Re: os discuss

[Adam Tauno Williams <adam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>....you can't ignore the invisible hand of the
>>market place.
>I don't believe anyone is ignoring the marketplace at all.
>Quite the contrary. Linux is the only OS making headway in
>the broad OS marketplace, the one OS with the strongest
>compounded growth projection over the next couple of years
>(at least), and the one OS which supports more hardware
>platforms than any other. This didn't happen with any
>high-powered marketeering or monopoly power, but out of
>grass root free choice, and if that ain't the market,
>what is?

I think this is really only an aside note.  If we look at this event (Linux
growth) through the eyes of "It's the applications stupid" then the reason for
Linux growth is apparent (IMHO): re-centralization and the web (internet).
Since those movements are facilitated by Apache, then you have Linux running
underneath (almost by default).  If those trends cool off I suspect Linux will
too.  One reason (again IMHO) that Linux looks SO much better than WinNT/9x is
that the desktop/workgroup market has shrivelled in the past few years,
evidenced my flat if not declining PC sales.  I think Linux will thrive (because
it will start to penetrate other markets than web/infrastructure servers),  but
I think Chris has a point that what the "invisible" hand giveth, it can take
away.

>>Deadlines ARE important.
>Please substantiate this claim.

Some type of leadership is important.  For example,  when looking for software,
I simply don't use an open source app that hasn't had an update in the last six
to nine months (unless it's something entrenched like tar).  Deadlines may be
vapid noise,  but at least they are noise, and SOME indication of intent to
progress.

>>And, as time goes by, software DOES become obsolete.
>Yes, quite so. However, the RATE at which software becomes
>"obsolete" is far slower than the producers of proprietary
>software would have us think. This is similar to the auto-
>makers, who want us to get a new car every three years or
>so, even though the service life of most cars is almost 2
>decades, given even a swipe at proper care.

I give this one to Bob.

Systems and Network Administrator
Morrison Industries
1825 Monroe Ave NW.
Grand Rapids, MI. 49505