oiaohm wrote:Linux threat is desktop. There are many key reasons why Mac will work for a while for Vista getting away people. Its going to run into trouble when it comes to business security integration.
Major issues of Linux will end. Closed source will be allowed on Linux lot simpler. This is a major change a ABI for Linux with installation system. ADS like solution for linux to be correct able to secure Linux clients many times stricter than what a ADS server can.
Yet even with these major issues in play Linux currently has growth on desktop. Mac growth has a cap also costs are going to be a limiting factor.
Some of the Linux desktop threat is sneaky coming integrated on all ASUS motherboards. Ie in time do you buy a OS or use one that came preinstalled on your motherboard. Yes the Linux OS on those motherboards in time will support third party apps on the hard drive. Apple is no way providing threats in this form. This is quite simply ending the Desktop market and just make it the embedded market.
Of course Reactos might be able to shape itself to be in the right place with the changing markets.
While I'm aware that arguing with oiaohm is akin to running directly into a brick wall (you know you shouldn't do it, it hurts a lot and the wall always wins), here's a few thoughts of my own.
For the home user, the main problems are:
+ Is it simple to use?
+ Does it run all of my old programs?
+ Is it free (as in beer)?
Ignoring MacOSX for now, ReactOS meets (or will meet) the needs of all three, whereas Windows only meets the first two. Linux meets the last one in many cases, distros such as Ubuntu generally meet the first requirement (but you'll still need to be prepared to delve into the command line now and again) and WINE generally meets the second one. On paper, this means that ROS and Linux should be on pretty even footing.
The major obstacle to any sort of change, as far as I can see, are potential end users who just do NOT want to change anything - to the point where they won't even use OpenOffice over pirated versions of MSOffice.