The Linux Desktop and ISVs/OEMs 195
olau writes "Michael Meeks, who's worked on GNOME and LibreOffice integration for many years, now for SuSE, has some really interesting thoughts on the recent Linux desktop debate and suggestions for possible strategies. He points out that regarding independent software vendors (ISVs), the real issue isn't actually the quality of the tools but the size and attractiveness of the market, and perhaps that a solution could be lower barriers for paying or donating. Regarding OEMs selling hardware with software preinstalled, he points out that while a free OS + software sounds good for consumers, it's actually a problem for OEMs on razor-thin margins, since they lose the cut they get from the preinstallations. A possible countermove could be nailing robustness and hardware diagnostics for good, lowering OEM support costs."
Re:Fall in line (Score:0, Informative)
At the end of the day, it's a lot easier if Grandma has an OS that other family members can help her with.
No matter how much I like my Linux Desktop, I don't want to be responsible for bringing non-tech-savvy people along. The rest of the family is fully capable of troubleshooting basic windows problems, more or less.
Helping Grandma is precisely why I switched her to Linux. On Windows, she needed help just about every other week due to malware, blue screens of death, unbearable slowness, random crashes and freezes, etc. With Linux, I set it up once for her 2 years ago, and she's not had a single problem or complaint since.
Re:You sell for the market. (Score:4, Informative)
Linux SERVERS already manage to hit the "cost $500 less" metric. That's not the topic of discussion here. This was an article about DESKTOP Linux.
Servers are an entirely different kettle of fish and an area where Microsoft isn't nearly as dominant.
Re:Fall in line (Score:4, Informative)
Run windows in a vm on her machine, automate snapshots and that way you can roll it back for her.
Old folks don't play video games or need tons of storage.
Re:Fall in line (Score:0, Informative)
It's probably because she couldn't figure it out and gave up on it. That's why there wasn't anything in your Christmas card from her last year. She's pissed.
As a side note, what kind of lump of crap did you give her in the first place? I haven't seen Windows blue screen aside from hardware failure in about a decade. I work in an environment with hundreds of Windows PC. It's just not a common event anymore.
Re:Each platform has it's drawbacks (Score:2, Informative)
Face it, if you don't run windows, you'll never, never, never ever have 100% office compatibility. Never. .
If you run Microsoft Office you've never had 100% Office compatibility. Open a docx document with Office 2003. You can look at it ( with a helper program), but you can't edit it unless you save it as a .doc document.
Part #1 of 2: Windows on Servers... apk (Score:0, Informative)
367++ TOP FORTUNE 100/500 (or best 100 to work for per CNN Money) COMPANIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, &/or GOVERNMENT AGENCIES USING WINDOWS (over other solutions like Linux) both in HIGH TPM ENVIRONS, & FROM "TOP 100 COMPANIES TO WORK FOR" (per CNN Money 2011):
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38 HIGH TPM & 99.999% "uptime" examples:
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XEROX: Managing 7++ million transactions a day for office devices for its customers using Windows Server 2003 + SQLServer 2005 64-bit with 99.999% uptime!
NASDAQ: The U.S.' LARGEST STOCK EXCHANGE, Since 2005 has had Windows Server 2003 + SQLServer 2005 in failover clusters running the "official trade data dissemination system" for them in 24x7 fabled "5-9's" 99.999% uptime, doing 64,000 transactions PER SECOND (compare London Stock Exchange using Linux @ 3,000 per second)
FUJIFILM GROUP: Tracks data for its imaging, information, & documentation for its products & services using Windows Server 2003 w/ a custom SAP solution on SQLServer 2005, achieving 99.999% uptime.
HILTON HOTELS: Manages 1.4 Billion records a day for customers in 1000's of their hotels worldwide - for 370,000 rooms & catering services forecasts (switching from 6 *NIX systems to 1 Windows Server 2003 + SQLServer 2005 clustered failover system using a data warehouse with 7 million rows & 99.998% uptime).
MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY: Manages & Tracks 7 million containers out of 116 countries daily using Windows Server 2003 + SQLServer 2005 in failover clusters with 99.999% uptime.
SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: Serves 70 airport destinations worldwide, with 6,500 employees + 110 branch offices via Windows Server 2003 & Active Directory with 99.95% uptime (all while growing their business 30% per year). THEIR PREVIOUS LINUX SYSTEM COULD ONLY HANDLE 250 concurrent users - the Windows one handles over 500++ users concurrently/simultaneously!
UNILEVER: Global consumer good leader, migrated to mySAP on SQLServer 2005 + Windows Server 2003 & scaled UP their operations by over 200% & yet saved money + have 99.999% uptime!
MOTOROLA: Using System Management Server, Windows Server 2003 & SQLServer 2005 to conduct inventory of 65,000 desktops from a single location (e.g. for system updates corporate & worldwide).
NISSAN: Uses Windows Server 2003 to manage 50,000 employees' email & calendaring (w/ out VPN, & using Exchange Server 2003) for local AND remote + mobile users.
TOYOTA MOTOR SALES: Reduced the # of techs needed per dealership (1,000's worldwide) from 7, to 1 using Windows Server 2003.
SIEMENS: 420,000++ people, 130 business units over 190 countries managed in Windows Active Directory
REUTERS: Managing 3,000 servers worldwide @ customer sites internationally (using only 4 managers to do so, remotely).
DELL COMPUTER: Managing 130,000 servers & 100,000 PC's worldside using Windows Server 2003 + 40 million customers' data worldwide.
LEXIS NEXIS: Searches BILLIONS of documents each second delivering news, legal, & business information.
HSBC: Deploys System Center solutions to 15,000 Servers worldwide & 300,000 desktops using Windows Server 2003.
RAYOVAC: Chose Windows Server 2003 over Linux to manage their infrastructure - saving 1 million dollars estimated in software, staffing, & support costs.
JETTAINER/LUFTHANSA/U.S. AIRWAYS: managing shipping to 3,000 flights to 400 airports every day.
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES: Manages crew communication systems, log on/log off, schedules, & shifts using Windows Server 2008 worldwide.
JET BLUE AIRWAYS: Managing 12 million flights & their data annually + ticketing, finance, & personnel too.
TIMEX: Using Windows + Exchange Server for remote personnel & executives (for their ENTIRE workforce)
7 ELEVEN STORES: Chose Windows Server 2003 over Li
Re:Fall in line (Score:4, Informative)
The 100% bullshit really just shows a lack of experience in your pet subject. With closed drivers you have to hope that they people producing them give a shit or otherwise you run the risk of having to get new hardware when the software is upgraded. That's not a big deal for one person, but when there are large collections of hardware or niches where you depend on one bit of odd gear to do a task you end up with the legacy gear in the corner for a specific task and far more machines than you have users.