[Discuss] Essentially all free apps will soon be available on Windows

[Lloyd D Budd]

On 2/15/07, Alan W. Irwin <irwin at beluga.phys.uvic.ca> wrote:
> On 2007-02-15 21:06-0800 pw wrote:

> > Wouldn't we still be stuck with a proprietary OS though?
>
> No. If somebody was using all free apps on windows, then the final step to
> move from windows underneath to the GNU/Linux OS underneath would be
> extremely easy for them. (I am drawing a distinction here and throughout
> this post between the OS which allows just the command-line to work and apps
> that run on top of that OS.)

I expect the Web OS -- almost all applications we use being web-based
-- to be one of the largest contributors to the destruction of the
Microsoft monopoly.

Which would be ironic as web development seems to often be considered
software development


> Anyhow, I think it is freedom rather than any one app that is the true
> "killer-app" behind the free software movement.  So I don't think a single
> app is going to draw people to use the GNU/Linux OS, but a full set of free
> apps that is preloaded (see below) will attract many people and will make it
> straightforward to eventually move to the GNU/Linux OS if so desired.

> > Anyway, I can't see how porting all the great linux
> > software to windows is going to help linux market share.
>
> I really like the GNU/Linux OS, and I would be very unlikely to ever change
> to anything else.  But I think apps are even more important than the
> underlying OS, and in fact will help to obtain converts for GNU/Linux as I
> have outlined above. Thus, my primary focus of interest is on the free app
> market share, and I therefore view the recent explosion of interest in CMake
> and porting free apps to windows as something that is extraordinarily
> positive.

Well said. For me I have to remind myself regularly that there are
many fronts to the battle; many audiences to communicate to and
influence.

-- 
Peace,
Lloyd
http://foolswisdom.com