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Apple vs. Linux: Which Will Win Disgruntled Windows Users?
Earthweb ^ | December 13th | Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Posted on 12/15/2007 7:41:19 PM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing

Apple and Linux are engaged in battle – a battle to win over disgruntled Windows users. But who will win, and what will the consequences be for the loser?

The most commonly held belief amongst Apple and Linux fanboys is that both factions are engaged in some kind of a war with Microsoft. The truth is that if you look at the market share figure for Windows, Mac and Linux, both Mac OS and all the Linux distros that have ever been released are dwarfed by Windows.

Any idea that there’s a war going on can be dismissed – it’s not war, it’s more like two overly optimistic ants fighting on the back of an elephant.

(Excerpt) Read more at itmanagement.earthweb.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: irrelevant; linux; mac; windows
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To: rockrr
"...you pay through the nose for it..."

Completely untrue today. You can be driving a brand-new Mac today for about $700, fully loaded.
21 posted on 12/15/2007 8:44:31 PM PST by RightOnTheLeftCoast ([Fred Thompson/Clarence Thomas 2008!])
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To: Halfmanhalfamazing
"As prices fall and $200 PCs become a reality, neither Microsoft nor Mac will be able to provide an OS cheap enough to offer value for money."

False. Think about what you get when you buy an iPod. If Apple chooses to compete in the cheap-PC market, they have proven they can make the hardware profitably. It's a question of market economics. They are, after all, in the business to make money. It's not clear that the cheap-PC market will do so for anyone.
22 posted on 12/15/2007 8:46:51 PM PST by RightOnTheLeftCoast ([Fred Thompson/Clarence Thomas 2008!])
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To: Halfmanhalfamazing
The day that Apple comes out with a version of OS X that will install and run easily on a standard PC is the day that will mark the beginning of the death of Microsoft. Yes, I know that hacked versions run. I'm talking about a well-hyped commercial release timed just right. Microsoft would never recover from that and Apple would quickly grab a huge share of the OS market, especially if they bundle Parallels so that PC users can run their most indispensible Windows applications until they can find a Mac compatible equivalent.

Linux is cool, but still kind of a hobby OS. PCLinuxOS and Ubuntu go a long way to making Linux easy enough to configure and use that I can see Linux making more headway in the home OS market. But without major companies supporting it and promoting it with widespread advertising, Linux isn't going to take over any time soon.

23 posted on 12/15/2007 8:47:19 PM PST by Spiff (“Dear Wayne, My desire is that you be released from prison." - Gov. Mike Huckabee to Wayne DuMond)
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To: Halfmanhalfamazing

Who’s disgruntled? I’m not and don’t know anyone who is either.


24 posted on 12/15/2007 8:48:26 PM PST by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: uptoolate

bookmark


25 posted on 12/15/2007 9:06:33 PM PST by uptoolate (Two words: Duncan Hunter.)
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To: Halfmanhalfamazing
Apple vs. Linux: Which Will Win Disgruntled Windows Users?

Windows XP gets my vote.

26 posted on 12/15/2007 9:07:49 PM PST by blake6900
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To: Halfmanhalfamazing
It's true that Linux distributions are, for the most part, free of charge. That, alone, will net some new customers.

Very few of those bottom dollar PC's will stay on Linux though. Most will find a copy of WinXP or Win2000, legal or not, installed in a few months or so.

On the other hand, Linux is likely the choice of the disgruntled high end "power" users and tech savvy consumers.

Sporting features that surpass MS and Mac, such as Compiz Fusion special effects, multi "cube" workspaces, 3 click upgrades and updates, and 4 click software downloading and installations, the ability to run less processes doing the same work, better out of the box security, Linux has come of age.

Care to run your own web server or mail server, side by side with your desktop and not notice it? Easy and free on Linux. How about a complete, and free, Multimedia PC operating system? Linux, again.

How about a Linux distribution pre-configured for Education, Christians, Mobile devices, Tablet PC's, Thin Clients? Yes, Linux...again. And it's FREE. Don't like the Gnome desktop? Cool, switch it to KDE. Or Xfce, or a multitude of other free offerings.


Give Ubuntu Linux a Spin...



The fastest way for most people to get Ubuntu is by downloading the CD Installer. The CD Installer is nearly 700MB. If you don't have a fast internet connection you may want to consider requesting a CD.

Which release do you want?

Desktop Edition Ubuntu 7.10 - Supported to 2009 Ubuntu 6.06 LTS - Supported to 2009Server Edition Ubuntu 7.10 - Supported to 2009 Ubuntu 6.06 LTS - Supported to 2011

The "LTS" version of Ubuntu receives long-term support. 3 years for desktop versions and 5 years for server versions.

Recognized Derivatives

These are derivatives that use Ubuntu as their foundation and contribute signficantly towards the project.


27 posted on 12/15/2007 9:08:26 PM PST by papasmurf (FRed Thompson is head and shoulders above the rest. Vote for America, vote for FRed!)
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To: Halfmanhalfamazing
Linux today is user friendly. You can even run a small number of Windows programs on it with Wine. The two top distros are PCLinuxOS and Ubuntu and its KDE derivative KUBUNTU. At the low end of the spectrum, ASUS has a customized version of KDE Xandros on its eeePC and Everex has GOS on its desktop and forthcoming laptop PCs.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

28 posted on 12/15/2007 9:31:40 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: max americana
But Mac’s have a disadvantage: scalability

Could you amplify as there is 8-core Mac Pro.

29 posted on 12/15/2007 9:35:07 PM PST by Uri’el-2012 (you shall know that I, YHvH, your Savior, and your Redeemer, am the Elohim of Ya'aqob. Isaiah 60:16)
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To: RightOnTheLeftCoast
I liked it so much I kept it on my laptop. It detected my wireless card on the Live CD. Amazing. The desktop is an elegant and beautiful beautiful. The Synaptic graphical package manager makes updating software a breeze. I can even run Internet Explorer on it! Its really a very simple Linux based off Mandriva and someone familiar with Windows should be comfortable working in the KDE desktop environment. Linux has a lot of free software and the best thing about PCLinuxOS is the price - FREE! Can't beat it!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

30 posted on 12/15/2007 9:38:14 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Halfmanhalfamazing
Macs are up a little, but Linux still flat at under 1%. (Net Applications Browser Stats)


31 posted on 12/15/2007 9:55:56 PM PST by Golden Eagle
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To: papasmurf

32 posted on 12/15/2007 10:00:23 PM PST by Golden Eagle
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To: mtbopfuyn

Yes you are. The article says so.


33 posted on 12/16/2007 12:21:21 AM PST by jwh_Denver (No more SOUTHERN GOVERNORS for President. PERIOD)
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To: rockrr

Yeah, although there’s still a ton of people out there who still don’t know about the existance of linux, as well as there being people who have heard one or two things about it but they’ve got the old slogans in their head.

‘not easy to use’ ‘it’s for geeks only’

and so on. Neither of those are true.

And yes, Torvalds has a mac. But it runs linux.


34 posted on 12/16/2007 4:57:46 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing (Thompson or Hunter in 2008!)
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To: doc1019

Yes, auto configure linuxes are common now. Knoppix is a live CD(bootable CD) that you can download, burn to a single blank CD and use without installing and all of your software on your harddrive will be un touched.

Take a look for yourself, you’ll see what I mean.

http://www.knoppix.net/

Fedora, Suse, *buntu, xandros, are all linux distros which are built with ease of use in mind. There are many others.

Most of these distros use web based servers to do software installs, you don’t have to even click ‘next’ 6 or so times. The linux is way is easier. enter in the name of the software and hit enter. The server and your computer do the rest.


35 posted on 12/16/2007 5:06:57 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing (Thompson or Hunter in 2008!)
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To: RayChuang88

.............I’d go with a Mac over a Linux-based computer for a couple of reasons:
1) A lot more hardware support, especially for USB external devices.
2) No need to constantly tweak the OS to get best performance................

It’s a shame when old truths still live on.

You aren’t required to do tweaking anymore. The majority of that stuff has been ironed out.

Just because you have the ability to climb underneath the hood doesn’t mean you have to open it in the first place. Just turn the key and drive. That’s the only requirement in most cases.

But your USB devices, I hear you.


36 posted on 12/16/2007 5:10:13 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing (Thompson or Hunter in 2008!)
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To: tubebender

Yeah.

And it took several decades for an impact to be made.

I know this will end up taking a similar amount of time.


37 posted on 12/16/2007 5:11:24 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing (Thompson or Hunter in 2008!)
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To: evad

...........So, why exactly am I disgruntled with Windows??..........

I don’t have a supercomputer in my house. Do you?

Linux runs very fast on my current hardware, windows doesn’t.


38 posted on 12/16/2007 5:15:14 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing (Thompson or Hunter in 2008!)
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To: RightOnTheLeftCoast

...............”As prices fall and $200 PCs become a reality, neither Microsoft nor Mac will be able to provide an OS cheap enough to offer value for money.”

False. Think about what you get when you buy an iPod............

LOL, you can’t be serious. Web browsing on a 2 inch screen? That might be ok for occassional use, but try doing office productivity or your homework on that thing.

I won’t argue with you that it’ll have use well beyond it’s music capability, but it will need some kind of port for video output before it could be considered a candidate in the same field.


39 posted on 12/16/2007 5:37:10 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing (Thompson or Hunter in 2008!)
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To: XeniaSt
......But Mac’s have a disadvantage: scalability

Could you amplify as there is 8-core Mac Pro........

Yes, for 4000 dollars. I'm struggling to make my mortgage but need something easy to use, and fast, and within my budget.

And for 4000 dollars, I could build a much beefier machine than apple's offering.

40 posted on 12/16/2007 5:45:29 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing (Thompson or Hunter in 2008!)
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