>> run on Vista. This is the critical time. If MS kills XP too soon, the
>> window will be large enough that businesses could seriously consider
>> Linux, even as a transitional step while waiting for Vista
>> compatibility, only because they have the need for new PCs (ie - new
>> hires, dead PCs, etc). If MS allows desktop Linux to get a foot in  
>> the
>> door they may be sorry as businesses may realize that Linux is pretty
>> good.
>
> There's also a good opportunity here for Wine.  If Wine can run some  
> of the
> homebrew apps whose source has been lost to the mists of time, then  
> that
> would be a strong showing for FOSS.
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
> Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
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--
W. Chris Shank
ACE Technology Group, LLC
www.MyRemoteITDept.com
(610) 640-4223

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug