TalkBack Central: A Linux desktop is on the way

COMMENTARY -- Is it hype or fiction that the Linux desktop is already dead? Some believe that because Eazel, Corel and a few other Linux companies couldn't make it that the desktop Linux is simply dead. Wouldn't this be like saying that the automobile is dead because American Motors couldn't cut it? Do you see Ford or Chevy closing up shop? Companies come and go. These companies simply had poor business plans that didn't pay off. And in this harsh financial environment, it isn't always the best companies that will survive.

So what of the Gnome, KDE and hundreds of other developers out there? Should they start packing up their bags and go home? Did they all miss something while they were happily using their computers that never seem to crash and work the way they want? No, instead we should look at the desktop Linux like a fine wine, if you uncork it too early it will be bitter and unformed and hard to swallow. Similarly, desktop Linux will take time to mature.

Today Linux is at the 'workstation' level, this means it is highly powerful, and ready for serious users. These users don't look for the cute little buttons or glitz to get their work done, they look for systems that work well and are stable. Users like me. Everyday I develop Web pages using Linux. Linux offers me something that Windows can't: stability, tools, and freedom to work the way I want. And while some out there complain about hardware support, I can tell you that I can't think of a single 'type' of hardware that I need that won't work with Linux. Now it means finding a model that is compatible but the same holds true for Windows workstations.

So what about the desktop? Well, it may never get there for everyone. Just like Microsoft seems to not care about a few Mac users that it can't reach, there are going to be users for which Linux will never be a good fit. Choice is what Linux is all about, and if we didn't acknowledge that there are going to be those for whom Windows is going to feel 'right' we would be fooling ourselves. However, desktop Linux is coming quickly. KDE and Gnome development is moving fast, and while Gnome may have paused a moment to mourn a fallen friend, it is still going strong. Desktop Linux means accessibility. And this goes beyond installation.

While KDE and Gnome have come a long way there are still miles to go before they sleep. So what is needed before they rest?

1. Integration of configuration tools.
I should be able to sit at any Linux desktop running KDE and use the same tools to configure my computer, regardless of distribution. I don't want to care what is underneath--I want my tasks completed. Many say this is a distributions job, I agree and disagree, it is a distributions job to integrate, but they should do it with an API supplied by the distributions. Having to guess how to do it each time I come to a different distribution is a headache.

2. Add an MS-Windows option.
I would never use it, I don't care if it exists, but I know there are those out there who want it. We must build the bridge to bring users to Linux. Linux is highly adjustable, it can look and act like Windows in order to assist new users with the transisition. New users are important to the future of Linux, and these users are going to come from existing operating systems.

3. Install Shield.
Okay maybe not this exactly, but something close. I don't want to have to care whether I get a DEP, RPM, or a TAR file from Tim's Binary Repository. Give me one place to go and install my applications (both GUI and Command Line). We don't need the full screen monster of Install Shield but something far better than what is there today, one that asks good questions so that it is configured after install (APT gets close). Also, make the installer capable of being run by a generic user if they want it to.

4. Productivity Tools.
While Kmail is nice, and pine will get you by in a pinch, we need a true tool on par with Outlook/Notes. No matter how much I love Linux, I still like Outlook for its integration. And while I have tried Evolution, Magellen and its offspring, none are ready for primetime. Evolution is getting close, but there is still a ways to go. And these tools need a backend server for Mail, Calendar, Address Book, and Collaboration. Until these ripen, a lot of people will never come over. I have to use Windows every day to get my calendar and sync my Palm Pilot. I keep watching for my day to escape from this need, but until the tools are there I have no choice.

While the above is what I feel needs to happen, I am sure there are many more suggestions from Windows users. However, as an almost exclusive Linux user, it is impossible for me to know all the things that keep Windows on other people's desktop. But, I would love to hear from some of you Windows users.

Now, how about you business people who think about TCO? Why put Linux on that table at all? Because no matter what has been said in the past, Linux is cheaper over the long term. Sure, the upfront cost of conversion may be costly (as it always is) you will save in the long term. Why? Because upgrading software for Linux is far cheaper than for Windows. Most companies look at a five-year block for TCO, and during that time from Microsoft we would have, three Office Upgrades, two Windows Upgrades, and several other Microsoft products while Linux would have five system upgrades and probably two Star Office upgrades. The cost of upgrade is the labor involved in distribution. And if done right the first time a server can handle upgrades. So, while your friends using Windows have to pay for five upgrades you, only have to pay for installation staff. If you can't recover the cost of training your staff in five years with software that costs nothing, there is something wrong.

While I think that TCO is a minor issue, and other issues like IP protection are simply hype, I still believe that desktop Linux is still a little ways off. So start chilling the champagne now and get the glasses ready, and soon we should be able to toast to Linux. And for those who already enjoy digging deep into their system, give Linux a try today, it is robust, stable, and works on a wide assortment of hardware. And for those who want to hold off for full Desktop integration, keep your eyes open, it's coming. Eventually it should meet almost everyone's needs, but there will always be those of you who like Windows better, and more power to you.

Is there something you feel will make desktop Linux a reality for you? If you think it will never be a reality for you, it is probably because you aren't willing to give it a try, and if your mind is closed, there is nothing I can say that will change your mind. As the saying goes 'It takes a village,' and for Linux that is so true. We will need people from all areas to make it the best it can be. If everyone works to make computers work the way we need them to, eventually it won't matter if I am using Linux and you use Windows, and Joe is using a Mac; we will all be able to work in harmony. Or, is that a pipe dream, destined to never happen?

Anthony Moulen is the moderator of the ZDNet Linux Forum Board. Anthony has been using Linux now for nearly nine years and has years of experience in customer support for a wide variety of products include Windows 95/NT and the Office suite of applications.

Disclaimer: 'Your Turn' and 'Reader TalkBack' are commentary columns written by a ZDNet News reader. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, not those of ZDNet, ZDNet News nor its editors.