Responding to the overwhelming interest in Desktop Linux, representatives from key firms and organizations today announced the formation of the Desktop Linux Consortium, or DLC. The vendor-neutral association will promote interests and raise awareness of the emerging role and benefits offered by GNU/Linux on the desktop. Consortium members comprise both commercial companies and open source organizations that are developing and shaping the technology that will speed the adoption rate of Linux to the desktop.
Industry Leaders Launch Desktop Linux Consortium
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
It says additional companies will be announced, but right now the absence of both Redhat and Gnome is glaring. Not that this means anything, its just interesting.
….awaiting the typical osnews crowd comments on how the linux desktop “sucks”…..
Well well… Lindows is still missing…
But good to see Xandros and others atleast on the team this time.
Of course and Lindows is missing. The whole point this organization was created was to get away from Lindows:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-983204.html
It should say Desktop GNU Linux Consortium, that is DGNULC, sorry guys that URL you’ve got is not GNU certified, pick up another one, like desktopgnulinuxconsortium.org
I have great doubts they will do anything useful when I read the usual Perens crap:
“The Desktop Linux Consortium will assure that there is fairness in all Desktop Linux-related issues and events. All vendors will be fully represented and the open source ethos will be respected.”
Amen!!! All praise the GNU/DLC ethos!!! And then what?
ROFL! The first thing I noticed was no Lindows. Lindows has made some bold moves in order to muscle its way into the arena, but now the ball is back in their court. Robertson must be fuming.
No one but Debian users still call it GNU/Linux. To most people it is just ” Linux ” I thought it was a bad idea for linux to called GNU/Linux, Linux is Linux. RMS can call it whatever he wants. He cant sue anyone for not calling it GNU/Linux because he doesnt hold the copyright to Linux, Linus does. As for Lindows, they have proven that they cant play fair so why are the desktop linux consortium going to invite them to join. One thing remains for certain. If they do let Lindows join, Lindows will have to play fair and I dont think they will participate because Michael Robertson likes the sound of his own voice and if he cant give the keynote he will not be a very happy camper. I would like to see Yellowdog Linux join the consortium because YDL is the closest thing to Desktop Linux that I have seen in a while.
Looks more like Public Relations than a group which will address the issues discussed here so often.
These guys seem really politically correct with all their talk of being “vendor neutral” and the emphasis on the fairness of the process rather than the goals of the group. If they expect to accomplish anything, they will need to come up with some ideas for changing Linux, not the world.
This is not about changing the world. It is about setting standards that allow all vendors to thrive by creating a common and interoperable platform that can serve as the backdrop for each specific vendor.
If Linux vendors are to compete with the Windows marketing machine, they do well to join where they see common interests.
Stop minimizing the importance of this announcemnt. This is very, very cool
Why exactly do they feel the need to promote Linux as a desktop solution? That should be the first point of discussion.
While in spoke conversation I don’t think too many people use the phrase gnu/linux,I have noticed that gnu/linux actually is being used more often in print. Sometimes it is
just a sentence or two that acknowledges that is alternately
referred to as gnu/linux.
Gnu deserves it’s due.
Like it or not RMS’s message is getting some traction.
Eugenia: “The whole point this organization was created was to get away from Lindows”
Bruce Perens: http://lwn.net/Articles/21782/
“Steve’s article made this look like an anti-Lindows move. It is not. I have personally invited Michael Robertson on board, and the invitation remains open. I don’t see any negatives for Lindows in their joining.”
Not that i care a lot about Lindows! But hey, may be it is better to cooperate a little then to fight each other to death.
So, all they are going to do is promote linux as a viable desktop solution? i don’t think linux is easy enough.. it should at least be as easy as mac os or windows. but its not. And if they are just going to promote it when it is not ready, that could actually be a bad thing. They really just need to work on linux’s problems. A very easy to use linux would be promotion enough.
If you routinely find yourself argueing whether it should be called ‘Linux’ or ‘GNU/Linux’, take my advice .. you really need to get out more
“This project brings advanced features allowing to experience professional workstation class environment. The name of the game with IMD for Linux is high performance Desktop environment with style! So if you need stable 3D graphics performance, advanced features like overlay planes, robust sound system (based on SGI dmSDK), leading edge 3D APIs (OpenGL, Open Inventor, OpenGL Performer and many more) or simply a UNIX Desktop that doesn’t slow you down, then IMD for Linux is the right choice.”
“IMD for Linux is going much further that those *Themes that simulate IRIX look and feel. IMD for Linux has it own window manager that looks, behaves and provides the same features found on an IRIX box. The Motif widget set has been revised to give a true SGI Motif look and feel and new SGI specific widgets will be provided for source code compatibility between the two environments. Yes, IRIX based applications could be ported to Linux with very little changes in the GUI front-end. IMD for Linux will provide a similar Interactive Desktop environment where applications like toolchest, iconcatalog, fm and others made SGI’s Desktop Technology so famous.”
“A professional version of IMD will be made available some time in 2K3 for those who want to migrate IRIX applications or are serious about performance, FX houses for example. This version includes advanced features like Overlay Plane support and the complete Desktop Environment with source code and headers… Pricing information will be made available in due time.”
Mainpage
http://www.5dwm.org
Betatesters
http://www.5dwm.org/beta.html
see:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-983204.html“>
<BR>
More is said about the relationship of Lindows to the Consortium.
>No one but Debian users still call it GNU/Linux.
I run Mandrake and I call it GNU/Linux.
More imortantly this is the year that everyone has realizes desktop GNU/Linux is about to take off in its exponential growth phase
The server war is effectively won no one in their right mind installs Windows servers anymore – even solid Microsoft shops are starting the changeover.
But on the desktop front things are begining to move – first in Asia, now in Europe and pretty soon in North America.
Where are RedHat and GNOME? Did they just not respond in time, or is that the smell of politics in the room?
-Erwos
Ballmer to Gates, frowning:
— “Can I panic now?”
>>>>Their point?
By Iggy Drougge (IP: —.ocv.ne.jp) – Posted on 2003-02-04 20:58:34
Why exactly do they feel the need to promote Linux as a desktop solution? That should be the first point of discussion.
why should it be the first point of discussion?
Because it’d form a sound basis for the actual work. For instance:
-Why do we want to promote Linux on the desktop?
-Why do we need to promote Linux on the desktop?
-Why aren’t we content with the penetration of Linux on the desktop?
-Why do we want Linux on the desktop?
-Why doesn’t $USER already run Linux on the desktop?
-Why doesn’t $USER want Linux on the desktop?
-Why should $USER run Linux on the desktop?
-Why should $USER want Linux on the desktop?
-Why exactly Linux on the desktop?
>>>Where are RedHat and GNOME? Did they just not respond in time, or is that the smell of politics in the room?
-Erwos
come on dude….you can figure it out.
if there’s one entity that’s more disinvited then lindows…it’s RHAT.
it’s not about politics, it’s about survival and competition.
none of those companies would be in that consortium if they could go it alone.
every single one of them would opt to crush the competition given the chance.
just use your brain.
it’s obvious that redhat can go it alone…hoping that someday (scary day it be) the word redhat and linux are synonymous.
i think redhat may just have a chance at pulling it off (not saying this is neccessarily a good thing)
lindows also thinks they can go it alone. personally, i don’t think they stand a snowballs chance in hell.
the other guys are banding together …FOR NOW.
but they all know it’s a temporary alliance, and probably only one will survive to face off with redhat.
>>>>Because it’d form a sound basis for the actual work. For instance:
-Why do we <snip>
iggy, i sort of agree with you. but i think those questions have already been asked and answered.
i realize probably not to your satisfaction, but still.
your question now comes off a little like this:
“why is that duck making a quacking sound?”
“because it’s a duck”
your question:
“why do these desktop linux companies want to promote desktop linux?”
um.
maybe because they want people to think they are desktop linux companies?
if you want people to stop and rethink the whole linux-on-the-desktop idea, and stop all the cogs and wheels at those companies…i think you are a wee bit late.
i’m pretty certain many CEOs think the question was sufficiently asked and answered…and have decided to move forward…erm…quite a long time ago.
if you haven’t noticed.
I just wanted you all to know I love reading all of these linux on the desktop posts. They are great. I have more fun reading these than the AmigaOS for the Enterprise posts.
If you’re done trolling now I think us adults can continue discussing the topic at hand again.
Why exactly do they feel the need to promote Linux as a desktop solution? That should be the first point of discussion.
No kidding! The blatantly obvious first order of business should be, nay must be, who is going to bring the pizza and drinks.
well, that depends… are you actually going to “get” anywhere discussing the topic at hand *this* time?
as with any “adult” conversation, basically its going to waste a lot of time and money and the “champagne room” isn’t really going to turn out as you envision it to but… just to be nice i’ll even add something to this.
Why the big hoopla? You want a desktop OS? Go get someone to start selling it preloaded on a desktop machine. Want to know how I got DOS 5.0 and then 6.22 and Win 3.11 and Win 98 and finally Win2k and XP… they came WITH my computer. Basic rule of thumb, it doesn’t have to be crap (although linux does this well), it just has to follow the market rule of “path of least user intervention”. Basically what this means is If the user even has to think, you’ve already f-ed up. Now some people misinterpret this as dumbing down the OS but really it doesn’t. Rather it means if they have to do anything in order to give you their money your messing up. You could give them VMS or Multics preloaded and it wouldn’t matter as long as its preloaded.
really help persuade HW manufacturers into supporting linux. People so quickly forget that hardware support in linux is tied directly to the level of support and specs that the HW manufacturer provides.
Also, it would be nice to move toward a full large set of free font alternatives for all the major web font types.
There are other issues but I hope that linux keeps moving forward on the desktop linux front. However, vince even though he was trolling has one good point. I may use linux everyday but a lot of post-installation tlc is needed for even a unix person to truly be happy on a linux box. All the linux on the desktop articles are getting a bit overwhelming. It is getting there but for a common user? not yet.
Yes, I use linux at work and at home. I use Redhat 8.0 at home and my division of my company uses SuSE 8.0 and 8.1.
Everyday.
I work using:
OpenOffice (yeah the launch times suck and the interface is way too Win95’ish but it works well and is very responsive once the damn thing launches)
gnumeric (god I love that app for spreadsheets)
Evolution for mail
gaim for instant messaging the programmer across the office to see if they have the patch the customer has been screaming for.
LinNeighborhood for samba networking shares.
Nautilus scripts whenever possible because the terminal is for going to other boxes. (SCP to Host, ps2pdf, dos2unix, concatenate text files in side by side column format, maker — which untars a source code package runs configure and make for you)
Rhythmbox for playing ogg files.
Nautilus (with Apotheke) for CVS browsing.
Anjuta for editing source code (trying out Anjuta2 on Redhat 8).
Gnome-crontab for job scheduling.
I like it but I like Unix and linux might as well stand for “like unix”. It is still an alternative OS and people better remember this or they will sorely be disappointed.
Just thought I would throw in my opinion on many of these previous posts. Ya’ll have fun.
Re: new consortium
By None
and
Re: no Lindows?
By insignia!
RedHat, Gnome, and LindowsOS probably all received invitations to join. For whatever reason, those organizations have not responded at this time. Perhaps they will down the road. Perhaps RedHat and Lindows will continue to do their own thing for commercial reasons. However, no one can force them to join at gunpoint.
Re: they forgot the GNU- thing
By m
A rose by any other name. . .
Re: Their point?
By Iggy Drougge
Their point is that Linux is gaining in the server market, and analysts expect it to continue to gain. As a server market, Linux can only grow so fast. Those companies that are in this for money (RedHat and LindowsOS come th mind) want more money. In all probability, the other companies that are now charging for their Linux distribution want more money as well. That means they have to come up with a desktop, and desktop applications that people will use. The desktop and applications have to be as easy to use as Windows applications. Notice that I said Windows, not Microsoft.
If I have a Microsoft Windows machine and install Intuit Quicken or Adobe FrameMaker (pick your favorite Windoes development firm), they work together and require no great effort. I don’t have to re-compile anything or go out and search for the latest .dll because of a conflict (used to, but I haven’t had that problem since Windows 95). They have, for the most part, a common interface and a common look. Because of that common interface and look, their are many commands that I know as soon as I first run the program. Certain basic fuctions work the same in most all Windows applications.
It really doesn’t matter what the Linux fanatics and techno-geeks think is “wasted effort” or “something for idiots.” In order for Linux (any distrbution!!!) to compete they have to grow and that growth is in the desktop area. If this consortium can further efforts toward a desktop that is usable, and can be used by multiple companies, their work is a plus.
Re: Hypothetical dialog:
By Lee Nooks
Ballmer to Gates, frowning:
— “Can I panic now?”
Gates to Ballmer, with an idiotic grin:
— “Panic about what? Do I have a clue?”
Re: I love you guys!
By vince
Love you too, Sweetie!!
With standardisation becoming a done deal, more focus can be thrown at useability. By not joining this initiative, Red Hat and Lindows invite their own marginalisation at the edges of user space.
RedHat obviously is not there, but Ximian is, so GNOME isn’t excluded. Now I just wonder whether Sun will join.
Don’t the points you just brought forward add up to a big “why”? Why not push a desktop OS instead?
Possibly because it’s difficult to enter the market with a proprietry OS, the various free desktop-focused OSs are less mature and have less applications and lastly the skills base of the companies involved is centred on Linux.
A better question would “why not run a desktop OS instead?” which I think is the question that these kind of initiatives set out to answer.
Whether they do or not is open to arguement.
Quote:
“The server war is effectively won no one in their right mind installs Windows servers anymore – even solid Microsoft shops are starting the changeover.”
I assume you don’t actually work for a living then????? When you leave school you will see what is used in the real world.