Re: UNIX & Windows...????

[Vinay Avasthi <vavasthi@xxxxxxxxx>]

SHRIDHAR N. DAITHANKAR <shridhar.daithankar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  wrote --
>   I have been listening to this debate for a while. While the answers
> given by linux lovers stand very firm in practical situation, if the
> criticism is dealt professionally, few good things can emerge for linux.
> 
>  1)The hardware probing & configuring need be done automatically, at least
> for X. If windows can do it, why can't linux? If there is a central
> database of hardware compatibility, then upgrading the hardware &
> subsequent re-configuration should be an easy thing.
The problem is that for most of the hardware it is the hardware
manufacturers that are making specific drivers. They do not want to do
that for linux os. Also for a linux developer they are not ready to
provide the proprietary information needed to do that.

Very recently Toshiba refused to give specification for its IrDA
interface to linux developer and they actually released the
specificaiton after lost of effort.

> 
>  2)Same idea can be extended to the hardware such as network cards &
> configuring them automatically.

Same thing true here.
The problem is that it is very easy for linux to support anything that
follows a open standard. But most of the hardware in Wintel world does
not. Hopefully with big companies like IBM getting involved it will
improve. 
- -- 
Vinay Avasthi (Staff Engineer)                 ------   ,__o
Vinay_Avasthi-A12733@xxxxxxxxxxxxx            ------  _-\_<,
Motorola India Electronics Ltd.============  ------  (*)/'(*) 
The Senate, 33A, Ulsoor Road, Bangalore India, 560042         

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