Messages in this thread |  | | Subject | Re: Last weeks QuickPoll | Date | Tue, 16 Jul 1996 10:39:05 -0400 | From | "David W. Schuler" <> |
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On Mon, 15 Jul 1996 08:30:36 EDT kday wrote: > >Last week the following question was posed on your Quick Poll: > Will Linux ever be given fair consideration alongside commercial > OSes on the desktop. > >Your summary said that the majority said yes, but the stats shown >were 47% yes, 53% no. > >Am I misreading this?
Unfortunately, you probably are not misreading this. I think that the question, in the manner in which it was asked, was fairly answered. The question should have been asked as a two-part question:
1) Should Linux be given fair consideration alongside commercial OS'es on the desktop?
(I would suspect that this would have a very high "YES" rate.)
2) Do you believe that Linux *will* be given fair consideration alongside commercial OS'es on the desktop.
(This is where the problem sits. Many companies are still reluctant to allow a "free" operating system to be used since there is no formal support structure or maintenance policy that you can pay for. Unfortunately the "bean counters" don't realize that the response you get from some of these maintenance policies is less than effective. For reasons such as this, Linux is many times not allowed to be considered as a desktop solution.
Also, until we get things such as Lotus Notes, Lotus Freelance, and other applications that are compatible with the equivalent Windows software, it will always be a problem in a BUSINESS SETTING to use Linux, especially in a mixed OS environment.)
With this in mind, I'd be curious to find out how other people answered the original question, especially when you think of it in the manner as stated above.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- David W. Schuler - Advisory Engineer Semiconductor Contract Manufacturing IBM Microelectronics Internet: schuld@btv.ibm.com B/863-2 Z/863D AOL: schuld@aol.com (Personal Mail) 1000 River Street Phone: (802) 769-7636 Essex Junction, VT 05452-4299 FAX: (802) 769-6800 For IBM Microelectronics information: <http://www.chips.ibm.com>
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