ChortleVision

Apparently according to a recent slashdot post (always best to take them with a pinch of salt) Dell are defiantly going to offer Linux preinstalled laptops in the future, but is this really the big step forward most people would like it to be or is it merely paying lip service to the large amount of people demanding it.

The way I perceive this happening is Dell offering Linux preinstalled on a select few laptops. merely to stem the tide of complaints/Windows refunds. What I would prefer (and anything less is not going to get me excited) is a full roll out of Linux pre-install options on most if not all Dell laptops with Dell investing in the future of Linux by pressuring component manufacturer’s to make their chips and such Linux friendly, Not to mention the obvious support networks that are needed to support Linux in this sort of manner need to be put into place.

I fail to see personally how the former scenario is anything to get excited about at all. I suppose you could say that Dell getting ‘used’ to Linux is a plus and maybe in the future they will offer some sort of full roll out, but after so many baby steps towards a more popular Linux failing, I just don’t see it.

Old issue I realise, but does the central commercial “we let this guy get on with it and use what he produces” style of artwork development miss out on an essential part of open development, critiquing by the community.
Typically with Open development one central person will create some code/art/whatever, the community will evaluate this code/art/stuff and critique it, not only by submitting patches, fixes, updates and other things, but by openly discussing the development via mailing lists/IRC and such. When you centralise the development to a single person you miss out on this critiquing, and resulting you may end up with a bad project.

I realise the reason that the artwork for feisty (and maybe beyond) has been outsourced away from the community is because the ‘community’ could not come up with consistent development, with each person wanting to do things a different way. But in the end isn’t that what every project development is like? What I think was really lacking was a strong leader, Maybe Mr Shuttleworth should of invested in developing a strong artwork community with a strong leader instead of giving up.