We won and we didn't notice: a conversation with Jeremy Allison of Samba

It is Hear!

Huh?

Quoting: We won and we didn't notice:

I noticed, look around you and see what is mostly being talked about these days in tech. magazines, and on the Internet in general, it is mostly Linux and very little about MS.

MS and Apple are always mentioned on business TV shows and business magazines, but that is normal because it gives them the advertising income.

It is true, I personally notice that many more people have heard about and now more aware of Linux even though they are not using it. That will be in the next step.

It is true, I personally notice that many more people have heard about and now more aware of Linux even though they are not using it.

Actually, a vast amount of people are using Linux daily, but they may not be aware that the services and devices they are using run on Linux. Most large Internet services run on Linux. Lots of embedded devices, set top boxes and TV's run on Linux. Android phones run on Linux.

It's just that the desktop is a holdout for the old proprietary systems. Inertia and market manipulations keep them there.

Hear or thear?

Or their?

Or they're?

We won? What did we win? Did someone say cookies?

Quoting:We won? What did we win? Did someone say cookies?

Yes we won and the seed that was planted a while back is now a healthy flourishing tree. It was invaded by various parasites, weeds and all sorts of dangerous enemies. but It survived and grew stronger by building more immunity against any future attacks.

I personally consider this a huge win.

Quoting:I personally consider this a huge win.

.. but what did we win? Did we win the ability do smb mount Linux volumes from Windows clients because we were doing that in the 1990s using Samba.

.. did we win because our devices are largely Linux? No, because we have had that for over 10 years also. We now have more awareness, but I had embedded Linux devices like thin clients (and other devices) in 1999.

In terms of awareness, maybe it's a win but not really a big one.

We'll win when Linux is a household term like "Google" and "Windows".

Quoting:We'll win when Linux is a household term like "Google" and "Windows".

That will not happen because FOSS is a community and Linux OS is not a brand name. Linux is for everyone to take and make their own xyz distro or drive their devices. Linux is not a commercial organization with funds allocated to ads.

When most people are curious and informed about what drives their computers, e.devices and networks, may be then Linux will become a household name.

Quoting:That will not happen because FOSS is a community and Linux OS is not a brand name. Linux is for everyone to take and make their own xyz distro or drive their devices. Linux is not a commercial organization with funds allocated to ads.

When most people are curious and informed about what drives their computers, e.devices and networks, may be then Linux will become a household name.

So you are saying that "we" will "never win"? Like it or not, Linux is a brand name. More so than GNU or any distribution that includes the Linux kernel.

Unfortunately you'll find today packages that include the Ubuntu logo followed by "Works with Linux".

To claim that it isn't a "brand" is not correct.

Quoting:So you are saying that "we" will "never win"?

No! not at all. I guess winning is relative.

What I said is, for FOSS to grow from nothing and to last for 20 years and continue to grow stronger by the day, to become a pretty advanced and sophisticated platform is a huge win. It is the most popular platform for small and embedded devices (phones, tablets, netbook, etc.), it dominates the supercomputers top 500 group, it is the most used platform on most active Web sites, it dominates in the Stock Market firms, it dominates in network devices, and has 30% of the server market, etc... and the only area it still doesn't dominate yet is the desktop computers. I believe this is tremendous achievement and a huge win .

In my opinion, this is an impressive record and also a huge win in the eyes of those who know better.

Now in regards to brand name, here is what a dictionary say about it.

Quoting: TheFreeDictionary :

brand name n A commodity, service, or process having a trade name n (Business / Marketing) another name for brand

Well, Linux/FOSS is neither a business nor being marketed as such.