Was reading this interview with Wade Olson about KDE 4.0. It is pretty interesting, but the best quote was at the end:
I often rant about how in all disruptive technologies, trends are always the same. Whether with the automobile, railroads, telephony or computers. A dominant company establishes ubiquity, but eventually competition settles in. Can you believe that Fords and Chevys can drive on the same roads and use the same gas? What a miracle of modern science that an AT&T user could call a Sprint user on the phone? A TGV and ICE train can ride on the same tracks? Madness! I can plug a lamp into the wall that my power company didn’t sell me? Now that’s what I call progress.
Why would computing be any different? I can’t believe that some choose to write software for a large audience that isn’t cross platform, browser-based or interoperable - but some do. Over time, proprietary file formats will go from being a competitive advantage to disadvantage. Heterogeneous systems are the norm and expected in every industry. It’s just tough being patient in ours.
Whatever your views on OOXML or Linux or Apple or DRM or FOSS/Proprietary software, or other contentious issues in the IT industry, you've got to admit, these are pretty sensible aims.
This post was originally posted at sinewalker.blogspot.com.au on 25 January 2006.
A computer OS is not like a pane of glass; it's understood that the glass windows on your house are subject to breaking easily, it's inherent in their nature. You can't say the same thing about Microsoft Wind....
Oh, wait. Never mind.
(Slashdot)
Just classic!