WSJ - Article on Linux netbooks

[Les]

On Fri, 2009-05-29 at 17:12 +0200, Kevin Kofler wrote:
> Konstantin Svist wrote:
> > Is there a driver wrapper for printers out there (similar to
> > ndiswrapper)? If not, there should be :P
> 
> No, there shouldn't! We'll never get native, Free drivers that way. I don't
> want to have to use crappy buggy proprietary drivers which weren't even
> written for my operating system! Ndiscrapper (misspelling intentional) is a
> problem, not a solution.
> 
> Buy a supported printer! (I recommend HP models supported by HPLIP without
> the binary "plugin". Most HP printers are, but check the compatibility list
> to be sure.)
> 
>         Kevin Kofler
> 
But if one already has a system running windows and converts to Linux,
this is not a good option.  The software should run with stuff that is
already working to be a good product.  Otherwise we will just continue
to be an "also ran" operating system.  I use Linux on three systems now,
and one of them works well, the other two less so, one couldn't update
to F10 because of the APIC (sp?) option not working (an older IBM
system). Another won't work with my wife's cell phone media, refusing to
download her mp3 files (it just stalls, no error messages or any
indication of what is happening).
The third is still running Fedora 8 because it is just an old box I use
for physical trouble shooting on electronics.  Overall, I like Fedora,
but seriously printer and peripheral incompatibility will kill wider
adoption.  It  is about use, not ideology.  If we could wield enough
influence then product manufacturers would support Linux.  But only if
the interface is consistent in the various releases.
	The ball is in our court, whether we like it or not.  And, by the way,
why not enable a simple way to interface to Windows drivers? (I'm joking
here, I know the issues.)  I suspect that Windows has severe limitations
on re-entrance, and most likely hasn't publicly documented that process,
which is one of the real issues with drivers anyway.  

Regards,
Les H