Ok.. I have been trying to run linux in a laptop for sometime now. I ran into several annoying issues to make linux work in the laptop. However, I would really really like to see people using Linux in the laptop and desktop instead of Windows. Right now, using linux in a laptop or desktop as a full fledge OS is out of question even for me. I cannot think of normal folks who use it windows for their day to day work. Linux desktop/laptop community need a savior who could make right noises and moves to make things easier for anybody to have an alternative to MS.
On this light, I hear Larry is trying to buy Novell to get into Linux business. I’m only reminded of the bid Oracle made with its ill fated low cost computer. I’m willing to bet this time around Oracle learnt its lesssons and making a strategic move. I’m all for somebody like Larry taking the Linux and making it suitable for mass usage. There is also a suggestion in slashdot.org and other places urging Larry to look into Ubuntu as an alternative to Novell (why carry the baggage of Novell’s other products). I’m a big fan of Ubuntu, however I think Ubuntu should be left alone.
In any case, here are some of the items Oracle needs to take care of if it ever wants to compete with Microsoft on desktop/laptop turf:
- Consider enhancing ubuntu’s synaptics or suse’s yast to aid users to install software easily.
- Enhance wireless support for Linux. Especially urge big wireless card vendors to provide drivers for linux.
- Don’t provide options to move the menu’s to different locations. This is a big problem with new users of kde/gnome. There are duplicate menu items or they are not arranged properly.
- Standardize on GUI tools. There are thousands of tools available in Linux and make things worse every distro has its own set of tools to manage networks, users etc. For my grandma to use linux the GUI tools need to be standardized.
Last Updated on April 18, 2006 by SK
