Re: Round two mPlayer -- basic UNIX/Linux (and MacOS) approaches

[Steven Pritchard <steve@silug.org>]

On Tue, Oct 18, 2005 at 02:12:18PM -0500, Ken Keefe wrote:
> "I just don't understand how linux thinks it is going to gain any sort
> of serious market share if a user has to do all this arcane tinkering
> in config files and compiling of kernel modules. How is an average
> user supposed to know how to do this??"

That's an easy question to answer.  An average user isn't supposed to
know how to do any of that.

Linux is perfect for people who just want to use a computer, who never
want to troubleshoot a problem, who never want to (or shouldn't be
allowed to) install software, etc.  Look at the embedded Linux market
(TiVo, etc.) if you want proof.  :-)

Linux is also perfect for people who want to know *everything* about
the system they are using.  The problem is that getting there takes a
lot of work and quite a bit of patience.  The learning curve is steep,
but you eventually hit a point where it all just makes sense, and you
can do just about anything with the system.

The distribution vendors and the desktop (KDE/GNOME/etc.) developers
are working to make the curve less steep by making GUI front-ends for
a lot of things, but you'll *never* be able to do everything in the
GUI that you can do from a shell.

Steve
-- 
steve@silug.org           | Southern Illinois Linux Users Group
(618)398-3000             | See web site for meeting details.
Steven Pritchard          | http://www.silug.org/

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