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  • From: Ilan Volow <listboy AT clarux.com>
  • To: "Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/" <internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] WalMart Sun Linux
  • Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 13:59:02 -0400


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!





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