Re: Definition of NetBSD users

[bharder <bharder%methodlogic.net@localhost>]

On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 01:52:57PM +0200, markucz%gmail.com@localhost wrote:
> > > s/Flash/FOO/ where FOO is something less desktopy: IBM WebSphere, Oracle
> > > and Informix DBs or even something more trivial like Mathematica. What
> > > about *that*?
> > 
> > Interesting question.
> > 
> > To some extent those are more self-contained proper applications, not
> > insidious embedded plugins that suddenly go from displaying cheap
> > animations to being able to harbour full code execution engines with
> > unrestricted access to everything the user might do (though of course
> > each might also include their own code interpreters or other means of
> > allowing code to be downloaded and executed).
> > 
> > Personally I avoid even those kinds of applications where possible.  I
> > even avoided proprietary unixes for many years until I got a Mac again.
> > The only software I've bought since buying OS X are other system tools
> > necessary to fill in gaps missing in OS X (parallels and synctogether).
> > 
> > Do those applications really make GNU/Linux systems (or even proprietary
> > unix and unix-like systems) "easier" for users (either desktop or system)?
> I generally share this view, too. However many desktop users (or should I say
> "end users"?) don't care much if some piece of software they are using is
> propietary or not. People want to watch videos on Youtube and when Flash
> crashes Firefox they just say "NetBSD sucks 'cause I can't watch videos on
> Youtube". The next step is to install some Linux distro, download NVidia's
> drivers and play DOOM 3.
> 
> And then there're companies which have invested in propietary software. Even
> if you're an administrator your boss may tell you "We use DB2", leaving no
> room for discussion. Linux is so popular exactly because lots of commercial
> software is readily available when/if (you think) you need it. I'm not sure
> "easier" is the correct word for this.
> 
> Anyway, that was a bit off-topic. The essence of my question is if this is
> the kind of desktop users NetBSD is targeting. If yes, then it's a lost cause
> and, if I may add, fortunately. More generally, do we distiunguish between
> users and consumers? I'd rather call the people described above as consumers.
> 
> > I have relatively unsophisticated needs as a desktop user, an I would be
> > quite happy with what the average GNU/Linux desktop would deliver, if I
> > didn't have a major "ick" response to Linux in general (and lots of GNU
> > stuff too).  Oddly I feel far less "ick" towards OS X and I'd rather pay
> > for it (in order to use slick top-end hardware and in order to not have
> > to deal with maintaining my own desktop software from source) than to
> > deal with the "ick" I get from GNU/Linux.
> My feelings exactly. However, occasionally I also want to watch something on
> Youtube :-) So Linux is my desktop system despite the icky feeling and NetBSD
> is what I use for interesting stuff and hacking.

I occasionally watch youtube or similar content via cclive or youtube-dl
and mplayer, fwiw... There are ways, and you can still enjoy the fresh
feeling of running NetBSD.

> It's not a very technical answer either, but there you go!  :-)

Cheers,

-bch

-- 

Brad Harder,
Method Logic Digital Consulting
http://www.methodlogic.net
http://twitter.com/bcharder