> Certainly these are options too, though I haven't had to recompile my > kernel in year <snip> You also can't go to your local Computer Store and buy any piece of hardware you want and have a 99% chance of it working first time with the drivers that are included with it. Windows users can. Certianly there is hardware that is compatible, and its coming around, but its not there yet. >, and I haven't had much trouble typing, > > "yum install <appname>" You think this sounds so easy. To the average computer user that makes no sense. Where do they get the appname from? Do they have to subscribe to newsgroups and mailing lists and scoure the web to figure out what they need? They already do that, its called Download.com, or Tucows, or whatever. > either. In fact, it's easier than on windows because you > don't have to > go look for the application to download and wade through various > advertisements and end-user agreements. Hogwash. Your splitting hairs now. There is as much crap you have to wade through with Linux. > > > The Linux desktop community is going to have to get serious about > > making their product easy to use or the home consumer > market (as well > > as most of the business market) will continue to ignore > them. 95% of > > the people that use home computers already think that MS > products are > > over their heads, put linux in front of them and they will > never turn > > it on again, they have better things to do. > > If you'd been using Linux for as long as I have you'd know that Linux > and Linux desktops *have* gotten vastly easier to use, thanks > in large > part to the efforts of RedHat. If you'd been around to witness this > transformation you'd probably be wowed with the current state > of Linux > rather than being upset by it. Go try to install an old version of > Slackware or Debian if you want to see what I'm talking about. Did I sound upset? I am certianly not upset, I was more going for here is the deal, take it or leave it. I have seen the transformation. I have been a Unix Sys Admin for 12 years. I have installed Slackware, Debian, RH X and FC1. I do know its easier than it has ever been. Its just not as easy as windows, no matter how rose colored the glasses are. And guess what, Windows is getting better, and more stable. Its not going to be an easy battle. > > If you'd been around you'd also know that the history of > Linux usability > discussions is littered with people who complain about the > problem but > don't do anything about it, either by contributing code or paying for > Linux so companys could afford to put more effort into development. I pay RedHat for 4 licenses of RHES Advanced Server every year (which I have to pay every year. Odd, My Windows server licenses only cost me once and are half as much). The client for the Oracle enterprise software we run on those servers can only be run on Windows. Why? Well because of Oracle partly, but also there hasn't been enough pressure to get the 3% of people that use Linux working. I contribute what I can back to the community. I also have an actualy job that takes up much more of my time. And sorry, but my Family needs a bit of that time too. I am not saying that Linux on the Desktop won't happen. Its just not there yet, and there is a LONG way to go.
