Will Linux Conquer the Universe?

[saptech]

The International Space Station's laptops are moving from Windows to Linux, and R2, the first Linux-powered humanoid robot in space, is now under-going in-flight testing.

To the space station and beyond with Linux | ZDNet

 

[jefboyardee]

Not only that, but even though it’s not mentioned at the BestBuy page, Linux runs the HP Passport 18.5" All-In-One Computer, in a market usually reserved for Mr. Bill.

 

[mikedt]

Not only that, but even though it’s not mentioned at the BestBuy page, Linux runs the HP Passport 18.5" All-In-One Computer, in a market usually reserved for Mr. Bill.

TBH I don't think that's a PC in the classical sense.
"Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 ARM Cortex-A9 processor" So it's not going to run desktop Windows anyway.

"Custom HP Linux-based operating system preinstalled" Whatever that is. It doesn't sound like Ubuntu or Android or Chrome OS or anything known.

Probably some kind of internet browsing appliance or device though.

 

[saptech]

Not only that, but even though it

 

[jefboyardee]

Huh, thought I did it right... try this one.

 

[jefboyardee]

Probably some kind of internet browsing appliance or device though.

I think you

 

[saptech]

Huh, thought I did it right... try this one.

That one works.

Thnx.

 

[7Priest7]

I don't see a day when linux has the majority of desktop pc users.

There are many reason,
Some of which are.
1. People are used to windows, and while linux has made great strides to be more usable. It is still different.
2. All new pro grade games for pc are for windows/mac, unless native Linux binaries start becoming commonplace, this represents a serious drawback.
3. Android is not Linux, The biggest market using a Linux kernel is the mobile market.
However, Android is not a real Linux distro, It uses very few established standards.

There are many other reasons. However this being android forums, I don't want to accidentally start a debate(I never win(debates never seem to be decided by facts, just popular opinion)).

It will not happen.
Linux has it's place, It is a great server OS.

There will never be a time when the majority of end users will want to deal with Linux.

 

[jefboyardee]

Good points. But I think the Win8 disaster might have created a mass that is ready to try something new, if and when it appears.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I don't see a day when linux has the majority of desktop pc users.

Uh-oh. Them's fightin' words! :laugh:

There are many reason,
Some of which are.
1. People are used to windows, and while linux has made great strides to be more usable. It is still different.

And? Horseless carriages [otherwise known as cars] were 'different' from horse-drawn carriages...but people adapted.

2. All new pro grade games for pc are for windows/mac, unless native Linux binaries start becoming commonplace, this represents a serious drawback.

More game companies are releasing native Linux versions now.

3. Android is not Linux,

Yes, it is. Linux, however, is not Android. And Android, while Linux, is not a standard Linux distribution, in that its OS innards are much more protected. But that doesn't mean they're inaccessible. You just have to try harder. And this is good in terms of keeping hapless users from bricking their phones.

The biggest market using a Linux kernel is the mobile market.

Yes, Android is by leaps and bounds the most-used mobile OS.

However, Android is not a real Linux distro, It uses very few established standards.

I'm not sure I agree.

There are many other reasons. However this being android forums, I don't want to accidentally start a debate(I never win(debates never seem to be decided by facts, just popular opinion)).

You haven't been around long, huh? We like debates around here--just keep them civil.

It will not happen.
Linux has its place, It is a great server OS.

There will never be a time when the majority of end users will want to deal with Linux.

Excuse me, but 1992 called--they want their then-current common view of Linux back. This is the 21st century. Linux LONG ago became easy enough for anyone, even the most illiterate of computer illiterates to install and use. My recently departed mother is the best example I can think of. If *SHE* could dump window$ and seamlessly switch to Linux, ANYONE can.

 

[saptech]

Linux convinced me, though my name is nobody!

NASA doesn't want to be in space doing very important experiments and then have the OS say, “This copy of Windows is not genuine. You must activate today. Activate Windows now.” and then stop alot of its functions!

 

[mikedt]

Good points. But I think the Win8 disaster might have created a mass that is ready to try something new, if and when it appears.

I think that might happen here in China first. Windows 8 is radically different to XP, which has been around for a long time and that's what they're used to AFAICT. The few Win 8 PCs I've seen so far can be very expensive. They're priced like Macs. MS doesn't have the lux desirability that Apple products can have here.

Canonical are doing some serious business here. Many PCs now come with "Designed for Ubuntu" branding, even though many of them still come with the crippled Windows 7 Home Basic. But it's building brand awareness. Also the government has partnered with Canonical to produce a version of Ubuntu for The People, called Kylin.

 

[mikedt]

Linux convinced me, though my name is nobody!

NASA doesn't want to be in space doing very important experiments and then have the OS say,

 

[7Priest7]

Uh-oh. Them's fightin' words! :laugh:


And? Horseless carriages [otherwise known as cars] were 'different' from horse-drawn carriages...but people adapted.

Completely different, Windows and Linux are capable of the same speed. Cars are much faster than any horse can ever be.

More game companies are releasing native Linux versions now.

So you use Linux exclusively? Also, Guild wars 2? WOW? any other wildly popular games?

Yes, it is. Linux, however, is not Android. And Android, while Linux, is not a standard Linux distribution, in that its OS innards are much more protected. But that doesn't mean they're inaccessible. You just have to try harder. And this is good in terms of keeping hapless users from bricking their phones.

Yes and no, True it has some parts of Linux However it lacks x interface, It lacks the ability to use java on it, It lacks the ability to install from source.
EDIT: For that matter it lacks the ability to run things compiled for even generic linux.

Yes, Android is by leaps and bounds the most-used mobile OS.

Agreed, But like I said before android is davilik vm that uses linux to run it.

You haven't been around long, huh? We like debates around here--just keep them civil.

Two people liked your post, even though yours was purely opinion.
I simply cannot win as I make decisions off facts.

Excuse me, but 1992 called--they want their then-current common view of Linux back. This is the 21st century. Linux LONG ago became easy enough for anyone, even the most illiterate of computer illiterates to install and use. My recently departed mother is the best example I can think of. If *SHE* could dump window$ and seamlessly switch to Linux, ANYONE can.

True linux is usable, as I mentioned on my first post.
However the app compatibility is as bad as 1992.
EDIT: If wine counts as part of Linux, then usability becomes bad, And app compatibility only increases by a small margin. Wine is very difficult to setup for games.

While alternates are made for linux
such as open office vs ms office, Time has shown, people don't want to learn new programs.

 

[9to5cynic]

So you use Linux exclusively? Also, Guild wars 2? WOW? any other wildly popular games?

Well, steam now has a linux client, so yeah, some wildly popular games are available.

Yes and no, True it has some parts of Linux However it lacks x interface, It lacks the ability to use java on it, It lacks the ability to install from source.
EDIT: For that matter it lacks the ability to run things compiled for even generic linux.

Well, Android is linux. It's an embedded system. Kinda like how some Smart TV's operate using linux. And Cisco gear. And some TiVo systems. Linux is a very versatile OS, just because it isn't a traditional desktop doesn't mean it isn't linux.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_OS#Linux
Goes into it far more than I'm going to, but Android is linux. No two ways about it.

Agreed, But like I said before android is davilik vm that uses linux to run it.


Two people liked your post, even though yours was purely opinion.
I simply cannot win as I make decisions off facts.



True linux is usable, as I mentioned on my first post.
However the app compatibility is as bad as 1992.
EDIT: If wine counts as part of Linux, then usability becomes bad, And app compatibility only increases by a small margin. Wine is very difficult to setup for games.

While alternates are made for linux
such as open office vs ms office, Time has shown, people don't want to learn new programs.

Hmm.. I'm not sure about that app compatibility argument. Windows != Linux. It seems silly to me to think that Linux should be able to run Windows apps. Windows can't run all the Linux software, and Mac can't either. This seems like a weird point to make. Unless I'm missing something here. ?

 

[7Priest7]

Unless I'm missing something here. ?

OS Statistics
'nuff said.
For all your praise of Linux, I bet you are using windows atm.
You can praise Linux all you want.
At the end of the day less than 5% of internet users use Linux.

Facts: Things that can be proven.

Well, Android is linux. It's an embedded system. Kinda like how some Smart TV's operate using linux. And Cisco gear. And some TiVo systems. Linux is a very versatile OS, just because it isn't a traditional desktop doesn't mean it isn't linux.

I never said it was not Linux.
I said it is not real Linux.
It is a big piece of java vm running on a tiny piece of Linux code.

 

[MoodyBlues]

or all your fan-boy praise of Linux, I bet you are using windows atm.

Hell will freeze over before I allow any micro$oft garbage anywhere near me, including its piece of shit so-called operating system, window$.

 

[7Priest7]

Hell will freeze over before I allow any micro$oft garbage anywhere near me, including its piece of shit so-called operating system, window$.

Good for you!
Personally, I am a gamer.
I like Linux(Debian is my favorite distro)
however I love my windoze only games much more than Linux.

EDIT: ReactOS is kinda exciting.
Would be cool to see ReactOS come to full stable version.

 

[mikedt]

While alternates are made for linux
such as open office vs ms office, Time has shown, people don't want to learn new programs.

Yeh... they might not want to learn a new operating system either. I'm thinking of something like Windows 8, especially when coming from XP. Which might make people think of non-MS alternatives, like Ubuntu or Chrome OS or Apple of course. Or just an appliance computer like that cheap HP Passport all-in-one that was posted earlier.

 

[7Priest7]

Yeh... they might not want to learn a new operating system either. I'm thinking of something like Windows 8, especially when coming from XP. Which might make people think of non-MS alternatives, like Ubuntu or Chrome OS or Apple of course. Or just an appliance computer like that cheap HP Passport all-in-one that was posted earlier.

I've heard this good old argument before.
Windows Vista/Windows 7.

People didn't migrate to Linux.
As annoying as windows 8s new start screen is,
I see windows 8 being like windows vista(a failed version of windows).

 

[mikedt]

OS Statistics
'nuff said.
For all your praise of Linux, I bet you are using windows atm.

Nope. I stopped using Windows on my PCs, after the debacle of getting Windows 8 activated. It left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Also I like to trust my PCs not to be spying on me and phoning home, because of where I am.

You can praise Linux all you want.
At the end of the day less than 5% of internet users use Linux.

That's PC based internet users of course, which is actually becoming a minority here now. There's a heck of a lot of non-PC devices that people use on the internet, like Android netbooks, Android dongles, STBs, tablets and smart-phones. And most of those are are not running a Microsoft OS.

Facts: Things that can be proven.

I'm just stating the facts of what I see, no personal opinions from me.

 

[7Priest7]

Nope. I stopped using Windows on my PCs, after the debacle of getting Windows 8 activated. It left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Also I like to trust my PCs not to be spying on me and phoning home, because of where I am.

^ Opinion.

That's PC based internet users of course, which is actually becoming a minority here now. There's a heck of a lot of non-PC devices that people use on the internet, like Android netbooks, Android dongles, STBs, tablets and smart-phones. And most of those are are not running a Microsoft OS.

^ Inaccurate. That link lists mobile browsers at 2.2%
The rest of that is opinion formed based off your experience.

I'm just stating the facts of what I see, no personal opinions from me.

^That is the problem with your "facts" they are based off "what I see".
Facts do not work based off individual perception.
They work based off extensive study and information collection at a large scale.

 

[mikedt]

I've heard this good old argument before.
Windows Vista/Windows 7.

People didn't migrate to Linux.
As annoying as windows 8s new start screen is,
I see windows 8 being like windows vista/2000.
Windows Blue will probably be the next popular windows version.

I'm thinking about where I am(China). Windows 8 PCs here are very expensive, most people can't afford them. Much more expensive than their crippled Windows 7 Home Basic predecessors. The vast majority PC users are still on XP(usually pirated). However Canonical are spending some serious money promoting the Ubuntu brand, gets it into people's minds that there might be an alternative to Windows. AFAICT the intention of the Beijing government is to eventually end dependence on a foreign corporation for computer software, and get everyone onto a version of Ubuntu, called UbuntuKylin, which was developed in partnership with Canonical Ltd. and The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

I'm in a country where currently over 25% of PC users are still using IE6. By contrast with the USA, where IE6 usage is only 0.2%.
http://www.ie6countdown.com/
"People's Republic of China 25.8%" and that is a fact as I write this post. My opinion is, Linux can only be a good thing here.

 

[saptech]

Linux is my main OS at home. But I work with Windows as tech support person, so I do not have any say so on what OS the company use. I've also will & use Windows at home.

Alot of people may not be migrating to Linux but alot of people are dual booting Linux along side Windows, as you are doing.

As far as facts are concerned, Microsoft have paid for alot of facts to try and prove how much better Windows over the competition!

 

[mikedt]

Good for you!
Personally, I am a gamer.
I like Linux(Debian is my favorite distro)
however I love my windoze only games much more than Linux.

EDIT: ReactOS is kinda exciting.
Would be cool to see ReactOS come to full stable version.

ReactOS is interesting, I've been following this one myself. But it's got a long way to go, even to get to the basic functionality of XP.
"ReactOS 0.3.14 is still in alpha stage, meaning it is not feature-complete and is recommended only for evaluation and testing purposes."
http://www.reactos.org/