Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 23rd Jun 2006 21:26 UTC
Linux isn't a threat to Windows on the desktop and is losing steam on the server as customers separate the operating system from the development model, according to Microsoft's chief platform strategist. Bill Hilf, general manager of competitive strategy at Microsoft, said pundits have predicted for years that Linux will gain momentum on the desktop, but that won't happen because of the complexity involved in delivering a tightly integrated and tested desktop product.
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Member since:
2005-06-29
"A DISTRO on the other hand might be bloated, but that is up to the admin to cut back on the stuff that is not needed in the install. "
Or the admin could save himself some work and simply make smart choices when it comes to package selection during the installation process, some distributions will even save these settings to removable media to make future installations easier. During the Windows installation process many people come to the screen for selecting Windows components to install and they'll either take the defaults or check everything. That habit follows them as they venture into Linux, and they'll compulsively install far more than needed just to install even more redundant applications later as a side-effect of being completely unfamiliar with the OS.
Many distributions have very sensible defaults, and you can pick a distribution with lots of software in the CD or one that will give you a bare bones system. That option just isn't available with Windows, there's only one CD and it comes with plenty of free (as in 0$) software MS couldn't sell without bundling.
Anyone who says Linux is bloated hasn't tried any of the good distributions that concentrate their effort on one Window manager or desktop environment. Those ones tend to put together some of the best user experiences imo, and they keep things within a beautifully light package compared to what Windows reaches with equivalent software.
Of course some Windows users aren't ready to make the shift. Some are still too hostile towards Linux, some don't want to let go of the latest proprietary hardware and games, others need human help rather than documentation but don't know where to find it, and then there's some people who still listen to Microsoft's propaganda like the company isn't just trying to keep it's market share with lies.