[dundee] [jtsmoore@revolution-os.com: Re: Screening of Revolution OS]

[Mark Harrigan]

Note I've snipped out bits of the quoted irc conversation for space
reasons. I don't think I've changed the meanings of what was said.

On Sat, Jul 19, 2003 at 12:13:53AM +0100, Jonathan Riddell wrote: 
> I don't see why it wouldn't be intended for average desktop users.
> It's certainly heading in that direction.
> 
00:33 <@mharrigan> average desktop user... it's not meant for them
		   because average users don't like choice, it scares and
		   confuses them, lots of people can't deal with the
		   fact that their IE icon isn't on the desktop
		   because they deleted it. Well you can have KDE or
		   Gnome or Blackbox or Enlightenment or XFCE 
                   or ... Web browser, well there's netscape and
		   mozilla and firebird and konquerer and...
00:35 <Riddell> well most distributions have a default option
00:35 <Riddell> and have you seen the colour themes some secretarial types set 
                their windows desktops to, some people like choice a bit too 
                much
00:36 <@mharrigan> yeah but it's still windows and everythings in the same 
                   place, it just looks horrific
00:37 <@mharrigan> plus the fact that most distro have a default is fine but 
                   what if you go where someone has a default that's not what 
                   you have?
00:37 <@mharrigan> scares people
00:38 <Riddell> well the sooner GNOME people realise they should all
		be using KDE the better really
00:38 <@mharrigan> and the sooner the KDE people learn not to suck ass
		   the better
00:38 <@mharrigan> http://62.31.89.31/~mharrigan/screenshot-17-07-2003.png
00:38 <@mharrigan> ;)
00:39 <Riddell> ooh, oh yeah...I'll bet you're a vi user
00:39 <@mharrigan> emacs
00:39 <@mharrigan> :)
00:39 <Riddell> that's OK then
00:39 <@mharrigan> wahey!
 
> > I don't know why there's this fascination with taking on
> > Microsoft. 
> 
> Besides the reasons already mentioned in this discussion, Microsoft is
> an abusive monopoly.
> 

00:30 <@mharrigan> the abusive monopoly thing I agree with however I think 
                   people should get on with their lives, crazed
		   zealotry about Microsoft will only put people off... as will
		   elitism but see if I care
00:30 <@mharrigan> ;)

> > Only impassioned people use Linux atm
> 
> Well, my Mum uses it as well.
> 
00:26 <@mharrigan> out of interest who setup the computer that you
mother uses?
00:27 <Riddell> ah, ye got me.  it was me

> Never met anyone who disagrees with paying for software.  Most people
> would rather not gien the choice but then most people would rather not
> pay for anything given the choice.  Met a good few people who disagree
> with not being able to share or modify software.
> 

00:43 <@mharrigan> I think you'll find a lot of people who disagree
		   with paying for software, how many illegal copies of
		   Windows/Office have you encountered?
00:44 <@mharrigan> the moral argument that you should be free to
		   modify is very nice but it's not why the greater
		   public like the idea of Linux
00:45 <Riddell> I don't think that's disagreeing with paying for
		software, just they'd rather not pay up
00:46 <@mharrigan> erm, not paying is kinda disagreeing in a very active way 
                   surely?
00:47 <Riddell> no, most people consider that what they're doing is morally 
                wrong, they just don't care enough about it and would rather 
                have a no-cost ride
00:53 <@mharrigan> if people don't care enough to pay does that not
		   mean they don't agree with paying for software, I'd
		   say that's actually very fundamental to people,
		   they don't agree with paying for anything
00:54 <Riddell> ah well, there goes capitalism :)

> > The only way Linux is going to come down to that level is if someone
> > invests money and as yet I've only seen two companies who really want
> > that level of ease of use, Xandros and Lindows and guess
> > what... that'll be $$$ pls k thx. (I don't know about the people
> > behind Xandros but Lindows are just as unscrupulous as Microsoft in
> > their wheelings and dealings.) 
> 
> In what way are Lindows unscrupulous?  
> 
I think the CEO is a self publicist bugger whose business ideas are
the same as Gates he simply hides behind Linux, he commits slander
on a regular basis and he's a bit of a tit. In other words that's just
an irrational personal dislike ;)

> Jonathan Riddell
> 
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