Alexander Langer wrote:

> Thus spake Alan Cox (alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk):
>
> > will release source. I have a fine vision made camera with a stable driver
> > from a vendor who has been helpful.
>
> That's fine for you. You are ignoring thousands of other people who
> own cams of other vendors that might want to switch to an open-source
> OS.
>
> Your opinion clearly points out why MANY people keep Windows and not
> even consider switching.
> And this in a time where I here "Let Linux become ready for the
> Desktop" everytime and everywhere.
>
> That's amusing,
>
> Alex
>
> PS: It's not only amusing, it also shows why many companies stick to
> NT (or even commercial Unices), since they will never find such an
> attitude there.
> --
> I need a new ~/.sig.

Hummmm . . .  I think that the reason most people who use MS operating systems
stick with them is not because this or that piece of hardware is "supported"
(more on this in a bit), but because they can use the computer to do what they
want to do in spite of crash problems.  Well, what do they want to do?  I work
and go to school at a small (American)mid-west university and around 90% of
computer usage by faculty/staff and students falls within email, web surfing,
and word processing.  It seems most people who really want to get into creative
AV type stuff are still using Apples.

Now, in terms of hardware support, it isn't MS that provides that, it's the
hardware makers.  MS dominates the marketplace to the extent that companies
like Epson and Iomega write the drivers for their gear to work under MS.   What
a deal!

Many companies don't want to go for linux or *BSD because of a basic
misunderstanding of the level of support available for these OS's.