Re: GNU OpenStep
Andrew Sullivan (asullivan@sprint.ca)
Wed, 2 Dec 1998 18:54:55 -0500 (EST)
On Tue, 1 Dec 1998, John Lewis wrote:
> I want Linux to topple Gates from his self built pedestal, I had hoped
> IBM would do it with OS/2 but they have no interest in taking the evil
> empire on. And to make Linux a real alternative to windross there
> needs to be a viable GUI that Joe Public can use as easily as what he
> is given today.
I've argued elsewhere (see, e.g., Slashdot) that this is a foolish pipe
dream. Simply put, Win (and, for that matter, MacOS) get their absolute,
rock-solid simplicity by giving up flexibility or (the logicians',
inclusive or) stability. It will _never_ be that easy, in spite of what
the GNOME people say. (KDE is an example of how it can be that easy: lock
lotsa stuff down hard, so that anything but heavily-managed changes, from
few options, is basically impossible.)
> Does AS depend upon fvwm being installed is it now completely stand
> alone. Can I remove all traces of fwvm?
Yes, you can. It's "based upon" in the sense that they share a common
code base. Neither is reliant upon the other for binaries.
Anyway, I'm pleased that this did not turn into a name-calling flame war.
The rational debate -- even, or, in fact, especially over areas of
disagreement! -- is sooooo heartening to someone like me. (I usually
teach critical thinking, and the _ad hominem_ tone of so much of Usenet
and the various *Net debates makes me depressed.)
A.
Andrew Sullivan | asullivan@sprint.ca (better)| ajsulliv@mcmaster.ca (worse)
* * *
Go to http://lowrent.org/asfaq/, or issue
'finger -l ajsulliv@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca' to find the AfterStep FAQ file.
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