OSNews

"Any moron can install Mandrake or RedHat and use it to some degree, but BSD is much more difficult for the average user. Most average users can't even figure out how to create a partition during a BSD install. Also, configuring your system is still easier under Linux."

This isn't an issue for the majority of market we are talking about. We are talking about servers and corproate environments. The average user couldn't care less about .NET or C#, but it will be very important in the corporate environent.

Interoperability and compatibility is also very important in corporate enterprise environments. Therefore, if corportations adopt .NET and C# and they want their UNIX servers to interoperate, FreeBSD is going to be far more attractive than Linux.

"The Windows programming world has not been revolutionized or revitalized by C# or .NET (if anything it has become more irritating). It won't be any different with BSD."

I disagree. The Windows programming world will undergo serious change because of .NET and C#. Not because there is anything spectacular about these technologies, but rather because Microsoft has a virtual monopoly on the Windows programming world. Almost everyone doing serious programming for Windows is using Microsoft tools to do it. Since Microsoft has a virtual monopoloy in this area, they can pretty much shove .NET and C# down developer's throats, and that appears to be what they are doing. VB, C++, C#, Access, etc., are all being assimilated into the .NET borg.

"Nice way to invalidate any opposing point of view before they are even made. Demonize your opposition to invalidate their opinions. You must be a politician. "

Like it or not, Linux users are responsible for their own reputation as rabid packs of wild dogs. Say anything bad about Linux in anything you write, and you can count on your inbox being flooded with irrational email telling you how stupid you are and that Linux is superior to Windows in every way shape and form. I didn't create the Linux zealot / rabid dog reputation. Linux users created it themselves. Granted I know a lot of this email comes from script kiddie teenage hacker wannabes who think running Linux makes them cool. But still, it doesn't change the facts.

"Besides, .NET is more marketing and hype than anything else. The main purpose for its existance is to generate revenue for MS. Not only in people buying their dev tools, but they want to move to a subscription based model and .NET is what will help them do it."

It's called "planned obsolescence". Basically, Microsoft will force Windows developers to adopt .NET by gradually phasing out alternative development tools.

"Anyway, in the end, .NUT is still a closed, proprietary technology. To think that it is going to take an open community by storm is either wishful thinking or ignorance."

Why do people continue to insist that the average corporate user cares one bit about open source? They don't. They couldn't care less about it. All they care about is that their system works and their support costs are low. Like it or not, Windows is a very common technology in corporate environments. Because Microsoft controls virtually all of Windows development, .NET will also become a very common technology in corporate environments. Therefore, corporations that want interoperability between their UNIX and Windows environments are going to want a UNIX platform that supports .NET.

"Why did you think his hair is always so messed up?"

Gates may have messy hair... But he does have more hair then Linus does. Looked at pictures of Linus taken recently? He seems to have a lot less hair these days than he did in his early pictures... Is he pulling it all out? :p