Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: ESR and Apple's irrelevance

Author:Zac
Posted:8/26/2000; 12:59:09 AM
Topic:ESR and Apple's irrelevance
Msg #:20310 (In response to 20304)
Prev/Next:20309 / 20311

This user-centric approach also helps explain one area where open source software - as Eric readily admitted - suffers horribly: user interface.

I think the UI issue (while serious) is secondary to the base complexitity of the OS.

If your machine can't get an IP number what do you do? If the modem won't work where do you configure it? I'm not saying that these tasks are elementary under Windows or the Mac but the process of being able to modify the workings of a computer are a level of complexity higher under Linux.

Don't get me wrong...I know people in the Linux community realise this is an issue. And I am sure that these problems will be addressed and solved. I just think that if people like ESR assume that they are going to quickly overtake Apple as the main threat to Microsoft any time soon they are not being realistic

I think your examples (TiVO for instance) point to a more salient threat for Microsoft. The use of Linux in embedded systems or in custom designed consumer products that perform limited tasks. Take the recently released Compaq iPaq Internet Appliance.

Devices like that would be a great target for Linux becasue the user configuration required from them is minimal. Ditto with the UI issue. If all a device does is broiwse the web and send email them you could do that right through Mozilla and build a custom XUL file for the UI.

Problem solved.

Apple can't compete in this market and the issues that make Linux a less than stellar consumer OS disappear in a situation like this.



There are responses to this message:

This page was archived on 6/13/2001; 4:56:18 PM.

© Copyright 1998-2001 UserLand Software, Inc.