The Story: Since 1973, the big OS around was UNIX. It was a tedious OS that required a great deal of knowledge, patience and passion! At the time, since UNIX was closed-source, it was expensive and only available for certain high-end systems. A new OS was needed, a OS that could be for the user not the company. DOS was born in 1981 as version 1.0. From this start, Gates had made DOS for IBM, only to eventualy form his own company. With that, Micro-soft (as it was origionally called) now known as Microsoft was created. Version 1.0 was released in 1985, only a few years before Linus's project.
Linus's inspiration came from two main things, the GNU project and MINIX. MINIX was created by Andrew S. Tanenbaum. He wrote a book and made an OS in an attempt to teach how an OS worked. From this, Linus began his project. Origionally with no true intentions just a small taks, Linus began Linux!
At the beginning of 1990's, here was the computer market: almost all DOS, the few graphic artists on Mac, and all large companies on Unix. The normal user stayed away from Mac because of its high price. Unix, was even more expensive then Mac, eventhough it was worth it. Do to lack of options, people chose to use Dos and eventually Windows. With that in mind, companies began to release their programs for the Windows OS. Games began on Dos and then Windows. Major companies were setting up their networks with the new Windows 3.11 with workgroups. The problem is, that people weren't thinking about what was truly the best tool for their purpose. Because computers started to come with Windows pre-installed, the average user accepted it and left it. They often complained of the dreaded Blue Screen of Death, but overall dealt with it. Not Linus, he was different, the father of the modern day "Geeks". Following the GNU project started by Richard Stallman, Linus believed in open-source. He released his origional kernel for Linux in mid September of 1991. That was around six years since the origional release of Windows 1.0. Windows had a great advantage, it was already old and people were beginning to get comfortable with pressing CTRL + ALT + DEL every ten seconds. As most of the world, change was not going to be easy. The true thing stopping users from switching over to Linux, was the lack of software. Linus was able to port (transfer) apps (applications) from Unix and MINIX over like the popular Pine (for email) and the GCC compiler. If the software distributors weren't making the apps for Linux, then people weren't going to use it.
That's the start of Linux, but there could be so much more. Imagine this if you willl; The GNU project and MINIX happened ten years earlier. Linus made his first version of Linux in 1981, ahead of Gates by four years.
At that point, Linux would be the "chosen" OS, not Windows. In my opinion, the world would've been better off! The world would not revolve around one OS as it does now. Very few large companies have any interest in producing products for Unix/Linux. I'm not asking them to make all their products open-source, I'm asking them to make bin versions, or versions that are pre-compiled and ready to run on Linux. The Linux and BSD OS's are so powerful, that they can emulate programs to run on it. Though, because the programs were initially written for Windows, they are no where nearly as stable on Windows. Saying "stable" and "Windows" in a sentence is just awkword!
The sad thing is, that my entire dream is just that, a dream. There is no way to revert back in time and tell Linus to make Linux before Windows comes out. Though, there are things one can do. If you are still reading this, either you are interested in the subject, or bored enough to read it. For either reason you still can help. It is important to remember that using a computer is more then just playing games, and more thne just word processing. People spend lifetime perfecting OS's. As it looks, Microsoft need more then a few lifetimes for perfection
. Linux is no where near perfect, but it's idea is. Because Linux is open-source, users can get the source at their request. A large advantage to Linux over other OS's, is that if you find a problem, or have a request; if you write it up it will most likely be put in the OS. Linux receives so many bugs and comments etc..that Linux has to announce a cut-off date for versions. There are many other advantages to Linux and BSD other then stability. When a programmer make an app, he/she may need to use environmental variables; such as calling up the OS's print dialog, or rebooting the computer. The problem with closed-source is that the programmers are not given the "how" and "where" these parts of the OS are. In Linux, a programmer knows every part of the source they want, making apps more efficent and easier for the programmer. All in all, the open-source community has so much more power over the closed-source community. There is NO reason as to why the world would use Windows over a Linux distro. Some say that Linux/BSD are too difficult, they think that Linux/BSD is just a command line OS. Many have no idea that XFree86 (The Linux/BSD/UNIX GUI) exists! Personally, I find KDE, or Window Maker a lot easier then that of the Windows GUI. The fact that you have complete control over the GUI makes it better. The funny thing, is that a Windows user can only come up with a few reasons why they wont switch. I'm going to list the reasons, then list a response to give them.
My programs won't work on it.
Response: As long as its not a game, you tell me the program, I will find you the Linux/BSD alternative. If I can't, I bet I could get it to work on Wine.
Its too hard to install.
Response: Really? I never had a problem. I popped in the Mandrake disc, and well...I can read so it wasn't that hard. Was that stopping you?
Other people use the computer, I don't want to screw everything up.
Response: Ah...you really don't know? When you turn the computer, a little midgit sits in there and tells the computer to boot Windows. If you pay him off, when you start the computer he'll give you options whether to boot Windows or Linux. This is called Dual-Booting
Well, to sum this up. I am saddened by the outcome of the computer age. In my humble opinion, any Geek could have accomplished what Gates did. If you ask them, they won't. He was a thief, and advertiser. He didn't care about what he was doing, or who he stepped on, as long as there was money. As you now know, Linus had NO intentions of making a profit. In fact, he is not living in fame and forture, just an average guy (that happens to be a G-d for Geeks). In the end, I ask you to think about one thing when you are about to buy a computer, or the new version of Windows: Is this really better, just because it's more expensive?! The answer is no, It's more expensive because it was there first, Windows is against the open-source community and Gates even feels that the open-source community can be considered a serious threat to Windows. We the open-source community, do our best to make Gates feel as unpleasent as possible!
Linus's inspiration came from two main things, the GNU project and MINIX. MINIX was created by Andrew S. Tanenbaum. He wrote a book and made an OS in an attempt to teach how an OS worked. From this, Linus began his project. Origionally with no true intentions just a small taks, Linus began Linux!
At the beginning of 1990's, here was the computer market: almost all DOS, the few graphic artists on Mac, and all large companies on Unix. The normal user stayed away from Mac because of its high price. Unix, was even more expensive then Mac, eventhough it was worth it. Do to lack of options, people chose to use Dos and eventually Windows. With that in mind, companies began to release their programs for the Windows OS. Games began on Dos and then Windows. Major companies were setting up their networks with the new Windows 3.11 with workgroups. The problem is, that people weren't thinking about what was truly the best tool for their purpose. Because computers started to come with Windows pre-installed, the average user accepted it and left it. They often complained of the dreaded Blue Screen of Death, but overall dealt with it. Not Linus, he was different, the father of the modern day "Geeks". Following the GNU project started by Richard Stallman, Linus believed in open-source. He released his origional kernel for Linux in mid September of 1991. That was around six years since the origional release of Windows 1.0. Windows had a great advantage, it was already old and people were beginning to get comfortable with pressing CTRL + ALT + DEL every ten seconds. As most of the world, change was not going to be easy. The true thing stopping users from switching over to Linux, was the lack of software. Linus was able to port (transfer) apps (applications) from Unix and MINIX over like the popular Pine (for email) and the GCC compiler. If the software distributors weren't making the apps for Linux, then people weren't going to use it.
That's the start of Linux, but there could be so much more. Imagine this if you willl; The GNU project and MINIX happened ten years earlier. Linus made his first version of Linux in 1981, ahead of Gates by four years.
At that point, Linux would be the "chosen" OS, not Windows. In my opinion, the world would've been better off! The world would not revolve around one OS as it does now. Very few large companies have any interest in producing products for Unix/Linux. I'm not asking them to make all their products open-source, I'm asking them to make bin versions, or versions that are pre-compiled and ready to run on Linux. The Linux and BSD OS's are so powerful, that they can emulate programs to run on it. Though, because the programs were initially written for Windows, they are no where nearly as stable on Windows. Saying "stable" and "Windows" in a sentence is just awkword!
The sad thing is, that my entire dream is just that, a dream. There is no way to revert back in time and tell Linus to make Linux before Windows comes out. Though, there are things one can do. If you are still reading this, either you are interested in the subject, or bored enough to read it. For either reason you still can help. It is important to remember that using a computer is more then just playing games, and more thne just word processing. People spend lifetime perfecting OS's. As it looks, Microsoft need more then a few lifetimes for perfection
. Linux is no where near perfect, but it's idea is. Because Linux is open-source, users can get the source at their request. A large advantage to Linux over other OS's, is that if you find a problem, or have a request; if you write it up it will most likely be put in the OS. Linux receives so many bugs and comments etc..that Linux has to announce a cut-off date for versions. There are many other advantages to Linux and BSD other then stability. When a programmer make an app, he/she may need to use environmental variables; such as calling up the OS's print dialog, or rebooting the computer. The problem with closed-source is that the programmers are not given the "how" and "where" these parts of the OS are. In Linux, a programmer knows every part of the source they want, making apps more efficent and easier for the programmer. All in all, the open-source community has so much more power over the closed-source community. There is NO reason as to why the world would use Windows over a Linux distro. Some say that Linux/BSD are too difficult, they think that Linux/BSD is just a command line OS. Many have no idea that XFree86 (The Linux/BSD/UNIX GUI) exists! Personally, I find KDE, or Window Maker a lot easier then that of the Windows GUI. The fact that you have complete control over the GUI makes it better. The funny thing, is that a Windows user can only come up with a few reasons why they wont switch. I'm going to list the reasons, then list a response to give them. My programs won't work on it.
Response: As long as its not a game, you tell me the program, I will find you the Linux/BSD alternative. If I can't, I bet I could get it to work on Wine.
Its too hard to install.
Response: Really? I never had a problem. I popped in the Mandrake disc, and well...I can read so it wasn't that hard. Was that stopping you?
Other people use the computer, I don't want to screw everything up.
Response: Ah...you really don't know? When you turn the computer, a little midgit sits in there and tells the computer to boot Windows. If you pay him off, when you start the computer he'll give you options whether to boot Windows or Linux. This is called Dual-Booting
Well, to sum this up. I am saddened by the outcome of the computer age. In my humble opinion, any Geek could have accomplished what Gates did. If you ask them, they won't. He was a thief, and advertiser. He didn't care about what he was doing, or who he stepped on, as long as there was money. As you now know, Linus had NO intentions of making a profit. In fact, he is not living in fame and forture, just an average guy (that happens to be a G-d for Geeks). In the end, I ask you to think about one thing when you are about to buy a computer, or the new version of Windows: Is this really better, just because it's more expensive?! The answer is no, It's more expensive because it was there first, Windows is against the open-source community and Gates even feels that the open-source community can be considered a serious threat to Windows. We the open-source community, do our best to make Gates feel as unpleasent as possible!
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