2008 - Year of Linux Desktop?

rstrohmeyer writes "Over at Maximum PC, we're betting that Linux will pick up unprecedented momentum in the coming year. With phenomenal new distros, swelling international support, and a little extra momentum from Dell, we think Linux is poised to exploit the current atmosphere of doubt surrounding Vista and pick up serious traction in '08. 'For end users here in North America, Linux poses a low barrier to entry. While many still balk at an upgrade to Vista (typically centered around cost and restrictive licensing terms), those who are curious about the open-source alternative will find few of these obstacles. And an increasingly rich array of ready-to-run software (not to mention surprisingly effective utilities that let you run many Windows apps) makes it easy switch ... Ultimately, I'm not predicting that Linux will take over the market next year. Or anytime soon, for that matter. But if there's ever been a time to try out the world's leading free OS, 2008 will be that time. I am predicting that users will switch to Linux in record numbers next year. And many will never look back.'"

what is linux

[R00BYtheN00BY]

what is linux

2027 - year of fusion power?

[Anonymous Coward]

It'll happen this time! Honest!

Re:what is linux

[hondo77]

what is linux

Something that doesn't sync to your iPhone.

Re:Ooops ...

[LiquidCoooled]

So finally we have the answer.

3d Realms are waiting for the adoption of Linux before releasing Duke Nukem Forever!

Re:if only linux had more games.

[larry bagina]

The fact that OS X has unix underpinnings is irrelevant to the game -- unless that game happens to be "hunt the wumpus".

Does this story count as a dupe?

[nobodyman]

Year of the desktop? Let's see:

• 1994: No
• 1995: No
• 1996: No
• 1997: No
• 1998: No
• 1999: No
• 2000: No
• 2001: No
• 2002: No
• 2003: No
• 2004: No
• 2005: No
• 2006: No
• 2007: No (pending)

So, though I may be going out on a limb here, I'm gonna say "no" for 2008. And those that think that Vista's awefulness has any sway must have not been around to see how the whole "Windows vs. MacOS" thing played out.

No, I'm New Here

[New Here]

No, I'm New Here

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[Harmonious Botch]

Linux is the OS of the future, and always will be.

Re:No, I'm New Here

[eln]

It's a crime that you start at -1. You have to respect a guy who has posted nothing but the same exact joke for 4 years straight. Truly, you are an inspiration to us all. You are a one-man Slashdot meme.

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[Fireflymantis]

Wow. as a gay young adult myself, I agree with you, but nevertheless I find it a rather bit... shall we say... queer that you have somehow managed to make an apt and useful analogy between using linux and being gay.

Sadly

[ucblockhead]

This will probably be the year I replace my Linux desktop with a Mac.

Re:20xx - Year of the Linux Desktop

[jon_anderson_ca]

Imagine a Beowulf cluster of "Year of the Desktop" announcements!

<ducks/>

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[Anonymous Coward]

Excuse me, but I don't think that's possible. A gay person using anything other than OSX would mean the mighty QDB [bash.org] is wrong which cannot be.

Re:if only linux had more games.

[misleb]

I preferably would not want to reboot and lose all current work on my linux desktop just for a game.

That's why most application have this feature called "save." It is so you don't have to lose your work. ;-)

Anyway, as I suggested to an AC on this thread, try hibernating instead of shutting down. It can be a little work to setup properly in Linux, but it works.

-matthew

Re:Find a specialized desktop market

[Anonymous Coward]

I think grandparent was trying to say pick a cool group. :-)

Very wrong.

[Poromenos1]

You can use the Windows XP recovery console from the CD. That thing has like, five whole commands!

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[doxology]

apt analogies made simple:

apt-get install useful-analogy

shut up

[Anonymous Coward]

click this [goatse.cx]

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, some people are truly dual booty. But for the rest, it's in the summary:

'For heterosexuals here in North America, homosexuality poses a low barrier to, [uh], entry. While many still balk at an upgrade to Marriage (typically centered around cost and restrictive licensing terms), those who are curious about the, [uh], alternative will find few of these obstacles. And an increasingly rich array of ready-to-run partners (not to mention surprisingly effective toys that let you assume many heterosexual positions) makes it [an] easy switch ...'

YMMV...

It's Deja Vu All Over Again!

[coaxial]

Funny. I thought that was 2004 [slashdot.org].

Or was it 2006 [slashdot.org]?

Or was it actually 2002 [com.com] and then it burst in 2006 [slashdot.org]?

Umm... 2003 [linuxtoday.com]?

Oh! Stupid me! It was 1999 [cnn.com]! Yeah. definately [zdnet.co.uk] 1999 [zdnet.co.uk]. I mean. It's not like Linus would the exact same thing five years later [slashdot.org].
It had to be 1999, because it was Almost Ready(tm) for the desktop back in 1994 when I first used it!

Now, tell me again. Why do I have a mac? Oh that's right. It's Unix, but I don't have to sysadmin it like Linux.

Yes yes. "Some people like to learn about their machine." [emphasis original] Ahh yes. I was once like you, some 13 years ago this fall. Then I got a bit older, and perhaps a bit wiser, and learned that there was much more important things than screwing around with sendmail, or 3d acceleration, or hotplug vs devfs, or ipchains vs ipfwadm, or oss vs alsa, or cups vs lpr, or ... It's a tool. Nothing more. If the tool is working you, instead of you working the tool, it's time to get a new tool.

So easy my Grandma...

[Zepalesque]

For those of you who truly hate your grandmothers, you can always set them up with LFS [linuxfromscratch.org]. :)

Here we go again!

[SwashbucklingCowboy]

This has been predicted for many years...

• The Year of the Linux Desktop! (2007) [linuxtoday.com]
• 2006: The year of desktop Linux? [linux.org]
• 2005 will be the year of the Linux Desktop [expresscom...online.com]
• Linux breaks desktop barrier in 2004: Torvalds [linuxworld.com.au]
• I am convinced that 2003 is going to be the breakout year for Desktop Linux. [desktoplinux.com]

Try this instead: Year of the Linux desktop? Who cares! [tuxmachines.org]

It's taken four years

[reaktor]

It just took four years to finally become funny.

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[jack455]

Is apt a pun?

I'm not gay, but I took a look through some of my apps--testing the theory--hmmm...
Audacious
Rosegarden
LASH Panel, KSpread, Gparted (actually they're just kind of kinky)
Ardour
Twinkle
Kandy
Yum Extender
--My office suite's Koffice Workspace Icon has a cute little rainbow next to it.--

Of course Qt(cutie? (used to for KDE)) is from Trolltech, which sounds pretty hetero; Thunderbird, Thunar file manager, Konqueror, etc. help balance too.
In all seriousness Linux and OSS in general seem pretty inclusive of everyone, and are certainly gender and sexual preference neutral.
And hey, Linux even has an unfair, irrational stigma attached to it.

Now personally I think advocating for Linux is more like telling my friends that I want the US to have socialized medicine...but that discussion might be OffTopic

Re:Not optimistic about the US

[rmcd]

So you mean to tell me that you think I would lug a Dimension 8400 (medium-sized tower case) along on 3 or 4 hours flights? :-)

Re:Ooops ...

[vga_init]

You know, by the time it's released they might as well have it fully ported to Linux. That would be wicked cool.

If they dared to release it for Linux alone, they could tempt some people to switch platforms out of mere curiosity. "Ok, sure... I'll install Linux... just ONCE. Try it out, you know... man, I really want to play Duke Nukem Forever..."

Again?

[Captain Spam]

public class YearOfLinuxDesktop extends SlashdotArticle {
    private static year = 1995;

    public YearOfLinuxDesktop() { }

    public YearOfLinuxDesktop(int year) {
        this.year = year;
    }

    public String getNextArticle() {
        year++;
        return "Is " + year + " the year of the Linux Desktop?"
    }

    public static void main(String args[]) {
        YearOfLinuxDesktop yold = new YearOfLinuxDesktop();
        while(1) {
            System.out.println(yold.getNextArticle());
            Thread.sleep(31536000000L);
            System.out.println("Nope, apparently not, but...");
        }
    }
}

Wait... forgot the @deprecated tag. Oh, well, the FreeBSDIsDead class has the same functionality, I'm sure nobody'll use this one...

Re:No, I'm New Here

[slashdotmeme]

No, I am.

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[aichpvee]

Don't talk about Fight Club?

Where have I heard this before?

[tm2b]

What are we going to do this year, Brain?

The same thing we do every year, Pinky - take over the Desktop!

Re:2027 - year of fusion power?

[Daychilde]

"I'm buggered"

O RLY? ;-)