99 bucks?
|
| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| devnet Feb 17, 2005 8:38 AM EDT |
Ok...Hypothetical situation here. Pretend I'm a new Linux user.... So I spend 89 bucks on Linspire to have one of the most "Windows Like" experiences..then I subscribe to their updates and package repository for X dollars each month so I don't break the install that I just paid 80 bucks for...then I pay 99 more bucks so I can run Windows XP apps? That's putting my total at OVER what it would cost me to run Windows XP Home. What are we telling the average desktop user here? To have interoperability you're gonna have to pay through the nose? Hopefully, they'll find a free distro or one that costs 10 bucks so their pocketbook doesn't get reamed. I think this price is a bit out there...I sure hope they slash it for the sake of new Linux users. Me? I'll stick with OOo and Cedega. |
| tuxchick Feb 17, 2005 9:32 AM EDT |
I agree with the folks who say that products like this undermine interoperability and F/OSS development. This is hardly a scientific sample, but two famous examples are BitKeeper and nVidia. What's so magical about BitKeeper that a F/OSS versioning system can't replace it? I think there is less energy and motivation going into the free systems because it's easier to use BitKeeper. And the same for nVidia- the path of least resistance is to use their products and proprietary, binary drivers. Again, less energy and motivation going into pestering hardware manufacturers for Linux support, and developing good video for Linux. It's obvious to me that the main obstacles to hardware and software vendors supporting Linux is the secret hand of Microsoft. Breaking that grip is going to take a lot of nagging from customers, and quality F/OSS alternatives. Kludges like Win4Lin are useful, but I wonder what would happen if that energy and resources were devoted to developing native Linux apps? There is no shortage of good projects to support. |
| peragrin Feb 17, 2005 10:33 AM EDT |
Yes but some people have seen the light. http://www.pchdtv.com/hd_3000.html an HD tuner card for Linux. The windows drivers though included are no more than beta's. drivers pre-compiled for Fedora, source code included for other Linux distro's. Production can barely keep up with demand, because in July The broadcast flag must take effect. They are being sold to Linux users, who want HDMyth TV. |
| Koriel Feb 18, 2005 12:49 AM EDT |
I wish Belkin would see the light, ive just spent hours trying to get their F5D7000 wireless card to work in slackware 10.1 They dont do a native linux driver, so ive just spent yonks getting ndiswrapper to load belkins windows drivers. Eventually got it all working but what a hassle, at least getting my pci-e nvidia card to work was a cinch proprietary drivers or not. |
Posting in this forum is limited to members of the group: [ForumMods, SITEADMINS, MEMBERS.]
Becoming a member of LXer is easy and free. Join Us!