[vox] [fwd] The Death of Linuxworld

[Bill Kendrick]

On Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 09:47:55AM -0700, Scot A wrote:
>    Wow!
>    It seems that "someone" is trying to rub Linux out.

Well, from what I hear, IDG (who ran LinuxWorld Expo, which
is what became OpenSource World / CloudWorld / etc.) is
having trouble running conferences.  Something along the
lines of "running them like it's still the early 2000s".

As I mentioned before, OSCON was fabulous, both in terms
of community and the presence of projects and companies.
I've already put my feelers out to a number of the folks
who had booths at OSCON, and am getting speakers lined up
for future LUGOD meetings.

<snip>
>    I have heard that there is even a bit of a problem finding
>    space locally for the local Davis, CA Linux group.

That was simply because the Davis Public Library is undergoing
renovation.  All groups which have been meeting there (including a
mom's club, IIRC) have been having a hard time quickly finding
a replacement.

LUGOD was able to meet at the Davis Food Co-Op Demo Kitchen facility
in June, at Wickson Hall at UC Davis in July, and will be meeting
at Explorit tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future.
(Thanks to Lou and Megan at Explorit!)


>    I hope that this stops being an obstacle.

See above. :)


>    My wish is that Linux becomes a complete
>    and utter force to be reckoned with as an OS on a global level.

It's well on its way.  When I was on the air on Dr. Andy's show on KDVS
last Wednesday, he asked about Microsoft's recent financial filing where
they mentioned Linux becoming a threat to the desktop.  (It has already
been a threat to Microsoft on the server for a good long time.)

Part of this seems to be thanks to 'netbooks' and other smaller devices
where OSes like Windows Vista aren't suitable.  I'm really just
repeating junk I've read on Slashdot and elsewhere at this point...
as I told Dr. Andy, I'm not a tech business analyst. ;)

What I did notice recently, in my own household, is that Linux on the
is the minority.  Not because we run Windows anywhere... it's because
we have Linux running on more NON-desktop devices than on PCs. :)

(Two Linux laptops versus:  one NAS, a TiVo DVR, a Roku Netflix player
video streaming device, and a GP2X Linux-based handheld game system.)

Now we just need some Maemo devices and an Android phone or two
(which my wife is seriously considering), and the ratio will get
even worse. ;)

-bill!