[Gllug] BBC: Battle of the operating systems

[Matthew King]

John G Walker <johngwalker at tiscali.co.uk> writes:

> On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 21:09:43 +0000 "Thomi Richards" <thomir at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> In some ways it seems a shame that we (Linux users) feel the need to
>> compete with Microsoft. Surely we're self-sufficient enough that we
>> can co-exist? Maybe that's a bit naive of me..
>
> On the one hand, I tend to agree with you. I have a joint Linux/Windows
> setup: two machines linked via Samba. The central thing for my is my
> data, and I use Windows or Linux programs as appropriate to handle the
> data. I'm finding I use Linux more frequently than Windows, but that's
> how it goes.
>
> On the other hand, Microsoft doesn't want to coexist with Linux.
> Microsoft claims that Windows will do everything and wants to dominate
> the world. That's the problem. And IMHO it's up to Microsoft to fix the
> problem. Anything that happens to them as a result of them not fixing
> the problem (eg anti-trust suits, slaggings off in the IT press,
> anything in between) is entirely their responsibility,

Not only are Microsoft not particularly happy to coexist but nor are
many other companies. Especially hardware companies. I am tired of
having to check the specs of any piece of hardware I buy so
thoroughly.

Naturally I should ensure that a device will do what I want it to do but
I want to choose, for the sake of argument, a printer based on the
quality of its output, not on whether a driver is available for my OS of
choice or whether the manufacturer is too anal-retentive to provide
interoperability details.

And let's not even start on the media manufacturers.

Matthew

-- 
I must take issue with the term "a mere child," for it has been my
invariable experience that the company of a mere child is infinitely
preferable to that of a mere adult.
                                           --  Fran Lebowitz

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