Re: Linux in a binary world... a doomsday scenario

[Horst von Brand]

Dirk Steuwer <dirk@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[...]

> Yes, but there isn't and won't be much recognition - every company does
> its own thing. And how many people buy online all the time? But even
> then, a genery "runs with Linux" Logo would be great.

Problem is that there are certain monopolists who would like everybody to
think there is nothing else around... besides, "works with Linux" (or BSD,
or whatever) doesn't say anything if it is "includes a driver for Red Hat's
2.2.x-y". "Works with Windows" doesn't say anything either (even if MSFT
themselves certifies games for running on Win98 and later it doesn't mean
they will run on WinNT)

>                                                       If a company's
> product is not certified, its not considered by Linux customers.

Doesn't work, as almost nothing is "Linux certified" today.

>                                                                  Also you
> could hold up figures from certified hardware to impress and argue
> against companies that think there is no real market for Linux.

We here having any credible figures will happen /long/ after the affected
company has smelled the coffee and taken appropiate steps. They /do/ care
about who buys their stuff. It just is too little for now to make any big
difference. Having the figures here won't do any difference.

>                                                                  There
> needs to be a way to breack out of the chicken and egg problem - no linux
> market, no linux hardware.

There is hardware that works well enough with Linux, thank you so much.
Some is broken, some doesn't work at all.

> Corporate Customers can afford to do research, expert staff does the
> buying. But the average homeuser? He needs a generic sign, as simple as
> that.

It would be very nice, true. But just isn't here yet.
-- 
Dr. Horst H. von Brand                   User #22616 counter.li.org
Departamento de Informatica                     Fono: +56 32 654431
Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria              +56 32 654239
Casilla 110-V, Valparaiso, Chile                Fax:  +56 32 797513
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