[ale] Linux for sale

[Tom Wiencko]

Dan Newcombe wrote:
> 
> On 2 Sep 1997, Lex Spoon wrote:
>
> ... massive quantities of diatribe deleted ...
>

> Yes - ActiveX is evil, but Java will become the same thing because MS has
> so much market share and influence.  When they make the Java MS Office,
> which will for sure be full of ActiveX controls, and Corel wants to try
> and compete, they'll probably need to add these "powerful" controls to
> keep at the level of MS, and once again, every non-windows user is given
> the shaft by Gates.
> 
> But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
> 

I kinda hope not.

I really want to see the open system community get together and deal
with the massive attack on common sense and decency that ActiveX
represents.  They have done it before.  This is why we have C instead of
PL/1, TCP/IP instead of SNA, UNIX instead of OS/400.

Unfortunately, the solution is as obvious as it is elusive - develop
application environments and applications that can be run and supported
in a production environment that does not require GatesWare.  

Browser technology, at the intersection of Java and open HTML standards
are the path to this independence day.  But do we, the technology
decision makers, have the guts to recommend Linux over Windows 95
(probably never), or Netscape over Internet Explorer (what a *nasty*
choice), or Java over ActiveX (easier said than done).

Or, as developers and/or investors in developers, to develop open
systems products that can run on *any* platform, even if it makes the
product more expensive to develop (another issue we need to address...).

Deep thoughts for a Tuesday morning.

Sorry for disturbing an ale thread with philosophy.

-Tom

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Tom Wiencko                                            tew at wiencko.com
President - Wiencko & Associates, Inc.