OT: Siemens sees Linux desktops at 20% of market by 2008 --recommends GNOME over KDE

[M. Fioretti]

On Fri, Aug 15, 2003 20:23:41 at 08:23:41PM -0400, George Staikos (staikos at kde.org) wrote:
 
> It sounds to me like this guy doesn't "get it".  Linux is about
> freedom and choice.  OSS is a process, not a product.  He's falling
> into the "Linux the Product" trap.  With those views, in the end
> someone at Seimens is going to be disappointed.
> 
> They should let their users decide what they wish to use.

Speaking not to insult, just as a voice from the other side of the
corporate firewall which sincerely wants to help KDE and Free SW, I'm
afraid I must tell you that *you* don't "get it" at all this time.
See also my answer to Navindra's post.

First of all, medium/big corporations buy only products or turn key
solutions, not processes. That's what they want to hear, whatever it
means.

In the second place, they (both the legal entity and the great
majority of their employees) DO NOT WANT freedom and choice. Not in
the sense you mean it. They pay not be burdened with that. The only
freedom and choice they want is the one to pay somebody else as little
as possible to make the choices for them without disrupting daily
business.

Yes, they also want customization, stability, escape from vendor
lock-in, etc... but they don't want to know how it happens. They don't
want to know if what is on the screen is KDE, GNOME or what not, just
that it works without employee retraining, and that it doesn't allow
people being creative (eg compiling and installing SW).

Again, this is not a criticism to you personally or KDE. KDE is free
to become whatever its developers want it to be, no question. Nobody
says that it *has* to become *the* corporate desktop worldwide.

Just don't be surprised if it never happens, because, again, your
arguments, as valid as they are, simply do not apply to corporate IT.

*IF* you or KDE care about that world (and I'm not saying you should)
you have to acknowledge the way they think, and come to terms with
that, not wait till they bend over backwards to make freedom, choice
etc... enter their DNA.

Ciao,
	Marco Fioretti

-- 
Marco Fioretti                 m.fioretti, at the server inwind.it
Red Hat for low memory         http://www.rule-project.org/en/

If you want to be worshipped, go to India and moo.     -The Quiz Show