Linked by Xeta Prime on Thu 29th Jan 2004 07:13 UTC
Before I add 'my' two cents worth upon the current heap of Xandros reviews, let me introduce myself... rather my Linux self. I am a noobie. Perhaps not such a newbie as a newbie could be since I have been playing with and learning Linux since 'Corel Linux' (1999-2000?). Before Corel I'd purchased a copy of a 1998 Turbo Linux in a discount store and was beyond elated to find something to mess with.
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MOD THIS UP!
Oh, wait, this isn't /....
Well, anyway, the poster hits it on the head. All those complaining about the article not being "professional" - wake the hell up, the editors TOLD YOU it wasn't "professional". Can you read?
The article author is an interesting "newbie". I'd say the term is not quite right for someone like this because he's obviously too much into computers and installing distros to be considered a "newbie" at PCs - he's just a newbie at learning Linux.
My take on "desktop Linux" is simple:
1) If you are a "casual PC user" who simply uses your PC to surf the Web, play MP3's, get your email, and type up the odd Word document, Linux as a desktop is ready now. You don't install hardware and you rarely install software. So unless something breaks, you'll never have to see a command line. (You might be confused by some of the menus, but you'll figure it out if you want to.)
2) If you are a "power user" who isn't afraid to find out how to do something on your PC - even if it might a bit difficult or "techie" - then Linux as a desktop is ready now for you as well. You might have to poke around to find out how to do something, or even have to drop to the command line once in a while, but you'll figure it out because that's the kind of user you are.
3) If you are in between the above two types, i.e., you do look for new hardware and software to install, but you aren't interested in learning anything about the system or learning how to do something that isn't obvious, then Linux as a desktop is not ready for YOU. In a year or so, if IBM, HP, Sun and Novell start leaning on hardware manufacturers to start providing timely drivers (and drivers that work with any distro), and if the distros can automate a source install to the point where it is indistinguishable in the average case from a package install, and make both of them as easy to do with a double-click as a Windows install AND as conceptually easy as a Windows install (i.e., you don't even need to know it's source or what is going on, e.g., NO compile messages displayed by default - but of course accessible if desired), then this third class of user - who are the majority of users - will be satisfied as well.
And then Linux can get the 20% of the desktop market that Siemens is predicting in the next five years. I believe that is optimistic, but if the above minor problems are resolved over the next year, I believe Linux could get 5% market share in five years, and another ten or more in the next five, and lots more beyond that - as long as it keeps evolving as it has been the last year or two.