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Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc,comp.os.linux.advocacy Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!news.cs.su.oz.au!inferno.mpx.com.au!goliath.apana.org.au!news.syd.connect.com.au!news.mel.connect.com.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.hawaii.edu!ames!enews.sgi.com!sgigate.sgi.com!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!uchinews!news From: spfarrel@gorgias.uchicago.edu (steve farrell) Subject: Re: Historic Opportunity facing Free Unix (was Re: The Lai/Baker paper, benchmarks, and the world of free UNIX) X-Nntp-Posting-Host: gorgias.uchicago.edu Message-ID: <4lkcv6$n4j@gorgias.uchicago.edu> Lines: 41 Sender: news@midway.uchicago.edu (News Administrator) Organization: A Red Hat Commercial Linux Site References: <NELSON.96Apr15010553@ns.crynwr.com> <4l89ov$g5i@river.biddeford.com> <31784FD9.28AA98F6@lambert.org> <kevinbDqC0xC.99w@netcom.com> Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 05:07:50 GMT Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.development.system:22260 comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc:827 comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc:3495 comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc:3346 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:18090 comp.os.linux.advocacy:47014 i don't really agree with the idea of unix taking over the desktop. here's my feeling: most people really are NOT computer-lovers. in fact, computers really do suck in so many ways, and are such a pain in the ass for what 90% of what people use them for. these people should not be using computers - they never should have. the desktop computer must have had a reason for coming into being, but it obviously is not the best solution. most people don't want to know about plug and play or about when copland comes out. they want communicators and word processors and game machines and things like this. just a simple tool that does whatever. NOT a "Computer". then there are other people who actually *like* computers and even work with them for their living and then in their free time. these people should use computers, and many of them (like myself) love to use computers running unix. i'm not sure if java and the web are right technological solution, but the concept i think is: have an interface that is simple to use and based on a metaphor like netscape navigator. people -- either at home, in schools, or at the office -- have something like these java-terminals which run netscape 5.0 or whatever that IS their "desktop". productivity apps are written in java and provided on a use-by-use basis or whatever by their ISP or whatever it is called in the future (probably off some FreeBSD or Linux box =). these client machines don't need to be setup any more than a TV set, don't run an OS that does much more than allow the JVM to run & the io for the cable-modem. and that's about it. 90% of the people who use computers would then use these simple terminals, and the other 10% of us who actually like computers and like understanding how they work, etc, will run free Unix. perfect world. i think it's crazy to expect unix to take over the desktop. why in god's name should professors of english, secretaries, doctors, CEO's, etc etc learn unix? if they like computers this much, they'd be CS ppl or programmers or whatever. i don't want to be in a world with that many computer geeks, as much as i love them and i am one myself. and who thinks this would happen, either? and as far as microsoft has the desktop -- who cares, the "desktop computer" was a stupid idea in the first place.