RIP: Linux Community (1991-2007)

[Robert N. Eaton]

I must be a mediocre user. I am not able to write my own drivers: Hell, 
I'm still stumbling over man pages! But that doesn't prevent me from 
having a lot of fun with Linux.

Linux is challenging.  Sometimes I'm up to the challenge: more often (I 
fear) I'm not. Even so, I'm still trying (some would say I'm very 
trying.) I've asked many questions of the local "community," and Plug 
members have been generous with their help. This help is appreciated.

It has been said that any sufficiently advanced technology is 
indistinguishable from magic. Many, if not most, Plug members are 
sufficiently comfortable with the technological nuts and bolts of Linux 
and other OS's that they forget that the vast majority of the population 
still regard computer technology as closely akin to magic.  Easy tools 
to use, perhaps, but magic, none the less. And, this vast  majority I 
speak of just want their tools to work.

It may be Linux enthusiasts' role to educate the majority as to why 
_this_ OS is better than _that_ OS and why everyone should use "code 
that doesn't suck," but we should never forget the hours,days 
weeks,months of sometimes frustrating study that enabled us to be 
comfortable in this role. Not everyone is willing to spend the time. 
Most don't care what goes on "under the hood."

"One should never examine too closely the making of laws or sausages." 
This may be the way of the world: it may even apply to the philosophical 
basis of computer technology. A blend of both free and proprietary 
technologies _may_ be a real world necessity. The pristine free code 
that we hope for is slow to arrive. As it is unsubsidized, this is not 
surprising. For the real purists, there is always HURD.

I truly don't mean to sound pessimistic: I do have hope.

Linux is proving to be a powerful and secure OS, and one that is 
becoming increasingly easy to use. (I know because I started out with 
Red Hat 3.01, or thereabouts.) However, until it becomes demonstrably 
easier to use than other OS's, power and security don't matter so much 
to the majority. (Yes, yes, I know. They really should.) But until then, 
Linux will remain an elite OS for an elite user group.

In the meantime, let us hope that the community keeps the code coming, 
keeps solving the problems, and keeps improving the ... (what's another 
word for product?)

My $.02

Bob Eaton