eHomeUpdate's Open Letter to SnapStream's CEO

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1193/open_letter_to' target='_blank'>http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1193/open_letter_to</a><br /><br /></div><i>"I'm still thinking SnapStream is missing an opportunity with Linux. My suggestion would be to create a cross-platform version of SnapStream that can be installed on Windows, Mac, or Linux -- similar to what Mozilla is doing with Firefox and Thunderbird. I know that there will be limitations with TV tuner card compatibility, but if SnapStream goes through with this, they would have the largest PVR market share of any developer. What do you think? The other reason I'm pushing for SnapStream to come to Linux is because many consumers are getting fed up with Apple and Microsoft's upgrade path (especially since the next version of Windows Vista requires a locked down PC platform) -- personally, I'm moving full-time to Debian Linux, but keeping the PC as a dual-boot system with Windows XP."</i><br /><br />Alexander Grundner from eHomeUpgrade has a published a short letter to the CEO of SnapStream, expressing his desire to see SnapStream go to the Linux platform. He has some interesting points, but ultimately I have to disagree with his assessment that any significant number of Windows users are migrating to Linux. I have a fairly mixed group of colleagues and friends, and not a single person I know has ever switched to Linux. Some have switched to Mac, but none to Linux. Granted, I have no hard numbers to back up my opinion, but I continue to believe that Linux as a desktop OS for home users is a fantasy that will never come true. Linux will continue to do well in the server environment, and even on embedded devices (My <a href="http://thoughtsmedia.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php?masterid=5625088&search=roku+m2000">Roku M2000</a> runs Linux) but as a home desktop OS? Not going to happen anytime soon.

[Damion Chaplin]

In my opinion, the current GUIs around Linux (sorry, that's GNU-Linux :wink: ), are about at the Windows 3.1 stage. It will do most stuff, but to get it to do advanced stuff requires 3 $60 books and a lot of time on your hands. Knowing a little code helps too.

Give it a year or two, and continue the hype surrounding Linux, and it may actually evolve into a usable product. Linux is in the news more and more often these days, just like Firefox. I think Linux will soon (2-3 years) be poised to lure people away from Windows.

Personally, I can't wait to stick it to MS as soon as there's an OS that comes close to the functionality/useablity of XP (and that doesn't have a half-eaten fruit on the front).

But back to the point: I would prefer that Snapstream use their resources to improve their Windows product rather than investing in a new platform. I used BTV3.5 for 8 months and eventually ordered a PVR from my cable company. It just wasn't stable enough or fast enough.

[mcsouth]

I'm not necessarily an early adopter, but I am ready to add a dual boot option to Linux on my personal desktop. Part of it is just pure curiosity - what's the other stuff like? This is the same feeling that makes me want to buy a Mac for home - I would LUV to buy a Powerbook!

Linux is not quite ready for mom &amp; pop yet, but it is improving in leaps and bounds. One of the big attractions to me is that Linux appears to be like a bullet train in features and innovation, compared to Windows which is like a stagecoach. Some of the Linux distros are on a 6 month release schedule - MS has taken how many years to work on Longhorn - I mean Vista - and I bet that it will still be full of security holes like a sieve when it comes out.

Biggest reason why Windows isn't going away anytime soon is games - if you are a gamer, you are on Win XP, and will probably be an early adopter of Win Vista, simply for DirectX10. I can see a lot of enterprise moving to Linux desktops in the future, though - there would appear to be several advantages to the OSS movement in the business climate.

[Crocuta]

He has some interesting points, but ultimately I have to disagree with his assessment that any significant number of Windows users are migrating to Linux.

IBM once seemed impossible to unseat from their throne atop the PC world, but it's all about what people want and what they are willing to put up with to get it. From all the sounds of things, MS is getting ready to lock down the Windows system so thoroughly that everyday honest users will end up spending significant time managing their DRM licenses. That's more burden than most people want and there is a point at which people will simply start looking at other alternatives. That may be Apple or it may be Linux, but there IS a limit and MS will be testing where that limit is with Vista.