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Why are there so many Linux distros?
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Comments (27)
7 earlier comments in the full thread.
I know this group has above average mental acuity and is quite able to connect the dots. Still, just in case....think 2x4.
Fabulous Awesome Radical Tux
Ok, scholarly I'm not. Aside from learning that Slackware is a community distro like Debian and that "...there's no real reason why so many exist, and why so many thrive", only fictitious reasons I suppose, I finally noticed who is credited with authoring the piece.
Graham Morrison (of Linux Format) apparently penned this piece techradar published September 1st, 2010.
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/the...
Graham Morrison (of Linux Format) apparently penned this piece techradar published September 1st, 2010.
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/the...
@tuxchick, I'm much too tired to be laughing so much about so little.
Fantastic Linux Achieving Totally Unprecedented Speed/Scaling
Re: Graham Morrison (of Linux Format) apparently penned this piece techradar published September 1st, 2010.
I wonder if those who complain about choice in Linux Distributions, and the default applications on each, have ever been to the supermarket lately... Breakfast cereal anyone?
An then, my partner and I were looking for flour, to do some home breadmaking, there half of one aisle filled with so many different brands of flour, all almost exactly the same, some were wholemeal, for sure and others multi grain, yes, but if you don't like choice don't go shopping for bread making flour.
I wonder if those who complain about choice in Linux Distributions, and the default applications on each, have ever been to the supermarket lately... Breakfast cereal anyone?
An then, my partner and I were looking for flour, to do some home breadmaking, there half of one aisle filled with so many different brands of flour, all almost exactly the same, some were wholemeal, for sure and others multi grain, yes, but if you don't like choice don't go shopping for bread making flour.
It's a weird article. It starts with a question that it never really answers. It hides that fact under a lot of tangential fluff.
The answer is quite simple though. The GNU/Linux market is a free one, where there is a very low barrier to entry. This fosters healthy competition and that gives us the many customizations we see in the wild today. Regardless of the form of the remuneration, be it money, fame or knowledge/code, there is a lot of trading going on.
It must seem threatening to a sheltered slave from the other Monocultures. (Which is the silent companion to this article: "Why can't Linux be like Windows?) I think most people haven't given any thought about their OS at all. They just bought that object called a "PC" and it came with this thing called Windows. MS has done a tremendous job here. Since a whole army of computer users have seen nothing but Windows (and sometimes that marginal and controlled piece of pseudo-competition called Mac OS X), it doesn't occur to them to think about it.
When GNU/Linux throws a monkey-wrench in the works, a lot of unconscious assumptions suddenly float to the surface, begging to be contemplated. If "PC's" aren't things that automatically come with Windows, then not everybody uses the same thing. Suddenly it isn't a certainty that anybody on the planet can open MS Office files or run Windows programs. How do these other people do their computing? It might even be that one is missing out on something without knowing it.
When the doubts start coming, most people get defensive and try to find fault with the unknown factor, as that is the only way to defend their current situation without questioning it. It must be why everything that it different from Windows in GNU/Linux is attacked and everything that they have in common is marginalized as "Linux is just a cheap copy".
The answer is quite simple though. The GNU/Linux market is a free one, where there is a very low barrier to entry. This fosters healthy competition and that gives us the many customizations we see in the wild today. Regardless of the form of the remuneration, be it money, fame or knowledge/code, there is a lot of trading going on.
It must seem threatening to a sheltered slave from the other Monocultures. (Which is the silent companion to this article: "Why can't Linux be like Windows?) I think most people haven't given any thought about their OS at all. They just bought that object called a "PC" and it came with this thing called Windows. MS has done a tremendous job here. Since a whole army of computer users have seen nothing but Windows (and sometimes that marginal and controlled piece of pseudo-competition called Mac OS X), it doesn't occur to them to think about it.
When GNU/Linux throws a monkey-wrench in the works, a lot of unconscious assumptions suddenly float to the surface, begging to be contemplated. If "PC's" aren't things that automatically come with Windows, then not everybody uses the same thing. Suddenly it isn't a certainty that anybody on the planet can open MS Office files or run Windows programs. How do these other people do their computing? It might even be that one is missing out on something without knowing it.
When the doubts start coming, most people get defensive and try to find fault with the unknown factor, as that is the only way to defend their current situation without questioning it. It must be why everything that it different from Windows in GNU/Linux is attacked and everything that they have in common is marginalized as "Linux is just a cheap copy".
> Too many notes.
Which ones would you like me to remove?
Wonderful movie, _Ammo Deus_.
Watching it for the first time with my mother, who was a singing teacher, when Mozart is asking "How long do you think I can maintain this?", she answered in a tired voice, "20 minutes...."
Sure enough a moment later Mozart says with joy at his accomplishment, "20 minutes!", and the rest of the group around Mozart looked, at those words, exactly like my mom had sounded: Exhausted.
Which ones would you like me to remove?
Wonderful movie, _Ammo Deus_.
Watching it for the first time with my mother, who was a singing teacher, when Mozart is asking "How long do you think I can maintain this?", she answered in a tired voice, "20 minutes...."
Sure enough a moment later Mozart says with joy at his accomplishment, "20 minutes!", and the rest of the group around Mozart looked, at those words, exactly like my mom had sounded: Exhausted.
Hey Carla, Maybe we could do a combination distro called Fabulous Awesome Radical Tux/The Most Awesomest Linux Ever..
or FART/MALE..;-)
or FART/MALE..;-)
...the mind boggles...
Doggone it, I ruined my fun by reading this blech article.
Sigh. Silly me, I thought reporters knew how to look things up. Like oh you know the years of coverage on Groklaw of SCO v Novell, and how Novell won, and how Novell does own UNIX copyrights (which unix? don't know, don't care), and how Linux owes nothing to the sweaty-palmed owners of any UNIX eye-pee. Nothing. Nada. Zip.
It is also an interesting leap of logic that SUSE would somehow be more at risk if there were an actual eye pee issue with Linux, and Red Hat and other distros would not.
Minus five stars and may the author's beer always be flat.
Quoting:We don't know any of the details, but Novell still owns a lot of Unix-related intellectual property...but the new ownership of its intellectual property is cause for concern for the future of its Linux investment, and for potential users of its open source software. This puts the viability of SUSE in doubt and makes alternatives like Red Hat more attractive.
Sigh. Silly me, I thought reporters knew how to look things up. Like oh you know the years of coverage on Groklaw of SCO v Novell, and how Novell won, and how Novell does own UNIX copyrights (which unix? don't know, don't care), and how Linux owes nothing to the sweaty-palmed owners of any UNIX eye-pee. Nothing. Nada. Zip.
It is also an interesting leap of logic that SUSE would somehow be more at risk if there were an actual eye pee issue with Linux, and Red Hat and other distros would not.
Minus five stars and may the author's beer always be flat.
Opening palm, inserting face (all the while chuckling at Scott and tuxchick's repartee).
It appears he started writing under the premise of the headline and then switched gears and forgot to change the headline. This doesn't absolve him of writing a poorly researched article, but I'm just merely making an observation.
The subject, of course, is one that borders on ridiculous for reasons mentioned by nikkels in the second comment, so I won't repeat it here. You're welcome.
It appears he started writing under the premise of the headline and then switched gears and forgot to change the headline. This doesn't absolve him of writing a poorly researched article, but I'm just merely making an observation.
The subject, of course, is one that borders on ridiculous for reasons mentioned by nikkels in the second comment, so I won't repeat it here. You're welcome.
You know what would be fun? Starting your own Windows-distro!
I take Windows XP 'stable', remove all MS-crapware, add some Windows-7 graphics, bundle AutoIt, Python, UnxUtils (to get real work done!), Flash, Java, Firefox (of course customized with a skin and add-ons), LibreOffice, I do some register tweaking, and it goes without saying all of this comes along with a purple OSX-ripoff background. Then I post to Distrowatch!
I take Windows XP 'stable', remove all MS-crapware, add some Windows-7 graphics, bundle AutoIt, Python, UnxUtils (to get real work done!), Flash, Java, Firefox (of course customized with a skin and add-ons), LibreOffice, I do some register tweaking, and it goes without saying all of this comes along with a purple OSX-ripoff background. Then I post to Distrowatch!
It's a funny thing about Freedom (with a capital "F"), once you get used to, you start doing all kinds of unexpected, sometimes wonderful things, other times just odd things. Like creating the "Hannah Montana" distro.
Perhaps the author would prefer us all to wear nothing but lime green one-piece jump suits, drive nothing except flexi-fuel economobiles, and eat nothing but mulled oats.
Sorry, I ride two wheels not four, I like cheese burgers, and I like my distro not yours - thank you very much.
Perhaps the author would prefer us all to wear nothing but lime green one-piece jump suits, drive nothing except flexi-fuel economobiles, and eat nothing but mulled oats.
Sorry, I ride two wheels not four, I like cheese burgers, and I like my distro not yours - thank you very much.
I'll make a derivative distro based on tc's. It will be called "Interactive Fabulous Awesome Radical Tux EDition".
mrider: Yeah, you're right! The great strength of freedom of Linux is proven by the fact there is no "Hannah Montana Windows!"
(Unfunny and tasteless joke removed)
I think the bad humor is reaching the point of a TOS violation.
I got carried away. Sorry all.
> I got carried away. Sorry all.
It's not just you. Not that anyone has to impress me but LXers ought to stick with nerdy things and leave comedy to the comedians.
It's not just you. Not that anyone has to impress me but LXers ought to stick with nerdy things and leave comedy to the comedians.
I have decided to write down what I thought Graham Morrison's September TechRader article. I believe there is likely more going on in Mr. Morrison's life than having too many Linux choices.
Others have noted the lack of professionalism in these recent postings, the lack of focus and vetting of statements.
This link is to a page where some articles from Linux Format are available in PDF format. http://www.linuxformat.com/archives&listpdfs=1
These were selected articles from past issues. Even so, Graham Morrison is credited with sole or co-authorship of several. I got distracted at about 30 so I'll just guess the number is 40 or so. One in particular I will note. From Issue 97 October 2007, the article "What Price Freedom?"
If you do look at it and if you don't read all of it please be sure to read the box at the bottom, "Freedom is a feature".
I have no proof, but I suspect Graham Morrison might actually have difficulty with all of the choices at the grocery market right now. No, I can't prove a thing, but I can note the difference between the recent postings and a few years worth of material Graham has been credited for.
I wish him well; in fact I wish us all well.
I have scanned for typos, but the fact is I can never see any until after I have lost control of the effort, usually about 24 hours after.
Others have noted the lack of professionalism in these recent postings, the lack of focus and vetting of statements.
This link is to a page where some articles from Linux Format are available in PDF format. http://www.linuxformat.com/archives&listpdfs=1
These were selected articles from past issues. Even so, Graham Morrison is credited with sole or co-authorship of several. I got distracted at about 30 so I'll just guess the number is 40 or so. One in particular I will note. From Issue 97 October 2007, the article "What Price Freedom?"
If you do look at it and if you don't read all of it please be sure to read the box at the bottom, "Freedom is a feature".
I have no proof, but I suspect Graham Morrison might actually have difficulty with all of the choices at the grocery market right now. No, I can't prove a thing, but I can note the difference between the recent postings and a few years worth of material Graham has been credited for.
I wish him well; in fact I wish us all well.
I have scanned for typos, but the fact is I can never see any until after I have lost control of the effort, usually about 24 hours after.
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