On 23 Aug 2001, at 13:06, Lee Brown wrote:

> This is exactly the reason why Linux is going to be slow taking off.
> Remember the article about Intel Itanium and how Linux got there
> first, etc. Well as this post demonstrates, most people aren't going
> to bother with the hassle required to get it there until the OS
> vendors make it happen. Of most particular interest to me was the
> comment about losing all the customizations by installing a new
> version of an OS. That seems like another trap that'll make people
> wary of using Linux for some things. "Yes I want a free OS, but I
> have to add stuff to the kernel for some things, what an upgrade
> headache." Packages are making it easier, but are still not
> consistent across different Linux implementations which I would image
> will make the vendors loath to write half a dozen install scripts that
> all have to be kept in sync not only with each other, but also with
> the different versions of the different linux variants. One
> application could easily have 10 install scripts. Yet again, what a
> headache.

I will admit that Linux is more like a 57 Chevy then a Japanese SUV,
in that it's much more hands on then Windows is, but that is also
it's biggest strength, when something fails to work as it should, the
whole system is open to examination. Unlike Windows where often the
only recourse is to reinstall the operating system.

I prefer to refer to "linux variants" as Linux based operating
systems, because realistically Redhat Linux and OpenLinux and Suse
Linux and the others are different operating systems with different
features, but running the same engine. Sort of like a Chevy, Pontiac
and Buick are different cars, in that the badges, are different, the
body has a slightly different shape, and the interior looks
different, but everything else is the same. The reason they are
different is different markets, the Pontiac is for the single person,
sporty and fun, the Chevy is more practical, common to see a car seat
or a couple of ankle-biters in the back seat. The Buick, well your
dad buys the Buick (actually that's moms doing, he would rather buy a
Porsche).

It is returning to an old trend, where the O/S engine is driven by
the CPU vendor, rather then by an O/S vendor. Itanium and AMD's
version are just the beginning. The computer vender will soon be
able to take Intel's Kernel and compiler, combine these with some
publicly available bits and build a custom O/S intended for that
particular model. I expect that companies like Redhat will move from
commercial O/S sales to doing this kind of customization service for
computer vendors. I expect that soon the Linux Standardization
Project will have at least a working document, see
http://paradigm.uor.edu/linux/standard/ for what they are doing so
far, so this may become less of an issue in the future.

Paul

Paul Schmidt,
Tricat Technologies
Email: paul@...
Website: www.tricattechnologies.com