Re: Dead or alive...

On 2001-09-25 stu...@bigfoot.com (Stuart Moore) said:

   >How does software choice for Linux compare with that for MSDOS?

Badly.  There's =much= less software available for Linux
than for DOS.

   >And not just out of date software (e.g. web browsers have to have
   >reasonable javascript & java support plus CSS...)

For much of the DOS-based 'Net access software (Net-Tamer,
DOS-Lynx, Arachne, et al), development is continuous and
on-going.

For productivity software (word processors, databases,
spreadsheets, etc.), obviously there's very little new
development for DOS.

Then again, how much 'new-and-now' stuff does one NEED
in an editor or a financial spreadsheet?

Most of the 'improvements' in such software since 1987
have been merely glitzy bells-and-whistles that were
tacked on to the same kernel.  While these superficialities
might have made good talking points for the P.R. departments,
they added little to no additional functionality.

It's been a great source of amusement over the years to
watch all the 'software lemmings' -- those who feel that
they just HAVE to have 'the newest-and-the-now-est' --
rush right out and buy the 'latest' versions of any
given software.

In many cases, they've been stung badly.  Not only are
their wallets emptier, but their 'new' versions have
often turned out to have awkward changes in the user
interface, and/or severe bugs in the programming.

Recent example?  WinDoze ME.  This software is severely
broken...and has caused untold frustration and grief for
uncounted numbers of individual users and small businesses.

But...I'm a realist.  I recognize that the 'herd instinct,'
plus a degree of neophilia, is inherent in human nature.

Consequently, Mikro$loth's pointee-clickee operating sys-
tems will continue to dominate the PC market.  As long as
M$ has the money and the resources to continue promoting
its barely adequate O.S.es, the technically unsophisticated
public will continue to lap'em up.

After all, we all want to 'belong,' and to be well-thought-of
by our peers...don't we?  Mikro$loth is banking (and I =do=
mean BANKING) on people's desire for that kind of conformity! ;)

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