[mdlug] Interesting information about Windows "7"

[Aaron Kulkis]

Jeff Hanson wrote:
> On Jan 23, 2008 9:00 AM, Aaron Kulkis <akulkis3 at hotpop.com> wrote:
>> I think the tipping point for widespread "third party" software
>> [i.e. commercial game makers porting to Linux] will come when
>> the corporate desktop figures get to 20%-30%.
> 
> Some games like Half-Life have Linux server apps but not clients.
> 
>> It was the IBM PC (and clones) of the corporate desktop
>> that lead to MS being the dominant vendor of home PC's.
> 
> And everyone else screwing up (like Apple).

Apple's screw-ups were immaterial.

Apples, Commodores and TRS-80's were all over the place
in schools and sole-proprietership businesses in which
the owner was willing to learn, for several years before
IBM even announced the PC (let alone actually delivering
the thing).

NONE of that made it "legitimate" in the medium
and larger businesses.

What made the PC legitimate on the corporate desktop
was it being found on the desk of $100,000+/year
executives.

What made the PC legitimate to the $100,000+/year
executve was the blue logo in the corner:
	
		   === ====   ==   ==
		    =   =  =   == ==
		    =   ===    = = =
		    =   =  =   =   =
		   === ====   === ===


(*) never mind the fact that most couldn't even type,
and actual users were their secretaries.

In short, Apple, Commodore and Radio Shack didn't
have the *perception* of corporate business-place
legitimacy that was posessed by companies like these:

  IBM, Control Data, Sperry, Honeywell, and DEC

> 
>> As MS's grip loosens, the porting of games, etc will
>> happen.  Look at the number of Windows games that are
>> ported to the NES, Playstation and XBox platforms.
> 
> That has as much to do with limited hardware spec

Not an issue -- see below.

 > development costs and DRM as it does market share.

It has to do with MARKETS.

Windows games are written for Windows, not the
hardware it's running on.

Linux games are written for Linux, not the hardware
it's sitting on top of, and games port very easily
from one hardware collection to another.