[plug] 2008: Linux¢s year on the desktop

[David Lloyd]

John,

John Knight wrote:
> Normally I'd be sceptical, but these new laptops don't have CD-ROM 
> drives.... It makes it that bit trickier to get Windows on there. You 
> and I would be able to get Windows on there if we so wished, but it'd be 
> a pain in the rear and I don't think many people will be bothered.... 
> SCORE! :D

The EeePCS "just work" for what most people do, see my review at:

* http://www.netcraft.com.au/pipermail/linuxsa/2008-January/088908.html

In short: they're light weight, easy to use and I treat is as an 
appliance and they actually work. They are, apparently, selling quite well.

I take mine on the public transport system and people seem to love it. 
I've overheard groups of teenage girls all essentially saying that "they 
want one" - I can picture pink ones coming out to cater to this market.

What Linux is showing them is this:

"Your computer operating system doesn't have to be difficult to use. It 
can easily do what you need it to do!"

Gnome / KDE / Windows desktop / OS X's Aqua are all too difficult to 
use. Most end users just want something they can click on and start 
writing their essays, making their presentations or look at MySpace or 
Facebook.

The OS and desktop are becoming more and more irrelevant to the masses; 
and as it becomes more and more irrelevant the masses will look up the 
chain for value. And because the OS becomes irrelevant it can't cost a 
huge amount of money (because then the vendors can't spend money on the 
value add they give).

DSL