> 
> > And how does providing a nice desktop environment for those who wish
> > to use such a thing change that?  After all, the underlying mechanisms
> > are still there for people who wish to use them.
> 
> Isn't this the promise of GNOME, KDE and Mac OS X? Why does this 
> have to be an either/or game? Why can't one have a well-designed 
> responsive desktop (a gestural interface, if you like) with access 
> to the power of the command line tools?

You're fighting the last war, generals.  The general-purpose "desktop"
computer is doomed anyway, because the cost of supporting it is too
high.  The hardware makers have been able to keep it limping along by
cutting prices - and their own margins - but that can't go on forever.
So having a "nice desktop environment" would be "nice", but not
terribly significant.

David S.