Is This What Linux Will Look Like in 2012?
Posted 08/18/08 at 11:24:00 AM | by Paul Lilly
Four years is an eternity in the computer world, but it doesn't take a crystal ball to predict that Linux will continue making headway against Microsoft's close-source Windows OS. Between Vista needing gimmicks to convert the skeptics (Mojave), to increasingly user-friendly versions of Ubuntu, Microsoft may find itself in a grudge match with the open-source community by 2012. But what can we expect out of a Linux distro in 48 months? InformationWeek attempts to answer that question with a mix of bold predictions and some much needed feature enhancements. Let's take a look at some of the highlights.
Three Basic Usage Modes
Linux has traditionally been free for most users, but in-store boxed copies complete with a price tag have started popping up, and IW says this trend will "at least gain nominal momentum." Free to use variants won't be disappearing anytime soon, and IW sees free distributions that contain no components with patent encumbrances or other issues picking up steam.
Linux Gear
While Linux hardware is already present in a plethora of devices, look for it to become a brand name four years down the road, pushed in large part by the continued popularity of the Netbook market.
Bye-Bye Command Line!
One of the biggest roadblocks preventing Linux from marching into the mainstream market is ease-of-use. The days of typing in commands died with DOS, but on a Linux distro, even some basic configurations might require the user to fire up the Terminal. Of course, there are legions of Linux-ites that prefer it this way, the same ones who not so affectionately refer to Ubuntu as Noobuntu.
Catch all the predictions here, then tell us your Linux predictions below!
Image Credit: PenguinsUnbound.org
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Meka less distros and mor friendlier Interface....
Submitted by jberumen on Mon, 2008-09-01 12:37
I use Linux since Ubuntu 4, Use Mandrake, Red Hat, SuSe, Debian, Fedora is amazing I love this BUT I'm tired of too many complications.
But I'm amazed how easy has become Yast and Synaptic is cool enough to let me forget about terminals...but not quite.
I still need to use that and I feel this too much retro. I love MS-DOS and use Microsoft since MS-DOS 2.11 to Windows Vista, but that time of like MS has almost gone, and I'm tired of Microsoft constant WGA Registration Updater good for nothing attacks. And I hope in Linux this Terminal window use only will change soon. keystokes is out (sorry for is the way it is) Just an Pick-Double click-&-Use. I'm not a power user but like the simplicity od Windows and MacOS.
PLEAASEEE don't do the RPM, DEB, BIN and too many weird formats. If I use Ubuntu I need .DEB, If I use SuSE I need RPM and so on. Make your mind, this is too confusing for the first timers or nOOBs.
If Linux wants to gain new users need to me even more friendlier. I still get headaches with WiFi using ndis utilities with all kind of command to make it work, My HP need HSLIP and more.
And end that 100% need of Internet to work. Linux looks to need Internet too bad. If I don't have Internet access I'm toast since nedd all kind of upgrades to make it work.
I will still use my two favorite distros gOS and SuSe, but need improve more...I see a bright future..If Linux starts to believe in us the little people, the unlighted, the no techies, the no nerds....just the users who wants thes family (with no computer skills either) can use an OS that is really FRIENDLIER. Thanks!
Submitted by laner399 on Tue, 2008-09-02 22:41
My advise to you, if you want a distro for your PC which doesn't make you choose between different packaging styles, just stick to a Debian (which has nearly all packages available to linux compiled into it's massive repositories) based distro, and if you want one that is especially user friendly, I strongly reccomend Kubuntu, especially with the new KDE4 desktop. Besides an add/remove programs feature that makes installing software easier than it was ever on Window$, installing openGL features for your video card is easier all the time, and just keeps getting easier, you will find that your system will be correctly configured on a fresh install, with software essentials installed already, and though there is that initial update, it is a breezy proccess requiring no reboots and will complete in less than maybe 20 mins, without any interaction other than to initiate it. But the bueaty of Linux is that its developers have been going all kinds of directions with this adaptable code into all sorts of specialty distros, and has been RULING the hand-held and embedded departments, and soon your Nokia cell will be running Firefox on top of a GNU-Linux shell and will KICK apples to the curb!!!!
Linux = the Future NOW!!
Submitted by laner399 on Sun, 2008-08-31 19:43
This article sugests that in a few years that Linux will suck as hard as Window$. That is very sad indeed. For one thing simple technologies were developed in the 90's that prevent your data from being scrambled and re-scrambled all the time which made the defrag "utility" obsolete. Why isn't M$ using any? Another performace boosting technology which will prevent further scrambling was developed long time ago, so simple that it's impossible to patent- a separate partion for the "swap file" AKA the swap partition. The only other partition besides the window$ boiller-plate partition , on a window$ computer is the recovery one, becuase your computer need it so often... haha what a bunch of lames!!
Linux = the Future NOW!!
Hey maybe in four years
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Tue, 2008-08-19 20:58
Hey maybe in four years that Eee PC will grow up and grow a pair. I mean at least a dual core processor. The Linux in the pictures is what you can get today. Actually you can make even better. Completely customizable desktop is what KDE and Gnome are all about.
I really don't know why the linux community is against making Linux mostly command prompt free. What is wrong with wanting to double click a program to install it? Why do I need a package manager if I can just download a program and double click it to install it. The program then can automatically make all the settings it needs to do.
I mean come on. The last Windows that needed tweaking via the command prompt was Windows 3.xx
That is many many years ago. I remember having to edit the Win.INI file and the other files to get things deleted or installed properly. It sucked and I'm glad it's over.
This is what makes Linux suck. Not completely but it does suck in this way.
Hopefully
Submitted by Devo85x on Tue, 2008-08-19 18:22
Well all i can say is, hopefully by 2012 they can make it easier to install new nvidia drivers... took me a wile to figure out what the heck was going on after i had a couple of problems (first i couldnt exit xserver, then i didnt have headers, then i finally got it installed, restarted my computer and it said it still couldnt recognize my card... the problem ended up being that the drivers i was using didnt work after i ran updates... had to download beta drivers to get full support) lol the good thing about windows is you just double click lol
Submitted by chris.peplin on Tue, 2008-08-19 17:15
For anyone reading a magagine titled MaximumPC, learning the command line is in their best interest. A powerful GUI is great, but if you truly want to get the most from your computer knowing what's going on underneath is required.
I agree. Understanding the
Submitted by xiqtem on Thu, 2008-08-21 18:21
I agree. Understanding the technology only helps you in the long run. It eliminates pebkac.
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Tue, 2008-08-19 05:09
http://www.pcworld.com/article/149709/article.html?tk=nl_wvxcol Follow this link. It says at PC world that Microsoft will kill Windows off in favor of internet based computing. What of the HDD and hardware side of things? What will be run on the pc side of things? Will the pc just boot onto the internet instead of a C drive?
Looks like Linux is about to get very popular in a few years. Perhaps extremely popular kinda like the way windows is today. I mean what do you do if you have have internet access for whatever reason? At least linux will boot up and I can do what I need to do. Perhaps Linux will completely get rid of the command line entirely like Windows did and make it as easy as double clicking on a program to install it and have it appear in the Start Menu or the K menu if you prefer.
I've had trouble just trying to install sound card drivers and trying to install shockwave and Flash plugins into firefox within linux is tedious at best if it works. Mostly it does'nt install no matter what even after you study and restudy all the directions.
I like linux but it still stumps me alot after 5 years of playing with it. I just keep going back to windows because it's so much easier to use.
Submitted by anonuser on Mon, 2008-08-18 18:51
i sure hope it looks better than that, 4 years from now is a long time for an OS to mature. I think they will look alot more polished that the pics in the link. anyway i see great things for linux/unix OS's. os x, linux, and soon to come googles OS yes "mark my words" sooner then you think, and also microsofts own linux version which they are playing around with now "midori project" very early stages for them. But yes linux / unix OS's will rule the world, probably soon then later. After all the computer revolution did get its start from unix, full circle baby.
good times ahead, good times.
Submitted by Devo85x on Tue, 2008-08-19 18:30
Linux will rule, as long as people like microsoft and google etc... dont mess up linux like mac did... they baised their os on unix and they COMPLEATLY screwed it over lol... i want a unix based os for more control... not less (you hear me steve jobs?)
Submitted by Devo85x on Tue, 2008-08-19 18:24
Linux will rule, as long as people like microsoft and google etc... dont mess up linux like mac did... they baised their os on unix and they COMPLEATLY screwed it over lol... i want a unix based os for more control... not less (you hear me steve jobs?)
Submitted by xiqtem on Thu, 2008-08-21 18:24
I agree that Mac messed up their implimentation. One of the features I love about linux is being able to log in with different desktop environments/gui's/window managers. It is the flesxability, and security, of the OS that keeps me using it. Mac ties your hands.
linux is real
Submitted by johnny3144 on Mon, 2008-08-18 16:24
linux is as real as an OS will get....
No argument here...I run a
Submitted by horzo on Mon, 2008-08-18 17:48
No argument here...I run a Linux home server, laptop, and desktop at work.
Unfortunately, it always comes back to games. Until we see a significant number of devs & publishers willing to release OpenGL-based games running on Linux in native mode, I have to continue running Windows on my main home desktop.
Submitted by xiqtem on Thu, 2008-08-21 18:29
I think it will be difficult for the game industry to get behind linux until all of the distro's get together and implement some kind of universal package organization so that the game companies can release one game for all linux distro's and not have users struggling to install the software packages required to run it. Of course having packages in a unified location will make it easier for virus programmers to strike all linux users independant of the distro they use.
Submitted by laner399 on Sun, 2008-08-31 20:35
Since when did all of the distro's files all be at one unified location. Fact check: most distros are mirrored globally, largely at prestigious universities, which often mirror many distros and other GPL'd code, libraries, and applications, at the same time, and since when was Linux such an easy target?? Linux distros put out only a few exploitable code a year, Vs. one or so a day from M$. That is why it makes such BIG news!!! Half the time they are patched by the time the news breaks, but window$ lubbers love the chance to say "I told you so" so much that they run the stories anyway.
Linux = the Future NOW!!
Submitted by xiqtem on Tue, 2008-09-02 18:21
linuxis a real OS. I use Debian and Mepis a Debian based distro. In Linux I can use Gimp in much the same way one might use photoshop. I can browse the Web with Firefox 3, or Opera, or any other browser. I can do everything that any other user can do with any other OS. I can do all of these things with less resources and for free. I just can't play top end games easily.
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