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Bad example, Java is supposed to be difficult

Story: Why Ubuntu isn't for New Linux UsersTotal Replies: 3
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swbrown

Feb 25, 2006
2:14 PM EST 		Proprietary Java should be difficult to install on a Free Software distribution. That pressure is needed to both remind people it's unsafe to write Free Software Java code as it depends on a proprietary layer, as well as to spur development of Free Software replacements for the JRE like gcj. The same is true for Flash content and projects like Gnash.

Ask yourself, what do you want Debian-based distributions to eventually be? A mix of proprietary and Free Software like Cygwin on Windows, or pure Free Software? If, as I hope, you someday want pure Free Software, you have to accept making such sacrifices along the way. Making it easy to not sacrifice is not leading you where you want to go.
mdl

Feb 25, 2006
3:09 PM EST

Making it difficult for people to do the things they want to do will assure that Linux never gets more than 2 or 3 % of the market. Most people just want to use their computer without complications. Sorry.... but that is human nature.

I have made sacrifices to use Linus that no average user would make (because it was fun and I am retired, so I have time to learn all this stuff). Don't ask someone with a job, kids, etc. to spend a lot of time learning Linux when all they have to do is buy a computer with Windows installed and plug it in. Their questions can be answered by the "Windows expert living next door".
devnet

Feb 25, 2006
7:25 PM EST 		mdl put it EXACTLY how it is.

That's part of what this article stresses.
dotmil

Feb 25, 2006
10:02 PM EST 		Since when does market share matter? How do you even define a "market share" of a free (as in cost) product? I'm assuming you mean numer of users, but that and market share are two totally different things.

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