Why Google needs to get serious about a mainstream distro for desktops

I would agree with shrak, I think Ubuntu/Canonical is the more logical choice here for something like this than google.

I haven't played with Chrome OS much, but i wasn't too impressed with its concept (even tho i believe that is the direction computing might be going in the near future).  As for android, what can be said about it, its a good Phone OS, but i don't want it running my tablet or desktop.

I don't think if google did come out with a desktop version of chrome OS or (shudders) Android, that it would become the defacto "ruler" for all other distro's to fall in behind.

I think its very important to keep Linux's "choice" intact, even tho i wouldn't mind a universal package and central repo, that all distro's package managers can connect too and use, but I wouldn't want that to be the ONLY choice there is.

This unifying package would be essential for commercial developers, as this is very fragmented approach, it would also be easier on the end user as well, cause when i first started using linux, i didn't know the difference between a deb, rpm or .tar.gz. I think ubuntu's approach with the software center (offering not only a graphical front end to a package manager, but an easy to browse, search, and install from one, that has user rating and reviews available), is a step into the right direction, and other distro's have already started to adopt concepts such as this.

So looking back at what linux was like  5 years ago when i started using it, and what it has become today, its night and day differences, I expect 5 years from now, it being that different as well.

1. don't install manually, use repositories,
2. don't worry about install locations nor file system hierarchy,
3. try open source alternatives before whining that xyz isn't available for Linux.
4. the command line is neither a kernel nor required to maintain a desktop. People just give you CLI code as it's easier for you copy/paste test than for us to talk your through a GUI when using non-real time communication mediums (such as forums). If you can't deal with that, then use the phone and ring for support.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plan9 

To be honest, I really don't care if Linux succeeds on the desktop. I don't even care if people install it nor which distro they install. All I wish is if idiots stop posting the typical "QQ I failed at Linux because I'm thick and now I'm going to declare desktop Linux as dead".
Such articles are usually backed up with meaningless stats about estimated market shares (usually skewed in favour of Windows due to the way how Linux users usually end up buying Windows with laptops / pre-builds and how Linux doesn't have a centralised download database). And those articles are usually written by people who spent all of about zero seconds reading up on Linux best practices. I mean seriously, it's not that hard:

1. don't install manually, use repositories,
2. don't worry about install locations nor file system hierarchy,
3. try open source alternatives before whining that xyz isn't available for Linux.
4. the command line is neither a kernel nor required to maintain a desktop. People just give you CLI code as it's easier for you copy/paste test than for us to talk your through a GUI when using non-real time communication mediums (such as forums). If you can't deal with that, then use the phone and ring for support.

But instead of doing the sensible, such morons hack about aimlessly as root then complain like a thousand mother-in-laws on Sunday.
Quite honestly, I can do without supporting the technologically inept and "blind typists" like above. Such users would struggle on any platform but as they get Windows pre-installed, never have to worry about the complex task of clicking "English", "auto-partition", and then "Install".
So as long as I can continue to choose which OS I want to run, then I couldn't give a flying duck what others choose just so long as they don't preach to me that the OS I've been running on my desktop for over a decade isn't desktop running.

i'm not blind :) i know what i'm typing :)