Re: Linux interest group

["Rick Tarara" <rbtarara@sprynet.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: David Emigh <emigh@commnet.edu>
> Anyway, I really recommend that during this summer some of you ought to
> find some cranky old machine (486 or even a 386) with 8meg or more of
> ram and a 0.5 Gig hardrive try out linux.

I think I'm in Leigh's camp on this--WHY?  What will Linux do that can't be
done in the Windows or Mac environment?  Why complicate life for programmers
(already complicated enough with the Win/Mac duality) with yet another
operating system to accommodate?  What real advantage is given to students
who will find that 90% of the computing world in WinTel based--and looks to
be moving towards even higher percentages.  {An aside here--tried to find
some Mac software for my wife's school Friday and discovered that chains
like Best Buys and Media Play have all but abandoned even the software
market for Macs.  With the bottom line being Apple's #1 concern, how long
before they dump the educational market?}  I realize that to be in favor of
diversity (in all things) is politically correct, but while the WinTel
pseudo monopoly _might_ well stifle some creativity, the overall ease and
efficiency of the computing world (and schizo educational institutions like
ours) might well be better served with a uniform, standard OS.  Just my
opinion, of course.

rick   (who is still trying to decide whether to dump Mac software
development and concentrate of Windows)