SharpLinux: Memories of GUIs . . .

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Memories of GUIs . . .

I found an interesting site today called GUIdebook that has screen shots, timelines, and other information about operating systems and desktop environments, including Gnome and KDE. I'm getting interested in the history of GNU, Linux, and other open source software projects. It's like all the while the wider world has been focused on Apple vs. IBM, then Apple vs. Microsoft, then Windows vs. MacIntosh, then IE vs. Netscape, etc., there has been this undercurrent of production that encourages freedom from those very limited choices. I'm looking for a book about the history of this, but I don't see one. I think this might be a subject worth exploring.

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Welcome! Reading Suggestions . . .

I've been blogging here since August 2007 about my entry into the world of Linux and Free Software. Since I have a few dozen posts now, I wanted to offer a couple of starting places for those who have no idea what I'm talking about:

1. My first post, where I describe my computer background and my initial interest in Linux.

2. My first post about Ubuntu, where I touch on why anybody would want to do this at all.

3. My post describing Free/Open Source history which gives some context to the whole thing.

4. My most recent explanation and rationale for getting into all this.

5. Read how you can try Linux without changing your computer!

A Word About Terminology

I've now had a few encounters with readers of my blog who are concerned about how I refer to Linux, so I will go ahead and explain what the issue is and why I choose the terms I do. "Linux" is technically just the Linux kernel, which is a crucial part of an operating system, but is not in itself the actual operating system. Most of the rest of the operating system, at least at the level of the shell and its many useful programs is actually the GNU (GNU's Not Unix) Operating System, which leads many in the Free/Open Source Software community to call this program "GNU/Linux", including Debian, which is, all told, probably my favorite distribution. I agree that this is probably the proper way to refer to this operating system.

However . . . The purpose of my blog is to advocate the use of what is commonly known as "Linux" and other Free/Open Source software to new (or non-) users in an inviting and friendly way, and I don't think it's inviting or friendly or particularly appealing to insist on the use of a certain term one way or the other (not to mention that I just don't like having to add caveats or explanations to every blog post making this point!). As far as I'm concerned, I would rather people start using Linux for their every day computing needs than to have me (or anyone else) beating them over the head about why GNU, and not the Linux kernel, deserves top billing.

So I say "Linux" to refer to this. You may not agree with me, but at least you know where I stand . . .

What is WorldCat and Why Do I Link to It?