Why Linux is not (yet) ready for the desktop

[Peter Davis]

2009/5/25 Brian Fahrlander <wheeldweller at gmail.com>

> Jan Claeys wrote:
> > Op maandag 18-05-2009 om 18:05 uur [tijdzone +0100], schreef David
> > Gerard:
> >
> >> The catch comes when system N+1 claims backward compatibility with
> >> system N (as Pulse does with ALSA) and fails to deliver in practice
> >> (as Pulse does with ALSA).
> >>
> >
> > If I understand the situation correctly, PulseAudio implements the
> > mandatory parts of ALSA, but if applications don't check for some
> > optional features before using them they fail.  Those same applications
> > also fail on "real" ALSA hardware & drivers that don't implement those
> > extra features.
> >
> > Of course, from a user POV, that looks like a bug in PulseAudio, while
> > the real bug is in the application...
> >
>    I honestly don't see why people don't notice these things; maybe it's
> just because I'm a mutant.
>
>   Every system has had the "will they adopt it" phase, while most of
> the recent ones are just foisted upon us.  Then there's the 'some
> distros use it' phase in which it becomes workable, then the 'Everyone
> has it, but it's not perfect" phase where new alternatives come about.
>
>   We're there, now. PulseAudio is the latest in a long line of
> improvements, and it's here  here we need to stay: it has all sorts of
> flexibility, tons of potential, and the code is getting nice and
> stable.  It's the answer to all the previous attempts, and it needs to
> be the one for (at least) the desktop.  No more re-thinks on it, please!
>
>   It didn't take long to decide that Postscript should be the internal
> standard of the printing system, and once the GlibC became an option
> little discussion was needed there, either.  Just let it come; realize
> every new paradigm has bugs and slug it out a bit longer. When it's done
> there won't be a competitor that can touch it, and nothing will be more
> reliable.
>
>   And as to 'ready for the desktop', understand we're held to a
> different test than Microsoft: "What came with the computer?" was the
> only test that put it there. Viruses and malware costing us billions of
> dollars and enabling the takedown of the US Army, the FBI, and the US
> Marshall's office are just small PARTS of the cost  that has made
> Microsoft "no longer ready for the desktop".
>
>   Anyone telling you different is selling something. NO AMOUNT OF
> "PRETTY" is worth losing $30,000 from your bank and spending years to
> get it back. There's no longer a business case for Microsoft.  Ask
> anyone who's had their lives disrupted.
>
>
Wow, I used to be an exponent of Linux, more recently I've become an
apologist, "At least its free". Brian, your email has renewed my faith, not
in the readiness of Linux but that it is the only sane choice.

Regarding PulseAudio, its a good technology but what Linux needs is a single
technology that everyone can sign up to, if thats PulseAudio then great but
please could we STOP inventing new one audio sub systems.

Peter Davis     Atheist and Liberal
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