Re: [TCLUG:3331] Windows NT pricing

[Anthony Beltran <beltran@skypoint.com>]

Hi:

Some of the current advantages of the Linux environment
compared to the Windows environment may start to disappear
as window managers and applications move toward the same
level of user-friendliness as is provided by the Windows
environment.  With KDE, for example, you have a much
more resource-hungry environment than you have with
the smaller window managers such as FVWM and MWM.
Integrated office applications such as StarOffice and
Applixware (which I use) can be just as big and resource-
hungry as their Windows counterparts.

I am not making a value judgement here (e.g. good vs bad),
but just an observation.  User-friendliness has its price,
expressed in terms of resource usage and software complexity.
The UNIX environment, to me, has historically promoted the
idea of small, specialized applications working in harmony
to achieve the desired objective.  However, that approach,
while great for programmers and technical people, requires
a higher level of computer literacy from the causual user.

Is it possible that there will be two major camps as the
drive to attract Windows users progresses: the traditional
UNIX user and the user-friendly environment for the Windows-
oriented user?  Hopefully, there will always be an environment
for those of us who do not want to be buying new hardware
every year.  Linux with X and associated apps runs just
fine on my P133 laptop right now.  I would have my doubts
about the long-term possibilities of this if I were to 
begin moving toward the resource-hungry apps and window
managers.

Applixware is my one concession to the big monolithic
software approach.  In reality, Applixware is more
modular than that, but it still represents that general
trend.  My main interest is music applications.  For that,
I use several smaller programs at the same time to achieve
the desired objectives - and it is working out just fine.

As for the commercial aspects of software in the Linux
world, I am all for paying what is asked for a particular
piece of software that I plan to use.  I purchased
Applixware, the commercial OSS sound driver, Red Hat
Motif, and MUP - the music notation processor.  I think
we will see more of that as users demand/request software
or features that individual developers doing GPL software
may not be interested in and commercial developers may see
potential markets for -and- as commercial developers in
the Windows world see potential in the Linux world.

A very good sign (to me) atesting to the growth and
maturity of the Linux environment is when I recently
took Win98 off my laptop completely and am now
running only Linux.  My laptop is my only computer -
no desktop for me.  It has been 2 months since I did
this and have had absolutely no regrets.

My primary hope is that Linux itself remains freely
available so that no software developer competing in
the Linux marketplace can ever hold all the cards!
I realize that Linux' GPL assures this, but it is
still worth noting...


Tony