[ale] Acceptance of Linux on the desktop

[Sean Kilpatrick]

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I would possit that the single greatest bar to a
more general acceptance of Linux on the desktop is
the lack of manufacturer-supplied drivers.
I can go to any computer super store and buy *any*
computer add on (digital camera, flatbed scanner,
film scanner, printer, digital card reader, etc.)
and be sure that it will work with either the
Macintosh or the M$ operating system. If the whatever
doesn't work right out of the box when I plug it in,
the supplied CD will have the needed drivers and I
can expect to have full use of the whatever, including
all its bells and whistles, within minutes of turning
it on.
The same can not be said for those using Linux.
Want to buy a new scanner or printer? First I must
do some research to find out which ones are supported
on the Linux platform. Then I must download drivers
and struggle to get everything working. And the chances
are whatever driver I locate will not provide access
to all the bells and whistles available through the
manufacturer's own drivers -- which are currently 
available only for the two operating systems mentioned
above.

This sad situation will change when manufactuers realize
that the installed base of Linux actually exceeds that
of Macintosh.

So the question remains: how to publicize the ever growing
size of the Linux installed base?

Sean

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