Desktop Relevance

[gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org (Jerry Feldman)]

On 03/29/2009 07:46 PM, Jack Coats wrote:
> Actually, with windows, there was IBM's TopView for a while.  Both had
> issues,
> M$ won.  M$ has taken most other 'desktops' out of the market by
> 'internalizing'
> their desktop with an 'integrated system' (merging os and desktop funct=
ions
> into one).
>
>  =20
Actually there were a number of early competitors to Windows, such a=20
DRI's GEM and DesqView. Norton also had a multiple desktop feature=20
similar to what GNOME, KDE, and other Linux windowing systems have. =20
Windows won, mainly because their system was pre-installed on most PCs.  =

When the average person buys a computer, they stick with what is=20
installed. This is one reason why IBM's OS/2 failed, and it is another=20
reason why Linux won't get a major slice of the market.  Microsoft works =

closely with the major PC vendors (Dell, HP, and others) to insure that=20
Windows is installed on virtually all of their consumer PCs and most of=20
their business desktop PCs. The server market is a bit different because =

the major vendors, such as HP and IBM provide both Unix, Linux, and=20
Windows pre-installed and supported by them.

--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846