Amen.
Frank Davenport
----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Phil Mattison" <
mattison20@cox.net>
To: <
plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: Linux in business
> Here's an interesting analogy: It's just possible that Linux could be =
to the
> OS what the PC was to the mainframe and mini-computer. Being an old =
fart in
> the computer biz, I got to see the entire evolution of the PC to where =
it is
> now (I started out using DEC-11's & VAX's). Clearly, there were three =
things
> that made the PC successful: it was an open architecture, i.e. the =
technical
> specifications were published, no licensing was required (this was a
> strategic error on the part of IBM; they didn't think there was a =
market for
> it,) and finally, it was a standard by virtue of having been designed =
by
> IBM. Hardware developers could compete because the parts were
> interchangeable and there were no royalties to be paid. Linux seems to =
have
> those three things going for it. The same forces that made people want =
to
> get away from DEC and IBM now apply to Microsoft, i.e. they were huge =
and
> rapacious, and tried at every opportunity to make users dependent on =
them.
> In the early years of the PC, PC users was perceived as being just as =
geeky
> as Linux users are now. Microsoft became the PC OS because it was run =
by
> geeks. It still is run by geeks, but now they're old and rich geeks. =
When
> most of the people who develop linux and its components and =
applications can
> make money at it, Linux will displace Windows. As long as most people =
do it
> for fun, it will not. That darn GPL sort of gets in the way of making =
money
> though, doesn't it?
> --
> Phil Mattison
> Ohmikron Corp.
> 480-722-9595 ext.1
> 602-820-9452 Mobile
>=20
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