What can Linux learn from Microsoft?

> I am not sure if you can push out OOo to users in the same way you can for MS office, or how easily that is accomplished.

For most businesses, you probably can. Small businesses of 20 or fewer employees probably simply manually install the software as required. Larger businesses probably have some type of automated installation software they use which should be able to handle OpenOffice as easily as any other program.

Editted so my last sentence makes some sense. :)

You can do it with Active Directory.





I just crack myself up.

SFn, me too :)

FYI, the article LXer uses is Matt Mondok's 'M-Dollar' comment on Vaughan-Nichols' article. The actual link to Vaughan-Nichols' original Linux Watch column is http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS5991301042.html

IMHO, besides Vaughan-Nichols' "Top five things Linux can learn from Microsoft", there a very-related Sixth Thing : Having the most Killer Apps

Have any of you LXer readers checked out one of the main LinuxQuestions.org highlighted forum questions: "What programs would you like to see ported to Linux?" If not, the link is http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=105... At last count, there were over a HUNDRED PAGES of app requests -- 100+ PAGES, not separate forum messages you all!!!!! Sure seems to this LX reader from the LQ list that a WHOLE LOT of people would start to use GNU/Linux instead of M$ Windows if not for those one or more make-or-break gotta-have-it-now apps. A deficient Beta or a sloppy WINE version of such a Killer App just won't cut it -- better safe than sorry no matter how free/open the SW is or however many new updates are just around the corner!!

"Having the most Killer Apps"

Which has what to do with FOSS? I'm not sure I understand your point here- if a vendor refuses to release a Linux port, there's not much anyone can do about it. What are you suggesting as a solution?

100+ pages. Wow. With that many pages of questions and requests from newbies, intermingled with responses, there just *has* to be a "Killer Apps" deficit. I mean, just look at that big number. Surely, even filtering out duplicate requests, nonsense and replies, there would be at least 50 pages, give or take a dozen or two. That's still a big number, so GNU/Linux must be, well, crippled, right?

Sure, lots of requests appear to be newbies who ask for an "app" by brand and name, rather than by function or task to be accomplished, and thus are illustrating a familiarity problem, instead of an "app" shortage problem. It's pretty certain that some of those requests come from people who are only looking for a free (gratis) version of what they've been using; they're just here for the EULA, not to learn a different mouse movement.

Still, it's certainly an impressive number. Not nearly as impressive as eleventy-thirteen, though. Now THAT'S a number!

> Have any of you LXer readers checked out one of the main LinuxQuestions.org highlighted forum questions: "What programs would you like to see ported to Linux?"

Hmmm... Can't think of one myself. I would just like to see GnuCash made a little easier is all.

> Sure, lots of requests appear to be newbies who ask for an "app" by brand and name, rather than by function or task to be accomplished, and thus are illustrating a familiarity problem, instead of an "app" shortage problem. It's pretty certain that some of those requests come from people who are only looking for a free (gratis) version of what they've been using; they're just here for the EULA, not to learn a different mouse movement.

In most cases, I've found that noobs really don't know that an equivalent app exists, or how to find it. Yeah, they would prefer that it be keystroke for keystroke the same, but, they are more than thrilled to find that equivalent. Over the time I've been working with Linux, the quantity and quality of equivalent apps has increased geometrically. Most of the remaining gaps in equivalency are in very specialized areas.

> "What programs would you like to see ported to Linux?"

Well, If I had ZTree in Linux, I'd die happy :) ... I know, I know, what the heck is ZTree...

In my Straw Poll asking if GNU/Linux had replaced Windows, some people who had not switched completely got suggestions for equivalent apps when people saw what was holding them back. Incidentally, that's still going on now.

jimf: >"Yeah, they would prefer that it be keystroke for keystroke the same, but, they are more than thrilled to find that equivalent."

Sorry, I did not mean all newbies or even all newbies responding in that particular thread. I should have been more clear about the relatively small group I was talking about. It's fun to see that thrill you mention.

The biggest flaw with the article is it equates Linux with Microsoft, as though it were a single, centrally-controlled company. Which pretty much shoots down the entire article, because there is no valid basis for comparison. The second biggest flaw is it's factually wrong, as grouch already pointed out. The third flaw is it assumes that Linux "wants" to be a mainstream platform. It already is a lot of arenas, and the Linux desktop environments have been far superior to anything you can find for Windows for years. But the assumption that Uncle Fred and Aunt Edna "need" to use Linux, and that Linux "needs" to cater to them, when they can barely Web-surf with Windows, is just plain silly. The last thing the world needs is hordes of techno-phobes and techno-illiterates messing up Linux. Some folks simply shouldn't use computers. Or any tool more complex than a spork.

Every single day some eager but not entirely clueful noob announces that all Linux needs for mainstream success is More Killer Apps, as though there were a magic software factory somewhere that simply needs to be turned on, or perhaps some grumpy Linux devs who simply need a bit of motivation. I just want to inject a bit of reality. There is no magic mommy or daddy who plucks this stuff out of thin air- if a vendor does not want to port to Linux, where are the missing apps going to come from? Here's a hint:

http://lxer.com/module/newswire/lf/view/64720/ "The Value of Free Software"

Hey there, new to this LXer blog. Good points tuxchick2; as the saying goes "the one who has the greater inventive will invariably take the initiative". Someone referred me to an old piece of work by Eric Raymond entitled 'The Cathedral and the Bazaar' which almost seems to reinforce this saying for F/OSS and Linux. Hey, maybe CatB (as this piece is abbreviated to) can also help answer the question "where are the missing apps going to come from?"

Anyway, guess that many of the users in the forum link flufferbeer brings are "not entirely clueful noobs". The presence of so many of these users can actually serve to strengthen the original author's point five that the specific marketing superiority of Microsoft may be what is really keeping back the noobs from finding and using those superior desktop environments and "equivalent apps" already existing in Linux. Hmmmmmm......

What "missing apps"? I have yet to meet a coder who can implement foggy, hypothetical "apps" as code.

grouch, there are lots of them. Games and scientific apps are two categories that immediately come to mind. Publishing and image editing for print, and I don't want to hear "LaTex and Gimp", because those don't do the job. Other stuff which I can't think of now. Anyway there are definitely a lot of gaps; the practical questions are how to fill those gaps, and how to steer users to existing FOSS apps that do meet their needs.

boborooster, you're right, marketing is a big part of it. But it's not all- it doesn't take much in the way of google-fu to find stuff. 100+ forum pages is pretty unwieldy, it would be most luvverly if some of the many folks who have time to post on that thread would extract and summarize the useful stuff.

Well, categories are a little more specific, but not enough to find or code.

Here are some categorical links (lots more to be found elsewhere):

http://edge-op.org/links1.html#software

Moi again.

On links, here are some relevant ones to the end part of this thread (up to now):

- A Wikipedia on 'TheOpenCD' which is F/OSS for Windows, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheOpenCD

This looks like some good "non-missing apps" are on this CD for those noobies still on Microsoft Windows, n'est pas? :-)

- The FSF/UNESCO categories of solely FSS, http://directory.fsf.org/

- The Wikipedia 'List of open source software [solely OSS] packages' listed by categories, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open_source_software_pa...

Okay, okay, will stop now, soon to peut etre join another thread? --> le boborooster

Let's not forget http://linuxappfinder.com/

Don't even start to gripe until you've checked there.

boborooster, go nuts and join all the threads you can stand. :)

That's the trouble with all you penguin people: I started a nice, negative thread and you've turned it into real help for real problems! This leenuks thing will never take over the world until you learn to blame, intimidate and exploit the user. Focus!

> Hey there, new to this LXer blog.

Welcome aboard! Make yourself at home.