Linux could have been bigger than Windows today

[iinfi]

Linus Torvalds, in 1991 rewrote the Minix (edited) Operating System and it was later called as Linux. Only 2% of the current Linux kernel is written by Trovalds, but still he is the ultimate authority on what new code is incorporated into Lunix. Linux is an open source operating system and its code can be obtained and modified as per the user’s requirement. Developers all over the world started working on the Linux kernel and thus Linux started spreading. Business houses started changing the code as per their requirement and some started making their own distros. Companies like Red Hat, Debian, Mandrake, SuSe etc. have their own distributions of Linux and users have the flexibility of choosing from a wide array of products. Linux today is widely used desktops, palmtops, and servers and even in supercomputers.

Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, has been working on operating systems for a long-long time. Right from the time MS-DOS was introduced till Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, Microsoft has been working to build a single stable platform and always worked hard on the user-friendliness of any product they make.(I am not going much in to the security holes in the OS) That’s the reason it is the market leader and an estimated 90% of the desktop personal computers run on Windows.

Even though Linux is the preferred platform in the server category because of its stability and cost-effectiveness, it’s Windows which is the more popular one because of its user friendliness. Linux fans might disagree with me on this count, but it has to be accepted that Linux is still a nightmare for an average user. As I earlier said, there are countless companies working on different distros of Linux and several thousand developers who are striving to make their product big. On any day Linux developers far outnumber the developers working on the Windows platform. My imagination is if all these Linux developers/companies come together and strive to make a single Linux platform, work on the stability and above all the user friendliness of the OS, then Windows can be beaten outright.

I believe the main problem behind the slow movement of Linux is the innumerable number of distros which are available in the market. I think Linux’s main advantage, which I quoted earlier in this passage is acting as a deterrent to its popularity. Many users are not sure which one is best suited for them and hence think its better to go in for Windows. That’s the reason Linux movement is very slow, even though its gaining popularity

 

[__Virus__]

Each and every bit of wht u wrote is correct....jsut eliminate these lines
That’s the reason Linux movement is very slow, even though its gaining popularity

 

[desertwind]

Source ????
Author ????

 

[srijit]

yeah... pls specify the source if you are quoting from someplace.

 

[praka123]

anyway great hearing that !

 

[it_waaznt_me]

I just dont understand why Linux people always looks Windows as a competitor ... There are more of them .. Mac .. good old Unix .. Solaris .. (all based on Unix) .. Netware .. Why compete with Windows only ..?

Linux fans might disagree with me on this count, but it has to be accepted that Linux is still a nightmare for an average user. As I earlier said, there are countless companies working on different distros of Linux and several thousand developers who are striving to make their product big. On any day Linux developers far outnumber the developers working on the Windows platform.

I would like to comment on it .. For a starter, learnind Dos is also a nightmare so its the usablility of the system that has more significance .. Lack of support for hardware is a bigger problem .. And finding support (help) is another ..
Some of the things that I dont like in Linux are ..
Distros .. Yeah .. if you need to upgrade, download the distro .. or get it from some cds .. thats the worst thing .. most of the versions are release within 5 or 7 months so if you need to upgrade from say Suse 9.1 to 9.3, you need the whole dvd .. this sucks ..
You will never find out what went wrong if you screw up something .. Programs are installed in such a way that its *hell* difficult to manage .. Unix users might find it easy , but I feel its cr@p ..
.. ... ....

Anyways .. My point is .. if Linux is to surpass (ewww) "Windoze" , it can not depend solely on being Open Source and free ..

 

[iinfi]

hey
sorry guys!!! i wrote it. it is purely my opinion. the stats i got it from the net and the final opinion (Linux could have been bigger than Windows today) is my own.

 

[praka123]

I just dont understand why Linux people always looks Windows as a competitor ... There are more of them .. Mac .. good old Unix .. Solaris .. (all based on Unix) .. Netware .. Why compete with Windows only ..?

Linux fans might disagree with me on this count, but it has to be accepted that Linux is still a nightmare for an average user. As I earlier said, there are countless companies working on different distros of Linux and several thousand developers who are striving to make their product big. On any day Linux developers far outnumber the developers working on the Windows platform.

I would like to comment on it .. For a starter, learnind Dos is also a nightmare so its the usablility of the system that has more significance .. Lack of support for hardware is a bigger problem .. And finding support (help) is another ..
Some of the things that I dont like in Linux are ..
Distros .. Yeah .. if you need to upgrade, download the distro .. or get it from some cds .. thats the worst thing .. most of the versions are release within 5 or 7 months so if you need to upgrade from say Suse 9.1 to 9.3, you need the whole dvd .. this sucks ..
You will never find out what went wrong if you screw up something .. Programs are installed in such a way that its *hell* difficult to manage .. Unix users might find it easy , but I feel its cr@p ..
.. ... ....

Anyways .. My point is .. if Linux is to surpass (ewww) "Windoze" , it can not depend solely on being Open Source and free ..

Linux hardcore users are a cult man!We love the stability of Linux,we hate M$ ,its owner's ethics and his cheeky beeky OS flooded with loads of virus!

 

[srijit]

^^^ if only that were the case, it would have been ok. windows spreads virii. and that slows down the net

 

[__Virus__]

^^^ if only that were the case, it would have been ok. windows spreads virii. and that slows down the net

M$ culprit :-l

 

[QwertyManiac]

i agree with batty at a point = distros r a problem to update

 

[mystic_hunter]

I just dont understand why Linux people always looks Windows as a competitor ... There are more of them .. Mac .. good old Unix .. Solaris .. (all based on Unix) .. Netware .. Why compete with Windows only ..?

hey Windows deserve the position it enjoys today.... see ppl....Windows is an Enterprise Product and Linux is a Community product developed by university students....its better if we forget the rivalries and lets sign a peace treaty...dont mix up things

 

[__Virus__]

hey Windows deserve the position it enjoys today....

gota agree

 

[it_waaznt_me]

Linux hardcore users are a cult man!We love the stability of Linux,we hate M$ ,its owner's ethics and his cheeky beeky OS flooded with loads of virus!

Cult you say .. Tell me .. Do we buy software to run our hardware or we buy hardware to get our software run ..? If you need to have internet access on your Linux system, You need to get an external model (which isnt cheaply available) .. Most of the printers and tv tuner cards do not work with Linux ..

And not falling into arguement, you say you hate MS cauz of "owner's ethics" .. Do you remember that Linus Torvalds v/s Andrew Tenenbaum which argues that Linus altered Tenenbaum's Minix code to create Linux ..?

 

[gxsaurav]

Linus Torvalds, in 1991 rewrote the UNIX Operating System and it was later called as Linux

change this first

 

[__Virus__]

If you need to have internet access on your Linux system, You need to get an external model

geezz linux supports only MODEMS? and that too ONLY external?

 

[__Virus__]

Do you remember that Linus Torvalds v/s Andrew Tenenbaum which argues that Linus altered Tenenbaum's Minix code to create Linux ..?

*people.fluidsignal.com/~luferbu/misc/Linus_vs_Tanenbaum.html

minix...a dead mans grave....not even a bit of wht LINUX is

 

[it_waaznt_me]

Hahah .. Infact later Tenenbaum accepted Linux wasnt built on Minix after that Ken Brown affair ..
Lemme find the link for you ..

Thus, of course, Linus didn't sit down in a vacuum and suddenly type in the Linux source code. He had my book, was running MINIX, and undoubtedly knew the history (since it is in my book). But the code was his. The proof of this is that he messed the design up. MINIX is a nice, modular microkernel system, with the memory manager and file system running as user-space processes.
.. ...

The first version of Linux was like a time machine. It went back to a system worse than what he already had on his desk. Of course, he was just a kid and didn't know better (although if he had paid better attention in class he should have), but producing a system that was fundamentally different from the base he started with seems pretty good proof that it was a redesign.

Link ..

Damn .. I feel like arguing .. I aint gonna post any anti Linux post in this thread ..

 

[sba]

Cult you say .. Tell me .. Do we buy software to run our hardware or we buy hardware to get our software run ..?

*Raises Hand*
I try to buy hardware based on its Linux compatibility. I recently dropped the idea of buying a HP scanner cos it was not supported by SANE instead I am going to buy a Microtek which has "good" support with SANE. I bought my external modem when I needed to access internet just b'cos I wanted it to work on Linux. Buying hardware with closed eyes and then cursing an OS for not providing drivers is silly. I did make such a mistake long ago by buying a Motorola SM56 based modem and it was horrible finding drivers for it that worked even on WinXP. I learnt my lesson and now I always check out a hardware's Linux compatibilty. We, the users, will have to reject hardware if it is not supported by our favourite OS (in my case Linux). Then only will the manufacturers give heed to us. You are paying for your hardware then why remain shackled with an OS that you don't like just cos the manufacturer thinks that you are a minority. Go for the alternate manufacturer and hit them where it hits the most.

As far as updating the distro is concerned, I seriously don't understand the problem. If you want new features...go and update. On the other hand if a distro suffices your needs then why run behind numbers? Just stay with the thing that works for you...

 

[praka123]

Anyway Linux is here to stay AND Linux users are increasing only.Billi's OS most of u
r using r pirated isn't?he made us to think hardware made are for M$ only.internal modems are winmodems,it needs software flow control,while external modems are the REAL modems.

............And not falling into arguement, you say you hate MS cauz of "owner's ethics" .. Do you remember that Linus Torvalds v/s Andrew Tenenbaum which argues that Linus altered Tenenbaum's Minix code to create Linux ..?..........
Infact windows OS is a HAck of OS/2 ?
*www.os2bbs.com/os2news/OS2Warp.html
i red somwhere only 2% of linus's code are there in today's Linux kernel.
Bill gates wants a monopoly OS.his ethics are to eliminate anything on the way of his OS.Linux is doing nothing against his OS.He and his company are responsible for putting patent warfare on Linux.
most of these guys are born and broughtup with "pirated" windows OS.that's why they are single sided.
thinging only single sided.