Linux Ready for Prime Time?

Murry Shohat murry at sonic.net
Tue Jun 20 19:16:29 PDT 2000


One BIG consideration about Linux in prime time is the embedded market. I
concur with most everyone on human intelligence vs. OS intelligence except when
it comes to embedded.

Perhaps you could suggest to the reporter that the computing landscape is
changing fast, and that the old measures (the key useability issues) will not
apply to a huge wave of appliance-like computers that run embedded
distributions of Linux.

Many humans will get their first real taste of compute power with devices that
do not have keyboards, mice, pointing devices, GUIs in the traditional sense or
even a local way to install software. Some appliances will be extremely thin
clients for Internet-based applications. Humans encountering this environment
as their initial intro to computers won't appreciate BSD's or GPF's etc. But
they will be able to write and print letters at home, do their taxes, design
art etc. etc., in addition to web surfing.

The Press Democrat reporter would be well advised to rewrite his traditional
question script to peek into the new era. He would get a good dose by visiting
a web site at Sonic:
http://www.embedded-linux.org/.

If the reporter is serious about the story, (s)he may want to stop in at the
Embedded Linux Expo and Conference, taking place Thursday in San Jose at the
Wyndam Hotel, 1375 North First Street.

Murry
===================
Eric Skagerberg wrote:

> I got this call from a reporter at the Press Democrat, and he's doing a
> story about Linux.  He's going to call me back tomorrow (Wednesday), and he
> wants to know if I consider Linux ready for the average computer user.
>
> What do you think?
>
> He got my number because I teach Unix using Linux at SRJC.  We've used
> Linux from the beginning, although always in command-line mode via telnet
> to a single host.
>
> The Linux GUI has improved enormously.  But fellow instructor Sean
> Kirkpatrick has always asked:  Would you turn Linux loose on your typical
> white-haired grandma?  Could she use it as easily as a Windows or Mac
> machine?  Or are we still a year or two away (or more)?
>
> (Now, Nancy, I know you qualify as a grandma, but I would hardly call you
> typical!)
>
> Key usability issues for me:
> - Installing the OS
> - Installing software
> - UNinstalling software
> - Hardware compatibility (modems, for example)
>
> Any other issues?  Comments?  Act now!  That guy is calling me back
> tomorrow morning, Wednesday, June 21.
>
> Thanks!
> Eric S.

**********************************
Murry Shohat    Executive Director
Embedded Linux Consortium
http://www.embedded-linux.org
e-mail:  murry at embedded-linux.org
Voice: 707.576.0115       FAX: 707.576.1944
***********************************





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