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

[John Knight]

Good points man, I wrote an article a few years ago on what would be the eventual irrelevance of the OS itself, and how it will be apps that will determine people's usage, apps that just work and are familiar. Given the surge of mobile devices with their own mini-OSes bundled with audio players and web browsers (such as phones, PSP, etc), I think this trend will continue - sweet! Just works, mantra of the future I hope.

"...it was brilliant, there was three up against a thousand, and boy, did we give those three heaps!"

> Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:47:17 +1030
> From: lloy0076 at adam.com.au
> To: plug at plug.org.au
> Subject: Re: [plug] 2008: Linux¢s year on the desktop
> 
> 
> 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
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
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