On Sat, 26 May 2007 12:55:05 +0530 (IST), Prem Kurian Philip
<prem@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> said:
I think one of the primary problems with Linux developers/proponents
is they don't seem to understand that market share is
IMPORTANT. Actually it is critical.
I will explain why all these statements and attitudes while fair are
really hurting Linux.
First a reply:
Manoj Srivastava wrote:
This is not an unlaudable goal. I wonder, though, how prevalent that
view is amongst the worker bees of free software, as opposed to the
armchair intellectuals. In my experience with people in free
software development, I have never heard the goal above stated as a
major motivator (and never heard it stated so succinctly).
The so-called "arm chair intellectuals" that you are referring to are
regular users who may not have programming skills, but may have skills
in other areas.
NOTE 1: Their lack of programming skills does not in any sense make
them or their viewpoint inferior to that of a programmer.
These regular users may want to see the same features they are used to
having on Windows because, after all, some friend of theirs convinced
them to use Linux instead of Windows as Linux is better (and also
free) and has equivalent software.
Having said that I do understand your point of view - you are saying
that a person who does not contribute code towards an open source
effort really doesn't have too much of a voice as the developers are
not in any sense obligated to listen to "just" a ordinary user who is
not actively contributing towards the project.
The original discussion revolved around what needs to be done by the
creators of free software -- and while saving the world from software
patents and DRM can't be argued against, it usually lies in the same
sphere as ending world hunger or curing aids. Nice, but rarely does
one spend 20-40 hours a week doing that in ones free time, unless one
is very very unusually motivated.
The result is that the general free software development flows down
the scratching ones itch route. If people are truly motivated in
catering to the unwashed masses in order to save the world, they need
to gird up their lions and actually pitch in and do the work.
I get that as well.
Now the other side of the coin is this - as long as ordinary users
don't throng towards Linux - that is, unless the number of Linux
becomes pretty large (in comparison to MS Windows usage), it is
unlikely that Linux developers/users will have quite the same say as
MS / MS Windows users/developers.
NOTE 3: If you want Linux to be taken seriously
From craving arises sorrow, from craving arises fear, but he who isfreed from craving has no sorrow and certainly no fear. 216
