target demographics

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Floyd
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target demographics

Post by Floyd »

I was just thinking of all the governments and schools and home users that would just love to have an easy to use, cheap (ie, free), windows-like operating system. I'm amazed a project like this didn't get started earlier.

I'm also surprised that someone isn't making linux easier to use for the average desktop user (integrated GUI, a directory stucture that makes sense to non-programmers--I mean really, c:\program files is much less vexing that /bin). Apple did a wonderful job of taking BSD and putting it together. Why can't someone else do that for PC (I am aware of Blue Linux from IBM but that was just a rumor about two years ago--I doubt we'll ever see it).

Oh well, not meaning to start anything--just musing.
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Elledan
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Post by Elledan »

Once ROS becomes usable enough, it'll be installed on hundreds of thousands of systems before you can say 'free as in speech' :)

As for your second point, the thing is that Linux isn't and never was intended to be a desktop OS. It's a server OS, perhaps an embedded OS, but it'll never become a desktop OS without some fundamental changes.
rastilin
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Post by rastilin »

I disagree, it works excellently as a desktop OS in it's current state.I would also say that the main barrier to the adoption of Linux as the dominating system is the belief that it is hard to learn and use.
Floyd
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Post by Floyd »

rastilin wrote:I disagree, it works excellently as a desktop OS in it's current state.I would also say that the main barrier to the adoption of Linux as the dominating system is the belief that it is hard to learn and use.
it IS hard to use.
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Elledan
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Post by Elledan »

Floyd wrote:
rastilin wrote:I disagree, it works excellently as a desktop OS in it's current state.I would also say that the main barrier to the adoption of Linux as the dominating system is the belief that it is hard to learn and use.
it IS hard to use.
Agreed. I have and am using Linux for server-tasks (router, file-/webserver) and found it a breeze to set things up (whenever proper documentation was available). My multiple experiences over the years to use Linux as a Windows replacement have only be met with utter failure.

It's simply a headache unless you happen to hit that magic combination of hardware and software.
MadRat
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Post by MadRat »

Linux is really pretty simple if the distribution follows the File Heirarchy Standards. Its really quite simple - as simple as Unix was meant to be - in its current incantation. If you've mastered DOS then commandline in Unix and Linux is so simple to learn. Its only when you get caught up in the additions to the basic OS does it become monolithic.
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Meklort
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Post by Meklort »

Floyd wrote:it IS hard to use.
When you first get started it is hard, but once you use it for a while it seams realy easy. Even for a windows guru, linux would be hard. Personaly linux is easy fo rme becuase i hae been using it as my main operating system for a long time.
reub2000
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Post by reub2000 »

I think another core demographic is gamers. It just makes sense. Hardcore gamers are very enthusiatic about their computers, usually building them with high end components, and ultra competitive too. I can only imagine a gamer adjusting their compiler setting and then recompiling all of ReactOS just to get a couple more hundred points in 3DMark05.
Floyd
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Post by Floyd »

MadRat wrote:Linux is really pretty simple if the distribution follows the File Heirarchy Standards. Its really quite simple - as simple as Unix was meant to be - in its current incantation. If you've mastered DOS then commandline in Unix and Linux is so simple to learn. Its only when you get caught up in the additions to the basic OS does it become monolithic.
i don't want to deal with the commandline anymore. i dealt with it for enough years to say that it's time to move on. i don't want to read 800 page manuals either. i know enough about networking and computing in general to know what i want and it shouldn't be a chore to do it. it's not that i don't respect linux's capabilities, but it shouldn't be cryptic either. it has been my experience that linux advocates tell people to change to meet the computer's limitations. i believe, however, that linux should be adapted to meet the user's requirements (ie, ease of use).

in other words, down with master control program!
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MadRat
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Post by MadRat »

The ZETA OS, a rehash of BeOS, should suit you well. Think of it as the Windows 98 of BSD or Linux, since its built around a single user with no local security restrictions. Plus the GUI is pretty sweet, along the lines of Gnome without the gawdiness. Its pretty well the most GUI driven of the open source unix projects.

For screenshots look here: http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slide ... creenshots
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Meklort
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Post by Meklort »

That is a nice gui.
AcetoliNe
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Post by AcetoliNe »

As with so many other threads in this forum, it starts out with an interesting topic, then gradually degrades into a war between Windows and Linux.

(sigh) If you can't beat 'em, join 'em:

Linux isn't hard to use, as long as you masochistically enjoy memorizing cryptic commands containing millions of special characters and bizarre names, and feel no anger at having to read a thousand pages of documentation and having to make a million kernel recompiles just to get a simple program working.
Sorry, but I don't want an operating system that thinks it's still 1991. Things have changed, OSes have changed.
Linux is only good for applications that don't care what is actually IN the system, like servers. For a server, it's only important to be able to handle client requests as reliably and cheaply as possible. What is on the outside is important, not what is on the inside, or how the system works. The same goes for embedded applications.

And as for the target demographic, I think ros is suitable for: everyone. This project was intended for everyone and everyone should be able to glean profit from using it.
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volksgeist III
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Post by volksgeist III »

I put it to the forum that the problem with linux, is that one of its main objectives is to give the administrator control.

Same deal with any complex situation - to really exert control you need the full lo-down. That's why any good President, Prime Minister, Stockbroker, Bookie or Corporate Executive relies on mountains of information in the form of briefing papers in any situation because knowledge is power.

It's called doing your homework.

My point is: if Reactos is to give the user control, it's really going to have to come with a mountain of briefing papers.
Meklort
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Post by Meklort »

volksgeist III wrote:My point is: if Reactos is to give the user control, it's really going to have to come with a mountain of briefing papers.
But, of coures, also have the option not to.
volksgeist III
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Post by volksgeist III »

But, of coures, also have the option not to.
Well I don't think I should have the option not to.

I think the extremely talented developers here should just concentrate on getting the thing built, and let people like MandrakeSoft and Suse come out with "user friendly" flavours of ReactOS later on.

Meanwhile I'm quite prepared to wade through developers notes, chagelogs, etc, to get the thing to work on my system, just as I do with linux. Open source = free as in free speech, not free beer., et al.
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