NY Times: Forget the Files and the Folders: Let Your Screen Reflect Life | Linux Today

NY Times: Forget the Files and the Folders: Let Your Screen Reflect Life

Written By
Web Webster
Web Webster
Nov 8, 2002

[ Thanks to Paul A. Rombouts for this
link. ]

“Of course, another operating system, Linux, is also clamoring
for attention. Linux and Windows are both children of the 70’s:
Linux grew out of Unix, invented by AT&T; Windows is based on
the revolutionary work of Xerox research. In technology years,
these loyal and devoted operating systems are each approximately
4,820 years old. (Technology years are like dog years, only
shorter.)

“Each is nonetheless still solid enough to be a good, steady
platform for the next step in software. But Windows is the
marketplace victor and has now won a decisive legal imprimatur.
There is no technical reason for us to move to Linux; why should we
switch? Why should our customers?

“Some argue for Linux on economic and cultural grounds:
Microsoft, people say, has driven up prices and suppressed
innovation. But this is a ticklish argument at best: after all,
over the decade of Microsoft’s hegemony, computing power has grown
cheaper and cheaper. Innovation has thrived. Our software is
innovative; it has not been suppressed. On the contrary, more and
more people get interested…”

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Web Webster

Web Webster

Web Webster has more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience in the tech sector. He’s written and edited news, demand generation, user-focused, and thought leadership content for business software solutions, consumer tech, and Linux Today, he edits and writes for a portfolio of tech industry news and analysis websites including webopedia.com, and DatabaseJournal.com.

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