[Wolves] Too many cooks

[Kevanf1]

On 02/10/05, Andy Wootton <andy.wootton at wyrley.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Well, to summarize in a Mr. Aq stylee - because it would be wronger than
> the wrongest wrong thing! Not doing things that way is one of the core
> values of the Unix philosophy. You can't compete with Windows on their
> turf. It's muddy, slopes towards your goal and you are playing against a
> wind of FUD.
>
> If you have to change Linux into Windows to win converts then what is
> the point? We may as well all start using OS X now.
> Why do you even want to "win"? I have no problem with Linux only having
> a minority of the market as long as it is better than Windows and it
> gets big enough to be supported by hardware manufacturers.
>
> I work in a Windows environment that has an Intranet that only works
> with IE; has a source code control system, a document control system
> and  an intranet Portal for displaying documents. They don't work
> together. Each product is fighting to grow into the other products'
> "space" so they don't want to make life easier for their customers. They
> want you to give up and buy everything from them. Do we want that
> attitude between FOSS projects?
>
> Woo
>

I'm going to play devil's advocate here so just bear with me.  The
reason for making it (Linux) look and feel like Windows is because
that is what the majority of PC users like.  We've moved along from
Linux being purely a command line OS to a more or less GUI
environment.  Why?  Because most people prefer that.  I know that you
can't do as much with a GUI but millions and millions of people
shudder at the 'primitive' command line.  Windows offers the ordinary,
everyday PC user an easy and friendly interface to their PC.  They
don't want a command line.  So, going down this route, the people
using Windows are happy with how it looks and works and feels.  People
do not like change even though, as we know, in this case changing to
Linux is for the good.  The only way manufacturers - aprat from the
small handful - are going to start supporting Linux with their own
drivers is if Linux is adopted by more users.  To do that those users
need to be presented with a familiar system.  The average PC user
wants to work at their PC not have go through a long learning process
all over again.  They've already done that with Windows.

Now, please, tell me where and why I am wrong.  I'll simply add that
all the arguments that I have put are not my own but they are those
spoken to me by people I have tried to persuade to try Linux - even
though they like the Live CDs etc that I have introduced to them. 
Remember, devil's advocate here :-)

--
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I am only human, please forgive me if I make a mistake it is not deliberate.
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Take care.
Kevan Farmer

34 Hill Street
Cheslyn Hay
Staffordshire
WS6 7HR