RE: UNIX & Windows...????

["Atul Chitnis" <achitnis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Let us see how many people whould like to work on Linux with out
> the Windowing environment. May be developers like us would , but
> what about the lay man.
>
> With out a proper GUI , Linux doesn't have a chance of competing
> with others in terms of market share.

My point is that Linux is completely independent of a GUI - it will
outperform just about any NOS today without the least "assistance" from a
GUI. The functionality of the OS is not part of the GUI. In that way, Linux
is like *every* Unix under the Sun, including any "Unix" *you* claim to be
familiar with. Solaris, Digital Unix, Tru64, AIX, etc. are all completely
functional without a GUI - the GUI is an *add-on* which enhances the usage
of the machine as a desktop machine, but adds *no* value to the machine's
ability to act as a server. And if you have X running, you'll be amazed at
the versatility of the GUI and its ability to work as a desktop.

And that's the whole point here.

Your beef is not with Linux but with X - specifically the XFree86
organisation that builds a free implementation of X, which is also used in
Linux distributions. XFree86 is not a company sponsored effort, and hence
does not enjoy unlimited funds for building drivers for *every* known
display card under the sun. It depends on volunteer efforts, and like Linux
has been remarkably successful at it. XFree86 is virtually indistinguishable
from "mainstream" X.

The problem *you* ran into was that you were unable to get XFree86 running
on your system because you are using a display card that is either not very
popular (hence there is no point writing a driver for it), not very good
(and hence no one really supports it) or the manufacturer both refuses to
develop a Linux driver for it and doesn't release information about it,
either, to allow others to write the driver.

Are you stuck? Of course not! Just cough up some money and buy a commercial
X server that works with your card, and your problem is solved! I recommend
Accelerated X or MetroX - both are easily available in India.

Naturally, these things cost money, and in relation for what you paid for
your copy of Linux, they cost a *lot*! A far cheaper way would be to simply
pickup a display card that *is* supported by XFree86.

You, of course, will use the notorious "but it works under Windows"
argument - a fairly silly one if one takes even a moment to consider *why*
it works for Windows and not for XFree86. The reason is, of course, that the
manufacturer of the display card has written a driver for the display card
and made it available to you. He either has not written a driver for Linux,
or has not released enough information about the card to allow someone else
to write one.

This is fast becoming an isolated case - *all* mainstream display card
manufacturers have released Xfree86 drivers or information for the card.

You have still not answered my questions about your hardware. This makes me
believe that I was right - that you are using some cheap, unsupported
display card which is unsupported under any OS apart from Windows (and that
too probably very badly).

The GUI available for Linux is indeed a fabulous one - very stable, and very
fast. A X based desktop makes a Windows desktop look like it is standing
still, and in terms of configurability, it is unmatched. That alone
completely deflates your rather sweeping statements.

But what really bothers me here is that I am seeing a serious dose of
attitude here - an attitude that is a bit surprising considering that your
employer maintains a completely different opinion and is one of Linux's
biggest supporters. Naturally, your opinions are your own, but I would be
careful about putting your corporate signature to stuff like this.
Especially when you choose to pass judgement on the only OS under the sun
that Microsoft publicly fears as a competitor - and one that is living up to
that reputation.

This is a Linux support list. If you have a question ("I have xyz display
card, can you help me get it going under X?"), please ask and you will find
hundreds of people jumping in to help you. That's the Linux way.

If, however, you wish to prove your "technical superiority" by "passing
judgement" with statements like "Without a proper GUI , Linux doesn't have a
chance of competing with others in terms of market share" when both IBM,
Microsoft and the rest of the world strongly disagree with you, I suggest
you unsubscribe from this list and let us all get on with life.

Atul

p.s. Please note - despite my violent disagreement with your opinions, I did
not resort to writing in ALL CAPS, which in the online world is considered
to be next to picking your nose at the dinner table.

- ----------------------------------------------------
Atul Chitnis     | achitnis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
C&B Consulting   | http://www.cbconsulting.com
Bangalore, India | +91(80)3440397 Fax +91(80)3341137
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