<OT> Opensource software in windows

[Alma J Wetzker]

Joel Hammer wrote:
> It seems that a lot of opensource software is available these days to
> run on windows.
> 
> I wonder: Is this good or bad for the advancement of linux on the
> desktop? I would vote yes, because it would be a way to wean windows
> users away from MS software while they could still cling to windows
> during a transition period. Has anyone had any experience with this?
> 

It depends on what you view as the purpose of open source.  If you think all 
open source should drive users to linux, then the cross platform stuff may not 
be the best thing.  It will help transition folks but it won't drive them to 
linux.

If you believe, as I do, that open source is a way to provide quality, low 
cost solutions to computers users to help keep cost from being an impediment 
to thriving in an information age, then I think open source is winning.

I hope that the open source applications that people use most will continue to 
be platform agnostic.  That will, ultimately, keep the products cutting edge 
and if the platform doesn't matter, both Windoze and linux will get better and 
better.  The end users will all end up winners.

     -- Alma