[aclug-L] Re: The Future: Results

[John Alexander <john.alexander@xxxxxxxx>]

I'm open to suggestions, but we should probably take this off the list to
continue discussion.

ja

John Alexander
Outsource Operations Site Lead
AOL:    JRAlexan1
VNET:   737-8471
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PAGER:  9300285@xxxxxxxxxxx

> -----Original Message-----
> From: aclug-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:aclug-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of Larry_Bottorff@xxxxxxx
> Sent: Monday, October 04, 1999 1:53 PM
> To: aclug-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [aclug-L] The Future: Results
>
>
> I got some response from my earlier posting of "The Future" where
> I basically
> asked what sort of future Linux had, especially as a challenger
> to the Microsoft
> LAN hegemony in the business world. All of the response was good.
>
> As I was saying, the vast majority of computing is done in the
> business world
> and has to do with data management of one (boring?) sort or another. This
> usually means a front-end giving access to database servers, not
> to mention
> "office productivity" apps. The lion's share of this sector is
> now controlled by
> Microsoft, as they provide the OS and the client software,
> usually in the form
> of Visual Basic, hence, the tons of VB jobs you see in any IT help wanted
> listing. I now work in an MS shop, and we produce VB software.
> Although our app
> is meant for the public to download, the vast majority of VB apps
> were designed
> to run on the millions of Microsoft LAN islands across the world.
>
> My first exposure to Linux came in Seattle in '94 when some UW CS
> students set
> me up with Linux on my home computer. Hanging out with them and
> seeing their
> Solaris environment, I was blown away by the Borg-like networking
> the Unix world
> offered; this was truly computing for grown-ups. Since then I could never
> understand why the Unix world let MS take over the business office world.
>
> It seems to me that Linux should go directly after the MS LAN
> islands running
> VB. And many responses to my first post listed a boat-load of
> alternatives to
> VB, mainly Tk or Java or even Web techniques. All right, I
> believe you. Now,
> does anyone feel like taking on IKON or the other big-$$
> consultants who push
> the "VB on MS LAN islands" albatros? Linux can beat a VB/MS LAN on price,
> stability, security, networking (in spades), and functionality.
>
> I for one want to begin thinking about mainstream computing with
> Linux/open
> source as a real career. There are many issues to discuss before anything
> serious can be attempted, but try to imagine a medium-sized company that
> produces some sort of widget and all the various computing needs
> they might
> have.
>
> I know for me, I'd rather not do MS for a living; however,
> competing with all
> the Linux super gurus for the rare, niche Linux guru jobs doesn't
> have much
> future, either. Let me hear your ideas. . . .
>
> Larry Bottorff
>
>
>