Since all things seem possible at the start of a bright new year, why not indulge in some harmless open-source fantasies, says Jack Wallen.
Don't worry, I am not going to argue that 2010 is going to be the year of Linux or open source. No-one would take such a statement seriously, because it has been trotted out far too frequently. Instead, I thought I would conjure some headlines I would love to see this year.
1. Linus Torvalds hired by Microsoft
In my fantasy world, the creator of Linux is hired by Microsoft to lead a serious Linux initiative at the Redmond headquarters.
Of course, cold reality is rather different. What we saw recently on the Microsoft job board was the post for Linux and Open Office competition leader.
That advert underlines how Microsoft is creating roles for executives who will help rally the troops against Linux. Wrong direction, Microsoft. This is a new decade, let's all play together. Hire Linus, and move on.
2. Open source helps newspapers salvage their future
Newspapers and magazines are in serious jeopardy of going the way of the dodo. Most newspapers cannot handle economic downturns. So this headline would be sure to please them.
Newspapers would shift their websites to Lamp — Linux, Apache, MySQL and Python — servers and their desktops to a Linux-based operating system. After that would come a deluge of print servers and more. It would be a win-win situation. Not only would open source get a boost, but newspapers would live to write another headline.
3. Linux Standard Base agrees a standard backed by everyone
This issue has been with us since June 2001. The Linux Standard Base was formed to create a single standard that Linux distributions could follow. So far, it has made little headway.
But how could it, when Linux distributions are so different? Perhaps if such a headline were to appear, it would mean the Linux operating system had finally overcome a huge barrier to mass acceptance: standardisation.
4. Desktop users clamour for Gnome 3
Could Gnome 3 succeed where KDE 4.0 failed and reinvent the desktop in such a way that everyone would actually want it?
The obvious parallel to this development would be what Steve Jobs and Apple did with OS X.
From what I have seen, the worst-case scenario is that Gnome 3 is not as bad as KDE 4.0. But I think Gnome 3 will be far more successful than that. It aims to reinvent the desktop metaphor, making the desktop even easier for the end user. Let's hope that ambition comes to fruition.
5. Forking saves MySQL from possible death
Although I want to be positive about the Oracle purchase of Sun and its impact on MySQL, I worry that the open-source community...
Talkback
1, It would be great to see a open source consortium come together and succeed where others have failed, in bringing a viable unified home user desktop OS/experience to bare to the people of the world with none of the heckles.
2. Total OpenGL re-uptake by commercial & indie software houses along with full hardware API backing from both ATI & Nvidia amongst other hardware venders, to completely kill off directx once and for all, thus cutting the final strand to windows tie in.
Build it and they will come ;)
I would LOVE to see a Fry's ad that lets you buy a branded computer without an installation of windows pre-installed. I would also like to see a new Rolls Royce in my garage.
"The masses start showing a glimmer of interest in Linux" because in reality they simply don't give a toss about any of the multivarious derivations of Linux whatsoever.
Er, I don't think so. Geeks install it themselves onto a computer with no case, cobbled together from parts they found in a skip. People who would buy a preinstalled Linux box are not geeks.