On Fri, Apr 16, 2004 at 07:39:16AM -0700, Derek Neighbors wrote:
> The PROBLEM is they want their desktop to look feel and behave like
> windows because they buy into the notion that is the only way to be
> successful.

I agree.  I think that much of the perceived suckitude with the Linux
desktop is the fact that everybody tries to copy Windows.

Mac OS does *not* try to copy Windows.  They came up with their own
ideas, and it's quite different.  When you sit down at a Mac, it doesn't
look like Windows, and when you use it, it doesn't *try* to be like
Windows.  So you don't expect it to *act* like Windows.

Sit down at a Linux machine with KDE or GNOME.  Oh, look, there's a
"Start Menu" there in the in the corner.  Okay, I know what's going on
here.  I'll just click that, move to Programs, then Accessories, and try
to... wait, what's going on here?  I thought this was supposed to be
like Windows!  It's not acting like Windows, although it's trying and
failing.  It's *almost* like Windows.  It feels like a cheap knock-off.
It sucks.

Trying to be like Windows means that you can only be compared
unfavorably to them, even the parts that are arguably better, just
because it's not *exactly* the same.

Truly, that's not the whole problem (I'm not going to repeat the usual
yada-yada about hardware, configuration, etc.), but it's a big part of
it, IMO.

-- 
Bill Jonas    *    bill@billjonas.com    *    http://www.billjonas.com/
"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your front door.  You step
into the Road,  and if you don't keep your feet,  there  is  no knowing
where you might be swept off to."  --  Bilbo Baggins