[CrackMonkey] Fw: [Evolution] Interview with Miguel de Icaza

[Alex Feinberg]

> Why are we trying to win users over from Windows? How will "more users"
> translate into "better users"?

Oops.. forgot to hit 'g' instead of 'r' in mutt.

Well, basically it depends on what kind of users. When trying to win over users
from Windows we are making an assumption that Windows is equivavlent to Linux
and that the same types of people use these oses with the same types of purposes.
While it is true that Linux can do most everything Windows can and much more, and 
that yes Linux can indeed be adopted for an average user to be used in an embeded
environment, the idea that main Linux community must invite Windows users and cater
to them is absurd.

Most Windows users are simply interested in pressing buttons and performing
a task with the least amount of understanding and effort. They are not
interested in knowing or understanding how their system works and using this
knowledge coupled with a power interface (read: command line) to control
their system and fine tune it. That's the difference. Windows users with the
above mentioned power-needs don't need an easy to use interface. While
windows users who could care less about power and control don't need to run
Linux. The only category that somewhat overlaps are script kiddies, and these
must be shot, hanged, drawn quartered and analy impaled upon detection.

Now, more users may mean more hardware support and more documentation. We
can see this fact by comparing the Linux-laptop page with OpenBSD-mobile
page (http://www.monkey.org/openbsd-mobile); one will notice that there are
more support models. But we are talking about the different kind of user:
it's not just quantity, it's also quality. I am somewhat doubtfull that
users who can't use mutt and fetchmail can write device drivers and create
helpfull documentations.

Also, please note that this does not just apply to Linux, but will do for
BSD's, other UNIX work-alikes and most any other os made with a power user
and developer in mind as opposed to an accountant, secretary or 8-year old. 

--
Alex "strlen" Feinberg