Desktop Linux software vendor Linspire released a new version of its operating system this week, the first commercial release in two years from the company trying to position Linux as a mass-market alternative to Microsoft's Windows. Founded in 2001 as Lindows (a named changed as part of a settlement deal with Microsoft, following a trademark-infringement lawsuit), Linspire has carved out a niche in the Linux desktop field but hasn't achieved the mass-market breakthrough its founders envisioned. Resellers say demand remains light.
"There's just not a lot of customer interest. We're selling a few a week," said TigerDirect CEO Carl Fiorentino. TigerDirect, a unit of white box system builder Systemax in Port Washington, N.Y., has been Linspire reseller for years, but the desktop Linux field just hasn't taken off, Fiorentino said. His sense is that users who want Linux on their PCs generally download their preferred distribution and install it themselves, rather than shopping for a preinstalled system. "We still sell the product, but people just aren't breaking our doors down to get it," he said.
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News source: CRN
"There's just not a lot of customer interest. We're selling a few a week," said TigerDirect CEO Carl Fiorentino. TigerDirect, a unit of white box system builder Systemax in Port Washington, N.Y., has been Linspire reseller for years, but the desktop Linux field just hasn't taken off, Fiorentino said. His sense is that users who want Linux on their PCs generally download their preferred distribution and install it themselves, rather than shopping for a preinstalled system. "We still sell the product, but people just aren't breaking our doors down to get it," he said.
View: The full story News source: CRN
Just installed the new Zenwalk 4.8 on one machine yesterday. About to partition another one today. Trying to use Neowins Shift Linux a few days ago, got me inspired to give Linux another whirl. I was 0 for 3 on getting Shift to work on anything!!
You do realize that there is a command line in both Windows and OS X as well, don't you? That would mean that your statement would apply equally to them. And the command line is NOT one of the main ways to do things in Linspire. Your statement that it is shows that you have never even tried that distro. For that matter, its perfectly possible to use most recent Linux distros without ever touching the command line.
Sure, if you only wish to look at the desktop and move the mouse for a few seconds.
Then some ask why Linux is not as popular...
I know how you feel. Some are just too conditioned not to see what is right in front of them.
Then some ask why Linux is not as popular...
Like he said, you don't know what you're talking about. You must have used Linux many years ago. Its much different now, and it is far more user-friendly as well. Using the command line isn't a main part of using it anymore and hasn't been for a while now.
Ubuntu is one of the most user friend versions of Linux that I've ever seen.
Just installed the new Zenwalk 4.8 on one machine yesterday. About to partition another one today. Trying to use Neowins Shift Linux a few days ago, got me inspired to give Linux another whirl. I was 0 for 3 on getting Shift to work on anything!!
As someone who's almost done with school going for a degree in IT I can guarantee you that the CLI is live and well in Windows and is still considered the best and fastest way to Administer many things in a medium to large network environment.
Just installed the new Zenwalk 4.8 on one machine yesterday. About to partition another one today. Trying to use Neowins Shift Linux a few days ago, got me inspired to give Linux another whirl. I was 0 for 3 on getting Shift to work on anything!!
As someone who's almost done with school going for a degree in IT I can guarantee you that the CLI is live and well in Windows and is still considered the best and fastest way to Administer many things in a medium to large network environment.
Installed Mandriva recently, didn't have to use the command line until I actually wanted something other than a glorified VTech kids machine.
Dual montior? Command line.
Wireless? Pull your hair out difficult.
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Saying that, for basic (wired) internet and office suite - its OK, its free so there is little reason not to use it for those basic needs.
Windows/osx users don't NEED to use it, there ARE some who don't even know what it is/that it exists. This is testament to how windows/osx run under the hood.
Yes, Ubuntu is doing a much better job of that.
Mac too fell behind because their OS was somewhat lacking too in relation to early windows versions. Again I think MS was in the right place at the right time.
Also you can blame drivers or whatever you like, but I've always found setting Windows up to be alot smoother a experience where Linux I had to jump into text based installs, even on Ubuntu maybe 12 months ago. Again, its an area they have made inroads in but Linux is still behind in that department.
Actually, even at that time it still wasn't the best available. OS/2 Warp was superior in many ways. Even on some of the non-PC systems they had better OSes.
No, it was definitely the fact that Gates knew how to write a contract.
Its further ahead than you may want to believe. As they say at Ubuntu; "It should just work...."
http://www.ubuntu.com/community/ubuntustory/philosophy
Now with the Vista fiasco more and more people are starting to consider Linux as an alternative.
I'm not saying it "doesnt work all the time", merely that for me and my PC the setup on that particullar PC didn't and I had to resort to methods that I don't feel I should have had to for an OS marketed as being user friendly.
A philosophy page is one thing, my experience is another. Once installed everything was fine except that my wireless network adapter wasn't Linux compatabile which limited me. Thats a problem with the hardware in a way but if its a hardware problem then its innevitably a problem for Linux too. I have since dropped my need to use the wireless adapter so today it'd be less of an issue (all my hardware should work fine).
After Vista, I didn't move to Linux, I moved to OS X. It is a much more easier OS to use and I am loving it. I did use Ubuntu for several months but just got frustrated. Not as snappy as Windows or OS X. Installing things in Linux is a pain. You can never get away from doing something at the command line unless you have one of those packages that you can download from the Ubuntu software repo. Installing apps (in most cases) in OS X is as simple as dragging an icon from the CD to your Applications folder. In other cases, you just run the install program which is painless. Uninstalling is easily done by dragging the application's icon from the applications folder to the trash.
I am not saying everyone should go to Mac or avoid Vista and Linux. That has just been my experience. Linux is far from being consumer ready because of many manual tweaking you have to do to get it to work with your hardware. Wireless setup is just horrid. OS X is expensive to go to because you have to get Mac hardware. So my bottomline... go with what you are comfortable using... and stop trying to bash other people for not being like you.
For me, it really was as simple as install Ubuntu, plug in, choose network, enter WPA, go!
For me, it really was as simple as install Ubuntu, plug in, choose network, enter WPA, go!
Not for me. I even tried on a couple different machines. On my notebook, I did get it to work using a long list of instructions to get it working. After getting the right driver (the card's Windows driver) I had to do a whole bunch of command line commands that involved installing more software and hacking my way around that. If I didn't have internet access on the hardwire ethernet port on the laptop, I wouldn't be able to complete the installation. Just way too many hoops to jump through to get things working.
Wow, that's completely my opposite experience. After installing my nvidia drivers, I was set and it amused me that I was navigating my NTFS drive faster from Linux than in Windows. It also doesn't suddenly start throwing fits at my hard drive at the most inappropriate times that Windows so often do. Actually, if you suddenly stop working and listen, you'll usually hear Linux isn't swapping at all. The sad part is that this is on Vista and 2 GB RAM.
True, if you don't "get" the command line and bear using it occasionally, Linux may not be for you, I can give you that. Personally, jumping into the command line occasionally for a few minutes at a time is not much of an ordeal at all to me. The difference is just that you type a few lines instead of point and click, really. I don't think it's as big of a deal that many make out it to be. Some make out it to be like a show-stopping hurdle. I could get that if it was my mom typing, but we're on Neowin here...
Wow, that's completely my opposite experience. After installing my nvidia drivers, I was set and it amused me that I was navigating my NTFS drive faster from Linux than in Windows. It also doesn't suddenly start throwing fits at my hard drive at the most inappropriate times that Windows so often do. Actually, if you suddenly stop working and listen, you'll usually hear Linux isn't swapping at all. The sad part is that this is on Vista and 2 GB RAM.
Yes, manuvering drives is faster with Linux than Vista. XP was okay. I also like the fact that Linux did less memory swapping. Many of the slowdowns I experienced was during application use or starting some applications. I know, a bit picky but still annoying to me. There were many occasions I would start an app and it would take forever to start without any status being displayed and no HD activity. And within that application I would select something from the menu and it would take a bit to execute. Multitasking also slowed my system down. I had 1GB on my laptop. Multitasking under XP seemed smoother than under Linux... switiching applications... general speed of the OS. I did have the updated drivers under Linux for my video card and they worked great when I wasn't running anything. As soon as I multitask things seemed to slow down in the UI.
For me, it really was as simple as install Ubuntu, plug in, choose network, enter WPA, go!
For me, it really was as simple as install Ubuntu, plug in, choose network, enter WPA, go!
The chipset is what makes things very complicated or simple. I have heard there are patent issues with the driver I need for my chipset so it cannot be included with any distro and there are no Linux specific drivers being made by my manufacturer.
Not the linux community's fault but still something you gotta deal with if you want things to work. Apple has a deadlock on OS X hardware so drivers aren't an issue with them. Just about everything out there has Windows drivers so no issue there.
For me, it really was as simple as install Ubuntu, plug in, choose network, enter WPA, go!
Only because you were lucky enough to have a natively-supported wireless chipset on your card. If you hadn't, ndiswrapper for you. At least with windows you know ALL the wireless cards will work; not that it's the fault of Linux here, it just doesn't have the market share to necessitate a guarantee of support.
For me, it really was as simple as install Ubuntu, plug in, choose network, enter WPA, go!
The chipset is what makes things very complicated or simple. I have heard there are patent issues with the driver I need for my chipset so it cannot be included with any distro and there are no Linux specific drivers being made by my manufacturer.
Not the linux community's fault but still something you gotta deal with if you want things to work. Apple has a deadlock on OS X hardware so drivers aren't an issue with them. Just about everything out there has Windows drivers so no issue there.
Is it a Broadcom chipset? I used to have so many issues with this card, but try Ubuntu 7.10. If you've got a wired connection available, it'll install fwcutter and download the card's firmware for you.. not a hassle at all! =) So much better than stressing out over this card.
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