Ex-Microsoftie: Free Software Will Kill Redmond (ComputerWorld) [LWN.net]

Ex-Microsoftie: Free Software Will Kill Redmond (ComputerWorld)

Posted May 22, 2009 11:53 UTC (Fri) by mchehab (subscriber, #41156)
In reply to: Ex-Microsoftie: Free Software Will Kill Redmond (ComputerWorld) by macson_g
Parent article: Ex-Microsoftie: Free Software Will Kill Redmond (ComputerWorld)

> I'm starting to lose my faith. I've been reading statements like these
> ever since I've been using the Internet. But still, there is not "year
> of Linux on desktop", all attempts to sell personal computers with
> Linux are failing, and desktop marketshare stuck below 5%.

Desktop market is for sure the hardest scenario for the battle, especially if you're considering non-enterprise desktops: it requires Linux to have full support for all sorts of gadgets and to support all sorts of applications.

One important step for desktop would be to have focus on this market. This means not only to have some desktop version, but to be sure that third party companies will release their software capable of running under Linux. If you go to a computer store and look at some random software box (outside the OS section), I bet that it will support some versions of the dominant O. S. and (with luck), it will support some Mac OS. It is really unlikely that you'll read Linux there.

There are very good applications that are FOSS, but there are some parts that aren't much offer, or where the user really wants an specific application, like for example in the game market. The user wants _that_ game, to play against his friends.

While there are some alternatives to play some of those software under Linux (with Wine or some paid version of it, or inside a VM), the user experience is generally far behind what they would have when the vendor properly supports the OS. Also, it is a big challenge to teach your 7 year old kid how to install his games under Wine.

I have the faith that Desktop presence will grow, but we need to do more to increase maketshare in this segment.

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Ex-Microsoftie: Free Software Will Kill Redmond (ComputerWorld)

Posted May 22, 2009 13:46 UTC (Fri) by nevyn (guest, #33129) [Link]

> > I'm starting to lose my faith. I've been reading statements like these
> > ever since I've been using the Internet. But still, there is not "year
> > of Linux on desktop", all attempts to sell personal computers with
> > Linux are failing, and desktop marketshare stuck below 5%.
>
> Desktop market is for sure the hardest scenario for the battle,
> especially if you're considering non-enterprise desktops: it requires
> Linux to have full support for all sorts of gadgets and to support all
> sorts of applications.

And not only is it hard, after you are done you'll need to spend a lot on marketing ... and after all that no one has any incentive to give you money (see RH CEOs saying they can't find anyone to sell to, and Canonical trying and failing to find someone to sell to).