There are certain things a computer in 2010 is expected to be able to do. Among them is the ability to print to any printer. Until the Linux community realizes that people expect their computers to print to their Epson/HP/Canon/etc. printer with all the capabilities advertised by the manufacturere, they will not have the mainstream market of PC users.
The computer is fast becoming a thin client for many tasks. As computing is moved into the cloud, the ability to run particular applications (other than the browser) will become less and less important. However, it will never be possible to move hardware into the cloud. There is no web application that can substitute for my printer by my desk. The same is true for webcams, wireless HCI devices, and any other hardware. The focus of any operating system development team must be on hardware compatibility. Without it, there will be dwindling advantage to choosing one OS over another.
The ability to wrap foreign (i.e. Windows) drivers for wireless network adapters was an important step in making Linux palatable to a wider audience. However, every time I consider installing Linux on any of my home computers, I remember that there will not be any but the most basic printer support, and My 3 feature-rich, high quality printers may as well be a 20-year-old HP Lasejet IIIs.
If Linux is to be taken seriously as an alternative for the home computer, it must support our printers. Obviously, the manufacturers cannot be trusted to provide this support, so it's up to the Linux community.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
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