Re: GUIs: Motif or ...? (was Re: tlug: Fw: Could Linux Kill NT?)

[Jonathan Byrne - 3Web <jq@example.com>]

On Thu, 25 Jun 1998, Matt Gushee wrote:

>Just for the record, Windows is not my standard for judging GUIs --
>OS/2 is. Fantastic interface, just not enough native apps or support.

And here lies a problem with the window of opportunity.  OS/2 is
certainly short on apps, since it never gained the popularity to lure
the developers in a big way.  You're right about the next market for
Linux, I think.  Hobbyists, network people, etc., give Linux quite a
following.  Business people are the next target, but what do we give
them in terms of apps?  Applix is a fairly good office suite, even if
it's not quite MS Office, but it can't import any MS Office files newer
than 1994 vintage.  Word 6 is as high as it goes, and that's not even a
Windows 95 app.  It goes back to the Win 3.1 era.

GIMP?  That would be my absolute last choice of graphics tools.  Even if
we ignore the fact that it can't do Japanese, since most designers don't
care about that anyway, I wouldn't use it because on Windows (or Mac)
I can put together graphics using tools that are either better, faster,
or both. Not to mention with big user-bases and lots of books and other
instructional materials available.   The only advantage that leaves GIMP
is the fact that it's cheaper.  Not much of an advantage.

Then they'll get a look at Netscape for Linux. I don't think any further
comment is even necessary on that one.

They'll probably find an e-mail package they can live with, but they
won't find one with the features and ease of use  as what they are used
to now.  Well, maybe if they're using Netscape Mail, but Netscape Mail
isn't very good.

Where we basically stand right now with Linux is an excellent kernel,
powerful networking capabilities, good package management systems
(better than Windows or Mac), excellent stability.

Lack of a standard GUI is sort of a problem, but if the default one that
their package uses is OK by them, people will probably live with it.
Those using FVWM95 will even feel like they're in familiar surroundings.
Afterstep is pretty good, too.  A big problem in the GUI area, though
(and one I've mentioned before) is that there is no system that
currently installs a package and puts a menu entry and icon into your
window manager, whether that's one of the above-mentioned ones or
something else.  This is major.  This must be fixed, because it's
something that users are going to (rightly) point out as being a pretty
serious functional failing.  Fortunately, it's probably not that hard to
fix.  It just takes someone deciding to do it.

The place where the wheels can come off though (or rather, the place
where the wheels that are already all off need to be put on) is in
applications.  Linux (and other flavors of UNIX) aren't a mile behind
MacOS or Windows in that area.  They haven't even gotten on the highway
yet.  That's where our real problem lies.

And there needs to be a graphical, windows-style way to control printers
(and support for about 100 times more of them, too), but I'll leave that
for another day :-)

All in all, we have a very good operating system with very good
stability and very good networking, but it to make the big score, the
GUI situation needs to be improved and the app situation needs to be
resolved.  Otherwise, the window really isn't open.  And it won't stay
open, either.  Competitors will close any window.  That's the nature of
the business.

Cheers,

Jonathan Byrne
Media and Content Section
3Web - Your Internet Solution! <URL:http://www.threeweb.ad.jp/index.en.html>

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