[plug] a philosophical question and long opinion about the future of Linux

[thompson]

The philosophy of the future.

I need some advice and feedback.

I've been following all the Linux news, and learning and loving it.

But see here:  it looks as if there are two ways to go with Linux,
regarding widespread implementation.

1.  emulate all the user friendly GUI of a Windows system, be warm and
fuzzy to a novice.

This means copying the other OS, it's a small and painstaking way to
think.  It means always being behind the curve someone else nagivated.

2.  Revolutionize the OS, make it compatible with any knowledge level.

This requires some serious breakthrough in computing technology.  This
means we need a damn
Einstein or Feynman kind of 'moment' in technological planning.  These
kind of
scientific 'epiphany's' come about every 50-100 years in human history.


So, I've been talking to bots.  Especially at www.neuromedia.com, who
sells a product that
let's a user create a bot to do tech support or sales support.
(unfortunately, it runs on an NT server but can communicate with Linux,
Unix etc servers)  Most of the people at work that
I mention this to, are not interested or not inclined or react
adversely.  They don't seem to believe that 'bots' are the future of
tech support and information gathering.  we are humans, after all.

What I've been thinking is that one of the big problems of any OS is
that each individual
application acts differently, requires a different learning curve, a
different interface, a different set
of system/user processes to mudge through.

What if, we could teach bots to navigate Linux and provide a UNI
interface to the client?
What if the ultimate GUI is a housekeeper of ALL the applications on the
system and interfaces with the user as if it was one spokesman?

I humbly apologize if my command of the communication language doesn't
transmit my ideas
to you in a coherent way.  If only words and language didn't get between
idea and transmission.

But bots.  I see bots and AI as the ultimate offering to the OS.  The
ultimate interface.
<sigh> I can't express the pictures in my mind clearly in words.  See,
the OS wouldn't
run an 'app', it would extend itself to provide a service requested.
The user would interact with a
bot, a 'human' type of bot, describe what it was trying to do, and the
bot would run the appropriate app itself, and look for the requested
info.
I don't mean the WEB.  I don't mean a browser with a search engine.

I mean a personalized OS, with a personable bot that has access to the
web, has access to my
own db's and others, but it provides ONE interface.  And of course,
being a Linux lover,
it allows me to tinker, learn and debug as I please.

Okay.  The idea hasn't gelled yet.  I'm not quite there yet.  I'm close,
but I haven't got the right words yet.

http://www.toptown.com/hp/sjlaven/

Talk to the bots and see if you think the technology is *almost* there
for Linux' future?

Humbly,
Tamara Thompson
Tucson, AZ
Redhat 5.0