[QuickDraw]

Dear EliteLinux.com Forum Members,
As many of you know by now, Microsoft has OFFICIALLY labeled Linux as its #2 competition. And i was reading an article at slashdot.org about it, and many people had alot to say about how this could affect out happy Linux world in the future. Some think it will help strenghten Linux's "fan" base cause more people will become aware to it, as well as more developers and everything ... but on the flip side of the coin, some pointed out about the demise of Netscape once Microsoft set it in its sights. so what do you all feel about the whole thing? I guess this is a good Forum discussion. :shrugs:
-Brandon C. Brown ... aka QuickDraw

[e_dreamer]

hmm... you're comment on netscape... netscape was only bet down (i think) because IE was free aswell as netscape. If you had to pay for Ie it would have had an awful time tryig to compete. So if MS intends to beat linux down it needs to start giving copies of windows away, or at least make them a damn site cheaper

I think linux being labled #2 competitor officialy will drive a lot of programmers and general *nix users to keep going at it. IMHO MS may have well have said "you're our number 2 competitor.... come on! try a bit harder and see what you can really do!"

[big_k105]

another reason IE was able to take down netscape so well was cause IE was being sent allong with windows so when you turn on your computer right after installation its already there and there is no point in getting a different one. IMO anyway.

about linux be taken down i jst think we are in for a wild ride here. you know what if bill gates is such a geek i bet he has a computer at his house running linux, im sure he does. he is still a computer geek anyway you look at it.

IMHO MS may have well have said "you're our number 2 competitor.... come on! try a bit harder and see what you can really do!"

i truely believe that this is more or less what was being said if you think about it cause linux at the moment is much of a competitor its working its way up but it still isnt quite to that level where joe blow will be able to install and run it. and with out all the application that MS has that is another reason. i think they want a competitor so they can't be called a monopoly anymore. thats jst my rant about it tho.

edit: i am talking about desktops here.

[mad_red_hatter]

i think its brillant that linux has been labeled no2 cause now people that though linux was just a hackers/nerd's (excuse the phrase please) os will see that linux is really good and that it can definetly compete with windows.
and dreamer is right... for win to get rid of lin it would have to be selling its versions under $/€ 30

[Mado]

For right now, I think Linux and Microsoft are targeting different areas. Ok, there are some pretty user friendly distros, but let's face it...a lot of the people that use windows would just be totally lost in linux. I think things will develop to a point where they will be in direct competition, but not exactly now. (I'm talking about as a desktop os btw. In the server realms and such they are in direct competition)

[echo]

well, as someone who just started using linux from using windows since v 3.1, i have to say that linux is a bit more challenging but that's why i wanted it. windows is getting too boring and too uptight. i don't think however that linux could become number #1. Linux is really nice, for people who already know a good bit about a computer. You couldn't tell a 11 year old child that he has to compile the source and install it to get his game to work. windows is just more user friendly.

the whole thing about netscape and IE is just going to be another browser war and IE will most likely come out on top, like last time.

[big_k105]

i do personally beleive that someday down the road linux could become #1 it is jst goin to take more time. i think you should take alook at Xandros, this distro looks so much like windows its not even funny. i havent touched it so i dont know what it is really like but looks really user freindly. linux jst needs to move in the direction that makes it user freindly. but by that time there will be another OS out there that all us Geeks will be using instead cause it our minds linux will be to easy jst like windows now. its will happen some day down the road. but it could go the other way too some day linux mite die and window or even anotehr OS will take over the power of top dog.

[i_r_root]

XandrOS is another distro out there looking to make the cash. Not worrying about providing the best software at a great price of FREE. Shitty distros like XandrOS should be stompted out. Same goes for SuSE. Oh here, pay for this professional distro and you can have our phucking logo sprayed all over EvErY PhUcKiNg thing in the distribution...~convulsions~ POWER TO EL QUESO! Anyways...in the end, Linux will come out on top, if not for being more stable, secure and proven then for it's cost. I love my FC and FreeBSD...

[Stormblazer]

I get sick of people saying that windows is more user friendly... because when you look at it realistically, it's BS. Linux tends to WORK more often than Windows does, and the only reason that, IMO, you could consider Linux harder for the average user is that not as much hardware is supported, but you can blame that on companies not making linux drivers. Sure, something like Gentoo is harder, but other distros like Fedora Core and Mandrake? How can you say typing in "yum install <some_program>" is harder than windows installers? Add in tech-support, and you've got a much more friendly system than windows. And the fact that Linux is made for users, while Windows is made for profit.
IMO, Linux, or at the VERY least unix, will eventually overtake windows. Keep in mind, I refer only to the kernel when I say this.
All major operating systems except Windows are now unix-based, if that's not a clue, and windows has too many bugs inherent in the design to justify.

Firefox is already beginning to overtake IE because 1. It's overwhelmingly better, not just built-in pop-up blocking, but the extensions and themes too, and 2. The windows download is only 4MB and extensions and themes almost never go above 500K, making it ideal for dial-up and broadband users alike. Add-in the ease of installation, and it's no wonder why.
And now, Microsoft's last untouched holding, high-end gaming, is infiltrating into Linux too with major titles like Doom3.

Even horrible services like AOL could become decent on Linux- IMO the whole main reason AOL sucks is because windows is closed, so it can't hook into the system properly, causing unbelievable slowdown and instability. With linux, they could make something worthwhile for the average user. That's just one example of how even commercial companies are better off with Linux.

[TechJD]

well as an old Windows user
I think Linux is in for a boost
MS is tryin for too much controll over the Private PC
and as he gets father along more will switch,
the next version of Windows will make a lot of people mad and they will be lookin for another OS
as I am now, rummer has it next version will be downloadable only, no more CDs ( it can be done with a small install less than 200 meg )
and as for Netscape vs IE, AOL killed Netscape
but then they give it too all their users as part of
their package and Mozilla is taking Netscapes place with the non-AOL users
MS wants us all to pay MS for the useage of Windows and MS software, his goal is for it to be used only online and Him collecting a fee for each useage, like it used to be before when everyone was hooking to a mainframe to run software