[Linux-aus] NBN discussion

[Scott Ferguson]

On 03/07/13 16:36, David Newall wrote:
>> If open software is not working as reliably or is as easy to use
>> as its proprietary counterparts, that is*absolutely*  a discussion
>> we in the open source community need to be having.
> 
> You find few Apple customers willing to admit that Linux is as 
> reliable or easy to use as a Macintosh.  Macintosh famously just 
> works.  

In the same way that pre-installed Linux devices "just work", for the
same reasons.

> Linux infamously has issues with power management, graphics 
> adapters, network interfaces and Microsoft Office, to name only a 
> tiny few; Macintosh has none of those problems.  Yet none of that 
> calls for a debate on the merits of Apple.  Let's discuss what 
> features of Finder should be put into KDE, but not the benefits of 
> Apple-menu versus Start-button.

<gently>
Apropos of what?
</gently>

> 
> Drawing rather a longer bow than Jeremy (quoted above)

Please re-read the email you quoted and wrongly attributed.

<snipped>
> 
> Contrary to all of the responses incited by my suggestion that Skype 
> is an uninteresting topic for an open-source mailing-list, I have in 
> no way tried to forbid or otherwise prevent discussion of it.

Posting simply to declare that you don't like what you read, and, that
in your opinion it doesn't belong on the list - then claiming you in no
way tried to stifle discussion is, um, an interesting interpretation.

> I happen to think that's largely off-topic 

We 'got' that the first time. Repeating it doesn't make it less
disparaging. While it may not be you intention, it is the effect.

Which is a good opportunity for people, as they have done, to propose
alternatives, and possible future alternatives, that do run on Linux[*1]
, and may have similar ease of installation/configuration and ubiquitous
platform support to provide a realistic alternative.

If you could point to SIP application that is available for all
platforms, is easy for people to install and configure (i.e. just
works), and has the additional features of video, chat, file transfer,
and desktop sharing - then SIP *would* be a viable alternative. Sadly
there is no such beast. Perhaps when everybody is using IPV6 that may be
possible - until then it's not possible to reliably get SIP working in
every instance (mainly due to firewalls).


Kind regards

[*1] without carrying the extra network load of being super-nodes, the
uncertain long term support, and demonstrably untrustworthy environment.