algeriatul team mailing list archive

[Ma Xiaojun <damage3025@xxxxxxxxx>]

It's werid that we celebrate the fact that we already failed in the
desktop market; consider GNOME's 10x10 goal and the reality.

I'm a FOSS advocate but I feel that the result is well deserved.

What's the point of Windows? It is a DEPENDABLE platform that developers
can write software and make profits. Yes, Microsoft ended VB6, VFP9,
..., which annoyed many loyal developers. However, Microsoft continue to
support the runtimes even in Windows 8. On the other hand, Linux GUI
programs get obsoleted very fast, if it is not continously maintained.

Linux people are always trying to build fancy systems using FOSS while
being hostile towards third-parties; third-party software is hard to
package and it may work for only a limited time before things break.
Default Ubuntu installation includes a productivity suite, LibreOffice.
Wow! But as it is generally inferior to Microsoft Office, it is
worthless. Every point Windows sucks, there is some software to deal
with, most notably the virus issue.

Ubuntu seems to become the reference platform of Linux desktop over
years. I find that "Linux = Ubuntu" is a life saver for a non-FOSS-
enthusitic third-party developer, it's a good start but too late.

Do we have a well-defined SDK yet? No.
Moving to Qt is a sane decision but a bit too late. 
( Microsoft's SDK is called Visual Studio, quite integrated, just slow )

Do we have a package system suitable for end users yet (like Android's system)? No.
I see some work in process, also too late.
( Windows before Windows Store make installation much easier than uninstallation. Though the installation system is abused by many software to include toolbars crap, it is still the way many people familiar with. )

Do we have a well-defined UX yet? Yes and No.
The Unity UX is well-defined, I presume.
But the apps from GNOME is constantly having stupid changes. Don't forget that we don't have a huge pool of third-party software; we cannot ship crappy apps, .e.g, Notepad, like MSFT do.
( Microsoft breaks UI in Windows 8, but they have resource to do that. )

Can people do almost everything with Ubuntu in GUI? Yes and No.
Many GUI program in Linux is simple-minded, when things OK it works. When things go wrong, terminal is the only rescue.
How can one know which repo has certificate error when Update Manager complains?

Do we have good support from OEMs? No.
There are Ubuntu pre-installed on some low-end computer models but OEMs don't put enough resource to back them.
They always recommend Windows.
( You must know who is the real boss of the OEMs. )

I have some personal advices for people have similar feeling.

1. When possible do FOSS in HTML5. HTML5 seems to be the only way to destruct the notion of system requirement WinX/WinY/WinZ. 
2. Otherwise, do cross-platform FOSS. It can be hard, but I feel that it is worthwhile to test our software stack by buidling cross-platform application. We may also leave some useful documentation during the process. Cross-platform also ensures a wider user base.
3. Try do things in the "Windows way" and report bugs, if any, to direct upstream.

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu 4
dz, which is subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1

Title:
  Microsoft has a majority market share

Status in Club Distro:
  Confirmed
Status in Computer Science Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in LibreOffice Productivity Suite:
  New
Status in dylan.NET.Reflection:
  Invalid
Status in dylan.NET:
  Invalid
Status in EasyPeasy Overview:
  Invalid
Status in Ichthux - Linux for Christians:
  Invalid
Status in JAK LINUX:
  Invalid
Status in LibreOffice:
  In Progress
Status in The Linux Kernel:
  New
Status in The Linux Mint Distribution:
  In Progress
Status in The Linux OS Project:
  In Progress
Status in Neobot:
  New
Status in Novabot:
  New
Status in The OpenOffice.org Suite:
  In Progress
Status in Tabuntu:
  Invalid
Status in A simple player to online TV streaming:
  Invalid
Status in Tv-Player:
  Invalid
Status in Ubuntu Malaysia LoCo Team Meta Project:
  In Progress
Status in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in Arch Linux:
  Confirmed
Status in Baltix GNU/Linux:
  Invalid
Status in “linux” package in Debian:
  In Progress
Status in Fluxbuntu: The Lightweight, Productive, Agile OS:
  Confirmed
Status in openSUSE:
  In Progress
Status in Tilix Linux:
  New

Bug description:
  See Mark's closure comment here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1/comments/1834
  ------

  Microsoft has a majority market share in the new desktop PC
  marketplace. This is a bug which Ubuntu and other projects are meant
  to fix. As the philosophy of the Ubuntu Project states, "Our work is
  driven by a belief that software should be free and accessible to
  all."

  "Ubuntu software is free. Always was, always will be. Free software gives everyone the freedom to use it however they want and share with whoever they like. This freedom has huge benefits. At one end of the spectrum it enables the Ubuntu community to grow and share its collective experience and expertise to continually improve all things Ubuntu. At the other, we are able to give access to essential software for those who couldn’t otherwise afford it – an advantage that’s keenly felt by individuals and organisations all over the world."
       * http://www.ubuntu.com/project/about-ubuntu/our-philosophy

  Non-free software leaves users at the mercy of the software owner and
  concentrates control over the technology which powers our society into
  the hands of a few. Additionally, proprietary software stifles
  innovation, maintains artificial scarcities, and enables malicious
  anti-features such as DRM, surveillance, and other monopolistic
  practices.

  This bug is widely evident in the PC industry.

  Steps to repeat:

      1. Visit a local PC store.
      2. Attempt to buy a machine without any proprietary software.

  What happens:

  Almost always, a majority of PCs for sale have Microsoft Windows pre-
  installed. In the rare cases that they come with a GNU/Linux operating
  system or no operating system at all, the drivers and BIOS may be
  proprietary.

  What should happen:

  A majority of the PCs for sale should include only free software.

       * http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
       * http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines
       * http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd

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