EGGGZACCTLY! It is easier for us nerd types to deal with linux than the general public. I found the task quite daunting (still do) and I was only away from unix for a 10 years or so... My comment: Make a setup program actually work without 10,000 tweaks (i.e. majordomo, tomcat, etc, etc) and you will be home free... sj >===== Original Message From Patrick Thurmond ===== >Hi, I know I have brought up something like this at a recent meeting and want >all to ponder this. > > I have been reading up on Linux and its effect on the market, whether it >be business or home use, it has gained some serious ground. In fact according to >an article I have recently read from a magazine Linux has gained more ground in >the last 5 years in the business server market than any other OS, including >Windows, Microsofts flagship product. Its to a point now that Linux is on fair >ground against MS, MS no longer has the lead in this market. Thats why they have >been stepping up production of OSes and reliability and features within. > > All that is very impressive, but it hasn't made much ground in the desktop >and small biz scene. Well I have been talking to alot of people, since I do tech >support for Gateway (don't trash them, there alot better now), I get to talk to >people all over this country and I have been bringing up Linux. Almost everybody >has heard of it, including computer illiterate people, so the word is out there >and spreading it isn't as important any more. All these people are vastly >interested in the prospect of Linux, its stability, and all its marvelous >benefits. But every single one of them have choosen to stick with Windows, not >because they think Windows is better, its because its SOO EASY TO USE. Now I >know that many companies are currently striving for a better GUI for Linux, and >KDE and GNOME are great. But I find for myself and others that Linux is the >biggest pain in the ass to learn. I started with Win 3.11 before I started on >DOS. The GUI is the ! KEY here people. If I could start of with a GUI that makes >switching from WIN to LIN completely painless and almost unnoticeable then I >could easily move to Linux and start learning like crazy. But as it is now you >have and ass load of switches and commands to learn, I still haven't quite >learned how to get SAMBA to work, I tried loading WIN for LIN but failed >miserably and its all very discouraging. And with as hectic as my life is now I >have little time to devote to learning Linux, and thats how everyone I talk to >feels about it. > > Now to the solution, I recently went on an endevour with a programmer friend >of mine to make the KDE interface almost identical to windows, like changing the >foot print (start button like) button to say something like "Begin" or "Linux" >but neither of use are skilled enough to even break the water on this one. What >I just mentioned is a good start (ignore the pun), but if we can make the right >clicks work the same way, the buttons and clicks and edges and screens more >familiar to Windows users, we could start the worlds largest conversion ever. >That includes the Linux tool bar to autohide and all the buttons to be smoother >looking. Personnally I love Linux but find to transition to be horridly >difficult and thats why in a couple of weeks, when I build a web server for my >father it will run Windows 2000 Advanced Server, because even though I know >little about it, its easy as hell to learn. Well I am done ranting what are your >thoughts. > >-Patrick > > > > _____ > >Do You Yahoo!? >Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! >http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/