[Don't Fear the Penguins.]

The Future of Linux

14 July 1998



More Audience Questions and Answers

Again, these are somewhat paraphrased, either because I couldn't hear the exact question or couldn't write fast enough. (Then again, most of this report is paraphrased.)

What if price were factored out of the Datapro survey? How would Linux fare then?

There's no consolidated Linux answer source--how can I deal with management's need to ``feel secure'' about their software?

What about the perception that Linux users don't like paying for software?

Why is Open Source important to the public?

For Linus: who of the major RDBMS's have talked to you about ports?

From one of the GIMP developers: what does the Open Source world do about patent issues, such as the Pantone color management system and LZW algorithm used in GIF and TIFF?

From a C|Net admin: I would like a better BIOS, like Sun's.

Will we see wide use of Internet clusters as supercomputers? Will Linux have a 3D user interface like [vapor-]Chrome?

Will Willows provide a Win32 subsystem for Linux?

From a web-site developer: I have to have two machines, a Linux-based web server and a Windows box for Photoshop--how much longer will I have to do that? Also, a marketing question: there's a Microsoft talking Barney; when will we see Talking Tux?

From a business-applications perspective, what can we do to get Microsoft to do native ports of Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Exchange, etc.?

How about Linux branding on boxes to assure that shrink-wrapped apps are tested and safe?

There's a proposed change to US state laws about reverse-engineering; what impact will it have?


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Last modified 29 July 1998 by newt@pobox.com , you betcha.

Copyright © 1998 Greg Roelofs.