What Killed the Linux Desktop (by GNOME founder Miguel de Icaza)

By +Frank B.,
in Linux/Unix

 Share Followers 0

Recommended Posts

thomastmc
Posted

Web servers? I didn't realise facebook, google, twitter, etc are only web servers.

Oh wait, they aren't.

'So obviously NX is the best server for everything and you didn't at all fail to understand the point of my post... :rolleyes:'

'I've got a server 03 VM and it's my main server that I do most things on, it's suited for it's job'

Are you being stupid on purpose?

And my maturity level? Haha, right, ok good luck with life.

To say that Linux is a better server than Windows is a valid argument, but to ignore the politics and finances companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter face when they choose their infrastructure is a mistake. The fact that they use Linux doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best technological choice for them.

Google using Microsoft servers would be like Toyota using engines from Honda, as they're both competitors in several markets.

Link to post
Share on other sites
n_K
Posted

Google using Microsoft servers would be like Toyota using engines from Honda, as they're both competitors in several markets.

Rover used to use a mix of rover and honda engines.

Some other cars used other engines.

Depends what suited at the time and market conditions.

Link to post
Share on other sites
thomastmc
Posted

Rover used to use a mix of rover and honda engines.

Some other cars used other engines.

Depends what suited at the time and market conditions.

So you're saying that Google and Microsoft could enter into a technology sharing partnership like Honda and Land Rover? That ignores the overlapping markets of Land Rover and Honda versus the overlapping markets of Google and Microsoft. Where Honda and Land Rover could augment each other's offerings, Google and Microsoft would be cannibalizing each other.

Notice I said Toyota and Honda for a reason.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Pam14160
Posted

This started out great, however, as usual there are those who for some reason have to steal a thread for their own purpase. "Whatever."

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
thomastmc
Posted

This started out great, however, as usual there are those who for some reason have to steal a thread for their own purpase. "Whatever."

Purpase? No spell check?

Link to post
Share on other sites
catilley1092
Posted

What's "killing" the Linux desktop, is the number of choices one has, many claiming to be the "best" for newbies. It's a chaos trying out different distros & determining "which is right for me?". With over 100 to choose from, those with little time just doesn't have the time to explore.

But one thing is a fact, & Ubuntu did this to themselves with Gnome3, Linux Mint is the most popular distro, & it's the one that I've ran since "Gloria" in 2009. It is built around Ubuntu, but has extra code, & alternatives other than the main OS, Linux Mint 13. There are distros for older computers where a full Mint 13 install wouldn't run nor look good, yet still very functional, powerful & secure.

Speaking of security, there's a common misconception that it's not possible for the Linux OS to be infected with viruses or malware. This is false and potentially dangerous thinking. I've noticed that even during the install process, this is listed as a "feature", don't fall for it. There are security choices for Linux users, free & paid. They should be used, just as on Windows, a daily scan takes only a couple of minutes. What the deal is, unless the user is logged in as root, the core of the OS itself cannot get infected, but the browser certainly can, & pass it on to others, even Windows computers.

But I feel that Linux can grab more of a user share, by getting rid of all of the copycat versions. Many of which is a main version, with customized skins & a few, if any added usable features. One thing about the Linux community, there is no lack of support, there is plenty of self help for those who wants to learn Linux. Yes, there is a learning curve, but so is Windows 8. Linux OS's are far more user friendlier than ever (most are), if one can run Firefox, Opera or Chrome, he/she is on their way to learning the Linux distro of their choosing.

I have a feeling that some of the knocking around of Linux is from those who haven't really tried it, or gave up because they were out of their comfort zone. There is a lot of unlocked potential of many Linux distros, & if Windows 8 RP doesn't get their act together (BSOD's, having to reinstall often & driver incompatibilities), I very well may make Mint 13 my main OS of choice. I would much rather make a donation to a distro that runs well on my computers than to worry with what will & won't work on the next version of Windows.

The Linux Desktop is NOT Dead, by a long shot.

Cat

Link to post
Share on other sites
thomastmc
Posted

What's "killing" the Linux desktop, is the number of choices one has, many claiming to be the "best" for newbies. It's a chaos trying out different distros & determining "which is right for me?". With over 100 to choose from, those with little time just doesn't have the time to explore.

That is absolutely one of the most confusing aspects for anyone wanting to get a foot in the door with Linux. But, the room for customization and the ability to have something new or different if you don't like your distro is also one of Linux's greatest advantages.

As with anything, especially Linux related, you just need to do a little research.

DistroWatch is a good place to start.

http://distrowatch.com/

I have a feeling that some of the knocking around of Linux is from those who haven't really tried it, or gave up because they were out of their comfort zone.

Dissent from bandwagoners who haven't really tried it is common, but out of their comfort zone? If it's within your comfort zone to install Linux in the first place you're far, far ahead of most computer users. A lot of people have trouble installing and configuring programs on Windows when it's simply point and click through a wizard, let alone asking them to run make or find and edit a config file. Even when those are within someone's comfort zone, they become tedious and time consuming, and that's when things are working as they're supposed to.

Is it really a case of too many users being out of their comfort zone, or the case that simple tasks are overly complicated?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Growled
  • Member
Posted

For newbie's, Ubuntu or Mint or Mageia is the place to start. A lot of the other distros are for more advanced users. I've seen some people recommend Arch for newcomers, I would never do that.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Dot Matrix
Posted

Linux killed Linux on the desktop. Too many distros, too many forks, too many people pulling it in different directions, too much confusion. Until these problems are fixed, Linux will remain a play thing.

Link to post
Share on other sites
ViperAFK
Posted

Linux Mint is the most popular distro

[Citation Needed]

And no, distrowatch does *not* count.

Link to post
Share on other sites
HawkMan
Posted

For newbie's, Ubuntu or Mint or Mageia is the place to start. A lot of the other distros are for more advanced users. I've seen some people recommend Arch for newcomers, I would never do that.

Mint is killing itself the same way Linux as a whole is killing itself. How many versions of Mint are there now ? Regular Ubuntu based, Debian based, 4 or 5 different desktop environment variants...

Yeah go tell someone wpwith enough techn knowledge to download and install mint to go download it and he'll be frustrated and turn away

Link to post
Share on other sites
.Neo
Posted

For whatever reason the Linux Desktop crowd thought they would be taken seriously once they turned pretty much every distribution into a cheap OS X knock-off. Unsurprisingly that didn't work either.

Link to post
Share on other sites
ichi
Posted

For whatever reason the Linux Desktop crowd thought they would be taken seriously once they turned pretty much every distribution into a cheap OS X knock-off. Unsurprisingly that didn't work either.

Unity has those global menus, but what have Gnome Shell or KDE have in common with OSX?

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Knife Party
Posted

For whatever reason the Linux Desktop crowd thought they would be taken seriously once they turned pretty much every distribution into a cheap OS X knock-off. Unsurprisingly that didn't work either.

lol! Sometimes you just have to laugh when reading your posts, because really, you have no f'n clue half the time about the things which you babble on about! Poor you :D !

Unity has those global menus, but what have Gnome Shell or KDE have in common with OSX?

ignore him, he's one of the most annoying people on Neowin right now, always with his 'wisdom' and knowing better than people who actually use the products, want to learn about them, not just making wise cracks about things becuase you can open you're mouth.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites
n_K
Posted

lol! Sometimes you just have to laugh when reading your posts, because really, you have no f'n clue half the time about the things which you babble on about! Poor you :D !

Funny that, I noticed the same about some of .neo's posts

Link to post
Share on other sites
.Neo
Posted

lol! Sometimes you just have to laugh when reading your posts, because really, you have no f'n clue half the time about the things which you babble on about! Poor you :D !

You keep living in Lala Land pretending Gnome's goal isn't to largely mimic Apple. While you're there also pretend the fad going on where distributions were brought into life with the soul purpose of copying the Aqua user experience never happened. I've also told you many times around that I totally agree with there are in fact a few larger distributions, like Ubuntu, which thankfully went their own way and successfully implemented their own look 'n' feel. Which is probably one of the many reasons why they are in fact successful. For whatever reason you always ignore the latter and merely focus on the former. The only ammunition you have are personal attacks.

Link to post
Share on other sites
ViperAFK
Posted

You keep living in Lala Land pretending Gnome's goal isn't to largely mimic OS X. While you're there also pretend wasn't at one point a tendency to make distributions with the soul purpose of copying the Aqua user experience. I've also told you many times around that there are in fact a few larger distributions, like Ubuntu, which thankfully went their own way and successfully implemented their own look 'n' feel. For whatever reason you always ignore the latter and merely focus on the former. Sad really.

Gnome 3's interface functions very differently from osx's, and there are only a few visual similarities here and there. You are in your own little world if you seriously think gnome-shell is an osx clone, or is trying to be.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites
simplezz
Posted

You keep living in Lala Land pretending Gnome's goal isn't to largely mimic Apple. While you're there also pretend the fad going on where distributions were brought into life with the soul purpose of copying the Aqua user experience never happened. I've also told you many times around that I totally agree with there are in fact a few larger distributions, like Ubuntu, which thankfully went their own way and successfully implemented their own look 'n' feel. Which is probably one of the many reasons why they are in fact successful. For whatever reason you always ignore the latter and merely focus on the former. The only ammunition you have are personal attacks.

Gnome looks nothing like OS X. I don't know where you get your information from but it's patently false.

And the way you talk, it's like Apple invented every single aspect of the desktop where in truth Apple copied all their designs and interface features from pre-existing software. Remember Xerox's PARC? There are many other examples. In fact, I can't think of a single unique interface feature that Apple didn't copy from someone else.

Link to post
Share on other sites
tiagosilva29
Posted

I can't believe still listen to Miguel expecting at least 80% of sense.

Link to post
Share on other sites
.Neo
Posted

Gnome 3's interface functions very differently from osx's, and there are only a few visual similarities here and there. You are in your own little world if you seriously think gnome-shell is an osx clone, or is trying to be.

I've seen most people agree here that Gnome goes in the direction of OS X, while KDE is inspired most by Windows. If you think that's something I just came up with myself you're wrong.

And the way you talk, it's like Apple invented every single aspect of the desktop where in truth Apple copied all their designs and interface features from pre-existing software. Remember Xerox's PARC? There are many other examples. In fact, I can't think of a single unique interface feature that Apple didn't copy from someone else.

There's a big difference between copying things and actually buying them.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
simplezz
Posted

I've seen most people agree here that Gnome goes in the direction of OS X, while KDE is inspired most by Windows.

Rubbish. OS X and Windows are not unique. Interface designers get their ideas from all over the place. Windows and OS X borrowed and still do today from other OS's. To claim that OS X and Windows are the originators of every interface design feature is just ludicrous.

Link to post
Share on other sites
.Neo
Posted

Rubbish. OS X and Windows are not unique. Interface designers get their ideas from all over the place. Windows and OS X borrowed and still do today from other OS's. To claim that OS X and Windows are the originators of every interface design feature is just ludicrous.

I didn't say that, but it is pretty obvious where both get most of their inspiration from. Quite a few OS X interface elements have been bought from third-parties. The Dock, Cover Flow, Columns view per example.

Link to post
Share on other sites
javagreen
Posted

For whatever reason the Linux Desktop crowd thought they would be taken seriously once they turned pretty much every distribution into a cheap OS X knock-off. Unsurprisingly that didn't work either.

Oooooh, I'm afraid. I'm shaking in my ****ing boots.

Not really.

Are you actually suggesting that a brilliant and amazingly stable *nix like OS, free for the consumers, is a bad thing? :huh:

It is free. It is thriving. Let it's users download whichever distro they want and let them skin it like OSX or **********ing Windows 3.1, it's their choice to make - not yours or anyone else's.

"Linux Desktop crowd"? Really?

**** OFF :angry:

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
@Leo
Posted

U MAD BRO? :rolleyes:

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites
.Neo
Posted

Oooooh, I'm afraid. I'm shaking in my ****ing boots.

Be sure to take your pills before you pop a vain.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Followers 0
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

  • Similar Content

    • The GNOME project launches Circle dev programme
      By zikalify
      The GNOME project launches Circle dev programme
      by Paul Hill



      The GNOME project has announced the launch of GNOME Circle, a new initiative that it hopes will widen its developer outreach. Developers that build on the GNOME platform and make their software open-source will be able to join GNOME Circle and have access to several benefits.

      By becoming a part of the GNOME Circle, developers will receive promotion and advertising for their programs so that they can reach a wider audience. Developers also qualify for GNOME Foundation membership which gives access to travel, marketing funds, and services including an @gnome.org email address, blog hosting, video conferencing, and a gnome.org Nextcloud account.

      To be a part of the GNOME project in the past projects needed to be hosted on GNOME infrastructure and follow GNOME’s development rules. These rules were a barrier for entry for developers that were focused on their own personal projects and by launching Circle, it should be easier for developers to become more involved with the GNOME platform.

      Under the new rules, the software must be open-source and use the GNOME platform. Developers of both programs and libraries can apply to join and don’t need to host their software on GNOME infrastructure nor do they have to follow the GNOME release cycle.

      Commenting on GNOME Circle, GNOME Foundation Executive Director Neil McGovern said:

      To learn more about GNOME Circle be sure to head over the project’s webpage. If you are a developer that’s interested in joining Circle, you’ll have to fill in a simple application form.

    • Metro Exodus announced for the PS5 and Xbox series X|S
      By Namerah S
      Metro Exodus announced for the PS5 and Xbox series X|S
      by Namerah Saud Fatmi

      Amidst celebrations of the tenth anniversary of its first-person shooter franchise, 4A Games has announced that Metro Exodus will be landing on the next-generation of consoles. In addition to the newly revealed console variants, the video game developer also stated that Linux and macOS versions of the game are also in the works.

      While no exact details were provided, the game's makers did confirm free next-gen upgrades as have become the industry norm. Faster frame rates, better resolution, quicker loading times, and other enhanced features such as ray tracing were also detailed for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S variants of Metro Exodus.

      4A Games further revealed that the next game in the Metro series is already under development. The Ukrainian-Maltese video game developer commented:

      While the game dev did confirm its commitment to creating a 'story driven single player experience' for the next instalment in the franchise, it also mentioned the existence of a multiplayer mode. As the upcoming Metro title is still in the early phase of production, no concrete decisions about the two game modes have been made yet.

      For now, we'll have to sit tight and wait for further details to be shared by the creators of Metro Exodus on all fronts. No release date for the next-gen version of the third Metro game or its Linux and macOS variants has been disclosed yet.

    • Fedora 31 will reach its end of life next Tuesday
      By zikalify
      Fedora 31 will reach its end of life next Tuesday
      by Paul Hill



      The Fedora Project has announced that Fedora 31 will reach its end of life on 24 November 2020. The announcement comes just weeks after the launch of Fedora 33 which included GNOME 3.38 and BTRFS as the default file system.

      After next Tuesday, Fedora 31 will stop receiving vital security updates leaving your system open to exploitation as new vulnerabilities are discovered. To make sure that your system stays protected, you should upgrade to a later version; to do this, simply open Software and go to the Updates tab, there you should see a bigger banner offering you a Fedora upgrade.

      Once you begin the upgrade with this method, the required files will be downloaded and then your system will ask to reboot to install the files in a similar fashion to how normal updates work. When the upgrade is complete, the system will automatically reboot into the new release.

      In the Fedora documentation, it says:

      If you do not want to upgrade your system, you also have the option of downloading a fresh copy of Fedora 33 which was released last month. Whether you upgrade your system or do a clean install, ensure that you’ve backed up all of your important files.

    • The new Intel Open FPGA Stack is geared towards easing development of custom platforms
      By Ather Fawaz
      The new Intel Open FPGA Stack is geared towards easing development of custom platforms
      by Ather Fawaz



      Today at the Intel FPGA Technology Day, Intel showed off its newest offering in the eASIC lineup, the eASIC N5X. Alongside it, the tech giant also debuted its Open FPGA Stack (Intel OFS), a scalable, source-accessible hardware and software infrastructure meant to power customized, high-performance workloads.

      Distributed via git repositories, the Intel OFS will be geared towards easing the process of development and deployment on FPGAs by enabling greater code reusability and modularity. Vendors will be able to provide native support to third parties and proprietary Intel-OFS platforms, this would lead to greater portability across Intel FPGA platforms and enable native support across major OS vendor distributions. All of this would lead to a smaller barrier to entry, enabling increased adoption of FPGAs in the industry.

      "With the proven success from our early-access customers, we are excited to launch the Intel Open FPGA Stack, with its demonstrated ability to dramatically both reduce the development time and also increase code and hardware design reuse for customers and partners looking to accelerate their workloads,” said Dave Moore, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of the Programmable Solutions Group.

      If you are interested in trying out Intel OFS, it is currently in early access. For details on that, as a starting point, you should contact an Intel sales representative. The firm aims to provide assistance regarding the same over the next year. For more details, you may refer to this blog post.

    • I've commited myself to Arch
      By PNWDweller
      About 3 months ago I switched my  Operating system to Arch after being a distro hopper playing around with the Ubuntu Variants and never feeling quite satisfied.  Where I work, we use Ubuntu based systems and I have grown quite comfortable in the command line experience and I felt like it was time to switch to a different OS.  Until then, I had used and have experience in Centos, Ubuntu, Solus linux and Fedora Linux.  What drove me to switch and make the choice to switch over, I  was getting tired of reading about kernel updates being pushed out fixing security bugs and also adding different functions.  While I can honestly say that my day to day activities don't require the latest and greatest kernel and software, it made sense to me especially when I would read about new software being released and then days or weeks before Canonical would certify it and release it to the general community.  I understand why they do this and I chose to move on. 
       
      Arch itself tends to hold the notion that you have to compile all the software you want to use and it's a harder system to use.  I can honestly say that this is partially true, but what people fail to tell you is that the compiling is done automatically by the package manager (Pacman in this case).  If you are comfortable with the command line, and even if not, you can certainly install Arch or use an installer to do it for you.  I used Anarchy installer which basically formats your drive for you, and you select whatever software you want and then it installs it.  It does the heavy lifting.  When finished, you are booted into your Shiny new Arch system with the Desktop Environment you chose.  In my case, it is always KDE.
       
      When I moved to Arch, I quickly found that not only do I have access to the latest and greatest builds, but also a lot of the alpha/beta versions of software.  For instance, I am running the "Bleeding Edge" version of Thunderbird mail which is in the alpha channels for testing.  You can't always do this with other systems.  i also have been able to experiment with different kernel versions.  Usually when I get updates, I have the most recent stable kernel release. 
       
      For things I have done with Arch - aside from my Desktop, I have a PXE boot server installed on my NAS which is also using Arch and other server software on it.  My PXE server allows me to boot into clonezilla or fresh install Arch if I need to (really don't need to), without having any external installation media handy (Thumb drives usually).
       
      Anyway, I have found my final Operating System and couldn't be any happier!