Vista may beat Linux to the punch, but is Linux far behind?

[MyndFyre]

From Fedora Core 5's release notes:

Early work from the Fedora Rendering Project is integrated into the desktop. This new project (http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/RenderingProject) is going to provide the technical foundations for advanced desktop interfaces based on OpenGL.

From Fedora Rendering Project:

The Fedora Rendering Project's goal is to create a compelling end-user experience for the Free Software desktop. The desktop should be attractive, it should use sophisticated visual effects where appropriate, it should perform well, with near-instantaneous response and smooth transitions, and it should provide a rich range of visual metaphors for use in applications.

To create this user experience, we are enhancing and building on top of a number of technologies. Cairo provides a 2D drawing API. Pango provides text layout capabilities. OpenGL is used for 3D graphics. The COMPOSITE extension to X allows us to combine toplevel windows into a desktop in sophisticated ways.

As you all know, I'm a Microsoft fanboy, and FC4 has been my favorite distro to date.  I'll be installing FC5 on my laptop (over the Mac OS X installation) when I get to work tonight.  Looks promising! 

[iago]

I've heard a little about the OpenGL desktops lately, and I will personally avoid them as much as I can.  But the fact that people who like flashy stuff are being offered a choice is pretty nice. 

And by the way, I can't even begin to tell you how much I dislike your title for this thread.  You make it sound like it's a necessary technology (God help me if it is), and that Linux is trying to catch up (it's not, Fedora is adding a similar feature). 

[Warrior]

I really just don't think right now that any OS (Including Vista) is ready for 3D. We arn't nearly in the age of 3D yet. Of course this might be the first push but it's still risky. For Vista it slaughters the already high PC requirements in exchange for some I'll say mildly entertaining effects. Give us the stuff we saw at PDC03 Vista and you'll have my soul.

[iago]

I really just don't think right now that any OS (Including Vista) is ready for 3D.

I'm not sure that we'll ever be "ready" for 3d.  I don't know about others, but my brain works best, by far, in 2d.  When another dimension is added, I get confused and lost and annoyed. 

[Joe]

And by the way, I can't even begin to tell you how much I dislike your title for this thread.  You make it sound like it's a necessary technology (God help me if it is), and that Linux is trying to catch up (it's not, Fedora is adding a similar feature).

Weird. You said that you couldn't even begin to tell him, yet you did anyhow. =)

Linux is superior to Windows except for two things, in my opinion: Userbase (Windows holds market share majority, thus most programs are for Windows), and included in part 1 and about to be obsolete anyhow, Winmodems.

[MyndFyre]

And by the way, I can't even begin to tell you how much I dislike your title for this thread.  You make it sound like it's a necessary technology (God help me if it is), and that Linux is trying to catch up (it's not, Fedora is adding a similar feature).

Weird. You said that you couldn't even begin to tell him, yet you did anyhow. =)

Linux is superior to Windows except for two things, in my opinion: Userbase (Windows holds market share majority, thus most programs are for Windows), and included in part 1 and about to be obsolete anyhow, Winmodems.

You forgot: usability, accessibility, and design (X?  Come on.  Really).

[Warrior]

Joe just hopped on the bandwagon, really I'd rather have someone like iago defend Linux since Joe just seems to be baiting.

[iago]

And by the way, I can't even begin to tell you how much I dislike your title for this thread.  You make it sound like it's a necessary technology (God help me if it is), and that Linux is trying to catch up (it's not, Fedora is adding a similar feature).

Weird. You said that you couldn't even begin to tell him, yet you did anyhow. =)

Linux is superior to Windows except for two things, in my opinion: Userbase (Windows holds market share majority, thus most programs are for Windows), and included in part 1 and about to be obsolete anyhow, Winmodems.

You forgot: usability, accessibility, and design (X?  Come on.  Really).

Usability? For me, Linux, easy. 
Accessibility? Depends what you mean, that's a broad term.  I can't answer it. 
Design? I'll have to go with Linux.  An optional, server/client/policy/whatever-based architecture?  Beats what Windows does. 

Which side are you arguing?

Actually, it's heavily dependent on the individual.  I'd put Linux ahead for at least two of those criteria, but I know that others wouldn't.  You're going to have to elaborate a lot more if you want to make any sense. 

However, that's not what this is about. 

[Newby]

Actually, it's heavily dependent on the individual.  I'd put Linux ahead for at least two of those criteria, but I know that others wouldn't.  You're going to have to elaborate a lot more if you want to make any sense. 

Others wouldn't because they're too blind to realize it's all opinion. The only thing Windows has over Linux that isn't debate-able is market share, and that's just on the desktop. On the server, Linux reigns supreme.

[Blaze]

I like windows 2000.  It had a very nice clean design, everything would run and work right... built like a rock.  I really don't want all this 3d crap as a forced feature, which is why I probably won't be upgrading to vista right away.

[Warrior]

3D on Vista is in no way "forced". You can turn it off. Fully.