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Re: KDE on Windows?
by Greg Brubaker on Sunday 20/May/2001, @11:35
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Seriously, What I see the big problem is, that people are not using Linux (enough).
We do have killer apps: the GIMP.
I run Linux on *my* computer, but at work, I have to run Windows (2000). It is not my computer, it is not my choice, the Business world is crowding around and basing itself off apps like Outlook, amoung others.
Should I be able to run Linux at work, I would save to company a lot of money, and have apps (like the GIMP) that I want.
It will be the new companies, those that realize that they just can't afford computers, and Windows too. Those that choose to be to run Linux so that they can afford to pay their employees, those that don't need Qt/Windows until they have a product to sell. These are the companies that will bring Linux to the business marketplace. These are the companies that will make KDE famous. These are the companies that will grow the Linux desktop use up, develop their products under Qt/GPL, and then storm the still to exist Windows market (probably at least 80%) with their (cheaply created) products, now throught Qt/Commercial.
As long as Linux becomes serious amoung the desktop (from 4-5% to 15-20%) (especialy popular amoung startups) and Windows keeps a strong base (30-80%), Qt/Comerical(Windows) will be a huge profit potential for TrollTech, and a GPL(Windows) version won't really matter -- assuming the above.
Similarly, if Linux, Windows, and MacOS all each hold a strong portion of the market (at least 15%+), then Qt/Commercial will be essential for cross platform development .
However, ultimately, we face a future with further and further general consumer education. More and more great game MODS (like Counter-Ctrike for half-life) will of course become stardard, moreover, "KWORD" MODs will also increase (a.k.a. an increase in the number of serious, capable coders and kernel hackers).
We will see increased GNU/Linux use. Predictably, it's happening from the outside in. First came servers, currently we're seeing it happen to embedded, and adventualy (the hardest to "Konquer") the desktop.
The next Linux boom doesn't have to happen in the USA, France, or Finland. It doesn't have to start in China, Japan, or Brazil. It will happen, where it happens. Many governments will help, including those that really hate Microsoft, those that really hate the USA and/or other foreign influences. Linux is the silent "killer." It's existence (or that of an alternative) is unavoidable.
What is the immediate future? I'd like to think single boxes. Each marked "WIN/LIN/MAC". That don't give any preference to either. They'll contain a single DVD, which will install perfectly, just differing on your system.
What about today? Today you don't have to care about Linux anymore. Its just inevitable. You can be like me, and do what you can, all while forgeting about Linux at your work PC, and then coming back in amazement of all that has happened in the Linux world, when you come back.
-- Greg |
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