[kwlug-disc] Android everywhere ...

[Darryl O'Neill]

Choice at the ice-cream store is great.  Small decision, easy to try 
something new next time.

Setting up a PC takes a long time.  Coming to Linux from Windows, I 
found that having over 10 distributions to choose from then having to 
decide what flavour to choose when I picked Ubunutu a bit overwhelming.  
I have been using computers for almost 30 years.  Not sure how your 
general casual user who has only ever run windows for basic home use 
would feel.  Given the choice between the latest windows and having to 
spend a couple of days researching what Linux to choose from, I'd 
probably just pick windows.

Choosing a car is similar.  It is a very expensive purchase that 
requires a lot of thought and research.  The difference there is no 
default player in the car market.

Darryl

Lori Paniak wrote:
> On Mon, 2010-09-13 at 17:25 -0400, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
>
>   
>>         
>>
>> I hope Android wins, and the others go away, even if they are Linux
>> based.
>> Because if Linux fragments, then Nokia's Symbian and Apple's iOS will
>> be the winners.
>>
>> Choice is good and all that when we are talking developers as the
>> audience.
>> So having different distros is good for developers. When we are
>> talking end
>> users (consumers) as an audience, choice is bad, since it causes
>> fragmentation
>> for the market and slows adoption overall due to "wait and see" or
>> confusion on
>> the part of app developers.
>>
>> Emacs vs. vim = good.
>> KDE vs. Gnome = bad.
>>     
>
> Is this really true, or is it marketing from competitors that like to
> sell monolithic products?
>
> How is a desktop different than a car or van?  People seem to have no
> problems with choosing between a Honda, Toyota, Dodge or Chevy.  Even
> finer Honda/Acura or Toyota/Lexus distinctions do not cause marketers to
> lose sleep.  Why are we afraid of "fragmentation"  especially on
> handheld devices where FLOSS has a demonstrable lead?  It seems to be an
> advantage that competitors cannot match.  
>
> I can run KDE apps on my Gnome desktop.  So long as the "steering wheel
> is on the correct side", I don't know what harm there is in giving
> people choices.  
>
>   
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>
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