Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Ilan Volow <listboy AT clarux.com>]

On Apr 5, 2004, at 11:32 PM, Alan MacHett wrote:

> http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/04/01/wal.mart.linux.ap/ 
> index.html
> > Wal-Mart offering PCs running Sun's Linux software
> > Thursday, April 1, 2004 Posted: 1646 GMT (0046 HKT)
> >
> > SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- In an invasion of Microsoft Corp.'s home
> > turf, Sun Microsystems Inc.'s version of Linux operating system is now
> > available on inexpensive personal computers sold at Wal-Mart's online
> > store.
>
> Linux for the masses.  As much as I hate WalMart, if they can put Linux
> into the average (which is not to say middle class) household, then  
> kudos
> to them.  The effect will be neither apparant nor immediate.  Mom and  
> Dad
> might not necessarily get the advantage or even understand anything  
> beyond
> the gui desktop, but imagine the effect 10 years from now of  
> innumerable
> households of kids messing around with a command line.

While I believe in Open Source's ability to move the industry forward,  
I feel that before this can happen, the concept of freely distributable  
modifiable source code needs to be divorced from the unix culture. The  
unix people are totally clueless at decent user interaction, and the  
sooner Open Source is rid of them, the sooner we can have Open Source  
for the masses.

Hopefully, in 10 years, there won't be a command-line or any other  
trace of unix in whatever OSS OS that achieves world domination.

Yes, I keep my copy of the Unix Haters Handbook next to my copy of The  
Cathedral And The Bazaar. Now quit laughing.


--
Ilan Volow
Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!