[KLUG Advocacy] Re: [KLUG Members] Small Linux? (fwd)

[Bruce Smith]

> >Found something interesting, read it and see what you think.
> >http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=5818
> 
> Overall a pretty sound article,  my only question would be "Who is he 
> argueing with?".  The majority of Open Source developers I communicate 
> with are very aware that "the world" can't buy a new computer every six 
> months or get a $500 PIII with oodles of RAM on the nearest street corner 
> when they do go to buy a new computer.  I'd be pretty comfortable in 
> postulating (I haven't actually counted) that at least 50% of the GNOME, 
> OpenLDAP, unixODBC, gASQL, etc... developers I've had 1:1 e-mails with 
> live outside the USA,  and many in countries where the mentioned 
> constraints apply.  

He also makes a big deal about the cost of windows not being significant
enough to make people switch to Linux / free software. 

In a lot of cases, that's absolute true.  I work in an MIS department,
and my employer would buy any Windows OS and application software I
needed for home and work both.  Cost makes ZERO significance to me when
I choose an operating system and application software for my personal
computer.  But I still run Linux as my servers AND as my desktop.  Why?

Simply put:  I _CHOOSE_ to run Linux on my desktops, as well as my
servers, because I believe Linux is a better product -- period.

My point:  Cost is NOT the only factor that makes people choose to run
Linux.  He seems to imply that Linux is doomed on the desktop because of
the lack of cost incentive.  I disagree.

--------------------------------------------
Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
http://www.armstrong-intl.com/
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