Comments on: Dell and the time of the Linux desktop http://yavin4.anshul.info/2007/05/03/dell-and-the-time-of-the-linux-desktop/ Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: J http://yavin4.anshul.info/2007/05/03/dell-and-the-time-of-the-linux-desktop/comment-page-1/#comment-8556 J Fri, 04 May 2007 04:39:05 +0000 http://yavin4.anshul.info/2007/05/03/dell-and-the-time-of-the-linux-desktop/#comment-8556 I agree with the point that linux is not "grandma ready". But I can easily turn back and say that neither is "XP" or "OS X". I know I am gonna get pounded on my head for this, but I believe that for **any OS** grandmas need to be trained and want their system setup. Once that is done, one can use any OS. The difference lies not in the OS but the support provided for it in terms of software and hardware. If I install gmplayer and amarok on a linux box and associate the files correctly, all that a "grandma" has to do is put in a disk or click on a file. I can nicely compare this with XP where I had to till recently smash my head against the wall whenever I tried to play an xvid file. I actually have no idea what to do when I encounter this in OS X, but then I always used mplayer there so didnt have to encounter this. I think this move by Dell will attract ppl who want a cheaper option with most of the bells and whistles, i.e. the pl who dont want to buy a DX10 card and the top of the line cpu with 4 GB ram just to **run** an OS. feisty will be able to provide similar look n feel at much lower hardware config. This is definitely going in the correct direction. I also think that linux has clearly crossed a technological boundary in terms of ease of use. Again this is slightly at odds with your post. I think the threshold was a stable gui based software update manager which actually works along with improvement in sound card support. With further launch of canonical based one-click install ( I dont remember the exact name, but I am referring to the paid service from which u can/will be able to install commercial software), I hope that some commercial software will come this way. You can call me a bright-eyed lad who thinks the world of linux and its future, but there are a lot of possibilities for linux in the near future. Things are about to get a lot more interesting I agree with the point that linux is not “grandma ready”. But I can easily turn back and say that neither is “XP” or “OS X”. I know I am gonna get pounded on my head for this, but I believe that for **any OS** grandmas need to be trained and want their system setup. Once that is done, one can use any OS.
The difference lies not in the OS but the support provided for it in terms of software and hardware. If I install gmplayer and amarok on a linux box and associate the files correctly, all that a “grandma” has to do is put in a disk or click on a file. I can nicely compare this with XP where I had to till recently smash my head against the wall whenever I tried to play an xvid file. I actually have no idea what to do when I encounter this in OS X, but then I always used mplayer there so didnt have to encounter this.

I think this move by Dell will attract ppl who want a cheaper option with most of the bells and whistles, i.e. the pl who dont want to buy a DX10 card and the top of the line cpu with 4 GB ram just to **run** an OS. feisty will be able to provide similar look n feel at much lower hardware config. This is definitely going in the correct direction.

I also think that linux has clearly crossed a technological boundary in terms of ease of use. Again this is slightly at odds with your post. I think the threshold was a stable gui based software update manager which actually works along with improvement in sound card support. With further launch of canonical based one-click install ( I dont remember the exact name, but I am referring to the paid service from which u can/will be able to install commercial software), I hope that some commercial software will come this way.

You can call me a bright-eyed lad who thinks the world of linux and its future, but there are a lot of possibilities for linux in the near future. Things are about to get a lot more interesting

]]> By: antrix http://yavin4.anshul.info/2007/05/03/dell-and-the-time-of-the-linux-desktop/comment-page-1/#comment-8520 antrix Thu, 03 May 2007 04:27:51 +0000 http://yavin4.anshul.info/2007/05/03/dell-and-the-time-of-the-linux-desktop/#comment-8520 Agreed. I was also wondering about the Dell-Ubuntu deal. Will the machines come with DVD drives? If so, will they come with an OEM DVD player software pre-installed? Will win32 codecs support come via Fluendo's Gstreamer codecs. Will Dell pre-install these codecs or will you have an option at order time? Questions, questions.. Agreed. I was also wondering about the Dell-Ubuntu deal. Will the machines come with DVD drives? If so, will they come with an OEM DVD player software pre-installed? Will win32 codecs support come via Fluendo’s Gstreamer codecs. Will Dell pre-install these codecs or will you have an option at order time? Questions, questions..

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