Why Will Lindows Blow Ass?

[1mck]

Just enough time to do a quick post....Hey, why will Lindows blow chunks when it comes out with it's first official distro?
I went to their site, and I looked up whether or not it will automatically log you into the internet as "root," and they wrote that you can add any user account that you want, soooooo, what else will cause it to suck arse?


1mck

[voidmain]

Haven't they released it yet?  Maybe they better tell Wal-Mart as they've been selling Lindows PCs for a month now.  My reasons for it blowing chunks is I've heard too much about proprietizing, Windows-izing, and I smell a rat when it comes to the CEO of the company.  But that's just me.

I suppose if it's easier for the n00bs it's *possible* that it could be good for Linux, but we'll have to wait and see. If it's a springboard for people to get to a real distro then I guess I would have to support it.

[Calum]

firstly i believe it will suck arse because it will fall short of the expectations that legions of clueless beginners will place upon it. if it were possible for linux to run windows binaries natively, then wine would be a finished project. it isn't.

also, most linux distributions are free and contain the equivelant of hundreds of pounds worth of software. Many linux distros have a pay version, but this money goes to cover the cost of any proprietary licences that may be available in that package.

Lindows does not offer their version for free. they charge $99 and the official line in their licence is that as a user of lindows, you are a beta tester of their software. they use you to generate bug reports and you pay for the privelege. Not only that but wine is free, linux is free, what are you getting with lindows that you could not have got for free elsewhere? i have never heard such a con.

their advertising is their most coherent effort.

i would like to say that many people will try lindows, see it for what it is when it does badly, and then move on to a real version of linux however what i expect to happen instead is that people will use lindows, get pissed of that it doesn't live up to their expectations, and then they will go back to windows and say things like "oh, that linux, i tried it, it was shit".

And that's why lindows sucks arse. they will possibly succeed in destroying linux where even Microsoft has so far failed.

[Bazoukas]

I registered to be a beta tester a year ago for Lindows. But back then I just knew how to install Linux and I was just looking at it and it was just looking me back. I never tried to learn more about it (i installed Mandrake).

  Needless to say I never gave 99 dollars for that to try it because I didnt have the money.

 Now even if i had the money i wouldnt try it.
 
 Lindows is just trying to make money and not to promote Open Source and Linux.

  Instead of inovating and evolving Linux more, they just run around MS like a bitch.

  Make something different or just go flip burgers. Thats what i believe.

[lazygamer]

quote:firstly i believe it will suck arse because it will fall short of the expectations that legions of clueless beginners will place upon it. if it were possible for linux to run windows binaries natively, then wine would be a finished project. it isn't.

Mandrake is probably the easiest distro yet, but it's difficulty would swallow a wind0ze retard(someone who  is mass market zombie) alive. Lindows will probably be easier, but it's Linux, and Linux will always swallow zombies alive until the end of time.  

[lazygamer]

Isn't Lindows pretty much saying through their buisness practices:

"The GPL(or is that GNU?) has no legal binding. You can't make your own magic copyright and have something protectable if you don't pay for an official copyright. Besides, there is no one who would bother sueing us, because there is no official company behind the sources, no one would bother forwarding their own funds."

Well, that's also a fear of mine too about the GPL. Is that a possiblity, or is the GPL more then just high hopes?

[voidmain]

They will make all the GPL source available (although there have been some violations/concerns/gripes I believe they may have been cleared up). And there is nothing wrong with them writing their own proprietary code to include with their distribution and distributing it without source. But it would certainly go against the beliefs of people who like the Open Source model (me included and one reason I am not interested in it).

GPL has been around for quite a long time now and it's pretty much self preserving.  However, there is a legal group to prosecute violations if it comes to that. You really should read this:
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/enforcing-gpl.html

[ September 06, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[lazygamer]

WOW! I never imagined this. I still don't get how it's possible, but the guy is a lawyer for the GPL, so I'll take his word for it.

Ok so what's the difference between GPL and GNU? GPL is General Public License, GNU is GNU is Not Linux. I know they are somehow connected. Is GNU just a fancy name for the GPL license used for Linux?

[flap]

What would the point of the GPL be if it weren't legally enforceable?

GPL is a licence. GNU is the operating system we all use but tend to refer to as Linux (which is technically just the name of the kernel.)

Just read the docs at gnu.org, particularly http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html

[ September 06, 2002: Message edited by: flap ]

[1mck]

Even though the Lindows OS is for $99 bucks, you will be getting StarOffice 6.0, which is around $75 bucks US, and also they have a shit load of programs that the newbies would probably never find on their own, and much less install them. Lindows has their "Click-N-Run" thingy where you just click a few buttons, and it installs your software....Having said all of that, isn't that sort of what everyone wants? You want to replace Windoze, so it has to run sort of maybe like it. For example, I can download lots of software for Windoze, and with a few clicks (and maybe some shutting down, and restarting my computer...probably a lot of restarting) it will install. It is the year 2002 people, let's make things that easy for the general user, and push Linux over the top into the main stream!

I hope that Lindows doesn't fail, and as far as the $99 bucks to be an "Insider" thingy that they have there, here is what is written:

What you can expect as a Lindows.com Insider?
Immediate access to our LindowsOS Sneak Previews (via download or CD)
All interim Sneak Previews, and the General Release version when available
NEW - Membership to the Lindows.com "Click-N-Run Warehouse" for two years from the time that the General Release comes out ( up to a $198 value)
NEW - now includes a free copy of StarOffice 6.0 from Click-N-Run Warehouse
Early views of our future plans, products and thinking
Access to some of our technical and business information
Access to the the private Insider's Forum where all the latest news is broken and discussed
Direct e-mail access to Lindows.com employees via special Insider's Aliases
Early access to news with the Insider's Newsletter - be among the first to know
Access to the private Insider's Chat, including guest chats with Lindows.com CEO Michael Robertson
Guaranteed satisfaction - if you are not satisfied in the first 30 days of your membership we will refund your money

[voidmain]

The "Click & Run" is a $99/year subscription, for software you can already get for free and install easily.

[1mck]

True, but you get to keep all the software that does cost money, forever, and keep it at Lindows for free...of course, that could change. All in all, is it really a bad distro of Linux?

1mck

[HighLamb]

$99/yesr subscription = M$ Licence 6.0

Therefore:
Lindows = Windows

While: Windows SUX!!
       Lindows SUX too!!!!

[LorKorub]

I am for anything anti-Micro$hit, but I have only a few problems with Lindows:

a) The name has to go.  I think "U X" would have been more appropriate.....a la it isn't quite U-NI-X, but not M$.

b) The products that they have are coming pre-installed on (where roughly 80% of "home PC user" business comes from) very shotty computers that won't be able to run even the advanced (and I use that term loosley) Windows software components.  Wine can't run a lot of things, even in the greatest distro of Linux.  How they will run on Lindows is anyone's guess.

One thing is certain though: We, as the Microsoft Eradication Society, need to embrace these Lindowers, help them, take them under our wings, and hold them closley to our bosoms.  $300 computers with, by Wintel standards, "sub-par" machines will operate more than efficiently with a good distro of Linux.  When these users start popping up in NGs, on IRC, or on boards such as this, we need to do a better job with these people than we did with the Window$ fuckers.  They will he coming soon.  Someone needs to spread the word about everything we talk about here, and to explain the M$/Intel oligopoly. These people, contrary to belief, are taking the first step, and/or have no clue/or no other option (which is most likely finacialy oriented.)  There will be those that need the assistance, and will be polite in doing so. The others, aka the morons who don't want to be helped, can migrate to Window$ or Web TV where they belong.

[HighLamb]

Bad Move!
I am Sorry!!

Just don't want to see one monster down then another come.

[ September 07, 2002: Message edited by: HighLamb ]