[ Thanks to Gene
Alexander for this link. ]
“This question popped into my head today while I was
reading my Linux based RSS feeds and URLs from Digg and Reddit.
Almost all Linux based articles that try to “sell” Linux do so by
comparing Linux to some other operating system. Not one of these
articles I have seen recently attempts to market Linux on its own
merits. In some cases, such as politics, comparing yourself to the
other guy will work. In other cases, again thinking politics, such
comparisons may well blow up in your face. I have been guilty of
making these comparisons using Linux and some other operating
system myself, but are these comparisons doing what we want? Or are
these comparisons doing as much, or more, harm than they are doing
good?“With Linux I think we need to concentrate more on the question
of, “Why is Linux good?” and as in the title of the article, “What
makes Linux compelling to use?”. I think some of us have set up
unintended expectations in end-users that try Linux by making
comparisons to other operating systems. Based on these comparisons
the end-user comes to Linux thinking it is just a no cost, a.k.a.
“free”, option to that other operating system and ends up
disappointed, disgusted and disgruntled when Linux does not perform
to false expectations.”