Just when Linux starts getting good, Microsoft buries it in the dust!

At the risk of becoming embroiled in a massive debate which I can't be bothered to argue, I agree with JS / PL. About 2 years ago (possibly slightly less I'm not really counting) I went out and bought SuSE Linux 6.1 boxed. Naively I thought that it would support my hardware, or that drivers would be available from the internet. Instead I found that it wouldn't support my USB mouse, a tremendous let down. Obviously the situation is much better now (2 years later..), but there are still omissions from the supported hardware list in Linux which keeps me from using it.

Windows has extensive driver support, and that's just one more reason why it's so much more popular than Linux. I can't see half my friends spending enough time on their computers to get to grips with the (hesitates) 'complex' nature of Linux, which can be daunting. Occasional computer users (and that's quite a lot of people) won't be interested in Linux quite just yet.

Simon Yu

No offense, but I can't believe this thread is rearing its ugly, retarded head again.

Perhaps that is because MS has just played a new card:

They have released the source code for Windows CE 3.0 ...
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/ce/tools/ source/default.asp

So be sure to get registered with Microsoft Passport! Otherwise you can't download it.

That's true but it is changing. Once kde reaches a point when just about every application you regularly use is preinstalled at $0 then it will start to change rapidly. Remember what happened to IBM ? The hardware issues are getting better. I just installed rh7.1 and it configured and set up my sound card and network card on install. Windows didn't manage that. Sure some hardware still doesn't work - micro$oft better be praying hard it never does or they are in serious trouble within 3-5 years. I hope Linux does get to be serious competition because its what consumers need. Having microsoft dominating everything is only good for them.

Said Simon Yu in alt.destroy.microsoft on Sat, 21 Jul 2001 16:26:25 GMT;

Nobody gives a rip about your whining.

...an illegal monopoly, and that is the only reason you or anyone else is using it.

Said wgaf in alt.destroy.microsoft on Sun, 22 Jul 2001 12:15:13 GMT;

Indeed, it is, as are all attempts to second-guess the market. They become common, for all their lack of sense, when discussing illegal monopolies.

What Linux has is opportunity. MS is doomed, and they know it.

Well, we can hope and pray... .. and we can stop using m$ software and encourage others to do the

Said anon in alt.destroy.microsoft on Sun, 22 Jul 2001 14:08:39 GMT;

Is this what you use in place of thinking? If you can 'see' something in your imagination?

The OEMs (who have been excluded from producing their own products by Microsoft's illegal predatory control) are the ones that 'come to grips' with the complexity of computers. The consumer just buys it and turns it on, for the most part.

Occasional computer users (and that's almost everybody) aren't interested in video cards and optical mouse just yet, either. Doesn't stop them from being healthy markets. Occasional computer users only care about which OS they use because Microsoft has forced them to by illegally excluding competition.

Again, you need to reconsider if you have actually been doing any thinking at all, friend. Is it maybe just the fact that you're used to being the victim of a monopoly that you believe that competition between (gasp) two different products is impossible? I mean, does something really have to appeal to the occasional computer user in order to be successful?

Just when Microsoft starts looking good, GNU/Linux buries it in the

Said Chris Ahlstrom in comp.os.linux.advocacy on Sat, 21 Jul 2001

They're probably hoping that some real programmers start providing fixes for the code in their MSN email; then MS can just steal them.

Chad would shit in his pants if he used Opera for Linux.