As part of the discussion, I would like to introduce Linux developers to how they can help each other with coding.
I think this is a great idea. We’ve seen that developers with different skill sets can work together to achieve their goals. One of my co-workers is a C++ developer, another is a Java developer, while the third is a Python developer. They all have different coding styles, even their favorite languages.
The idea here is that developers who dont know each other can work together to build a better product. Theres a lot of great examples of this already, like Red Hat and their many projects for different languages, but also Red Hat’s commercial product for Linux, Red Hat Satellite.
The idea is that the developers of these apps are really just a bunch of people who are trying to make a better, more efficient product. They all have different goals, and one goal that makes life in software engineering much easier is to develop a better product.
The problem is that the products they build are often not the best products. Like I mentioned, the most popular Linux distros often have horrible packaging systems, and can’t be trusted. There are also a lot of different problems with the way some applications are written. If you have to write a kernel driver for a USB device, for example, you’re basically writing a non-portable Linux driver written by someone who has never worked on a non-portable Linux system before.
We’re all too often in the same boat. We’ll call ourselves “Linux developers” and we’ll write Linux software, and we’ll get some Linux users. But only a tiny percentage of Linux users actually use Linux. Most Linux users are just running Linux on a server. I’m sure there are plenty of Linux users out there who are just very unhappy with their current desktop.
Most of the Linux users out there do use Linux, but you’re right about not a large number of Linux users being happy with their current desktop. It’s not only because they don’t have the funds, but also because they have a bad attitude about the software available for them to choose from. Most Linux users are just not willing to use the software.
The first thing you see on Linux is the latest version of the software. While your new version has been in development since January 2011, it has been available for years now, and there are some pretty good software updates in the works. The latest Ubuntu version of Linux is just the latest version, and we have some excellent software updates on our site.
This attitude is what is at the root of the problem, and it is the reason why Linux is not used as much as it could be. You have a choice on your Linux distribution. We all can do our part by using the software we have and providing feedback to the developers to help them make it better. But the vast majority of users don’t have that option.
Linux is a “distribution” because it is an operating system. It is not a technology platform. The idea that Linux is a technology platform has been shown to be wrong. Linux is a software platform, which is why I’ve said that it is not used as much as it could be. I’ve been in conversations with some of the top developers of Linux that, on a personal level, believe you need to learn Linux to be a developer.
