FreeLists / openbeos / [openbeos] Open Letter (New to BeOS)

["David A. Rogers" <darogers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm new to BeOS.  Reeealy new. Like last week.  I'd like to share my initial
impressions of Be and about the OpenBeOS project.

I have to say I am very impressed with Be.  I intend to start using Be and
hope that someday it will be my main desktop system.  Yes, I know what
happened to Be.  I'm late to the party.

I used Linux for years.  There's a lot to like about Linux and I used it for
all those reasons.  But I don't run a server.  I have a desktop machine.  And
there's a lot to dislike about Linux on the desktop.

This is not Linux's fault.  Unix isn't designed for desktop systems.  It's
designed for multiuser systems and servers.  The needs of a desktop system are
quite different.  It's true that Linux can be used for a desktop system.  But
I've also used a penney for a screwdriver.  It may have got the job done, but
it wasn't the best tool for the job.

Be, on the other hand, is the good stuff from Unix/Linux - a well designed
file system and powerful command line shell to name a few things.  Plus an OS
that was _designed_ to be a desktop system.

I'm also excited about the openBeOS project.  I think OBOS has a chance to
succeed where Be Corp failed - for two reasons.  I think Be was too early.
The world was a lot more enamored of Microsoft when Be first came out than it
is now.  I think the world is becoming ready for MS alternatives.  Second,
people will pay $200 for an OS when their PC costs $2000.  Now that PCs are so
cheap, people are finding the price of Windows a bit hard to take.  Since
OpenBeOS is open, there won't be any price inertia to overcome.

I think that OBOS can flourish.  I agree with Michael Phipps in the last
newsletter.  A few of the right apps and a few of the right games could make
OBOS really take off.

I am an experienced C++ programmer.  But I don't know squat about Be
programming.  So I ordered "Programming the Be Operating System" from Amazon.
I hope to be contributing soon.

dar