UPDATE: Mozilla will be launching it’s popular open-source browser, Firefox for mobiles! See http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20681/

There’s no doubt about it: Linux is still not mainstream, despite the many improvements by thousands of open-source contributors across the world. Luckily for us Linux users, this is all going to change with the launch of Google Android!

Here’s the top 5 reasons why:

1) Android looks damn nice compared to other Linux distributions. It’ll appeal to the masses who value asthetics above anything else.

 

Video of the Google Android UI in action:

2) It won’t break, and no configuration is needed. Cell phone manufacturers will ensure their phones will work with the platform by making the necessary installations and configurations, so consumers don’t have to.

3) It’ll drive down the price of a smartphone, pocket-pc or whatever a cellphone is called these days. Simple - no more licensing fees for crappy operating systems (can you say Windows Mobile?).

4) There are more people carrying cell phones than Internet users. Linux is having a difficult time converting Window users, who most likely have used the OS on their desktops/laptops their entire lives. However, this is not so for cell phones. Many of us are used to different OS on the phone (RIM, Symbian, Windows Mobile etc) so we’re more likely to try out a new OS, which is great considering there are so many cell phone users out there!

5) Android Apps are easily accessible without strict rules of which apps are featured on the Android App Market. Everyone is going to go crazy and start pulling their hair out when they discover that there are a plethora of different applications (that are super cheap or FREE) for their phone. They no longer have to stick to the software that comes on their phone. iPhone already offers this kind of an experience, but not all apps are available. For example, you won’t find a single podcaster app for the iPhone since apps like these are rejected and banned for duplicating the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes. Not so for the Android! So there will bound to be some awesome apps for your phone!

 
Bonus: 6) It’s from Google, so everyone will use it.

 

Let the spot-light shine on Linux!

Peter Kao

Just an update on my operating system problem, I had installed Ubuntu over Vista since I was fed up with it self-destructing (who knows when it will do it again).

Ubuntu is currently the most popular Linux distribution out there and I had always loved it. After spending countless hours (2 days straight FYI) configuring and setting up the system to get it to feel and work exactly the way I want, the system was waiting for a priority upgrade. So, this is when I was reminded why I had quit Ubuntu before. When I upgraded my system, everything went kaput. I had to re-install EVERYTHING, but since I prefer the operating system over Windows any day, I reinstalled it again. Got everything working again, then I decided to neglect the priority upgrade and upgraded my hardware drivers. Then, kaput! AGAIN. This time my sound card went dead. This was the last draw. Ironically, I installed Vista over Ubuntu and am re-doing my configurations on that.

Ubuntu is truly remarkable if you haven’t used it before. You can see an example here:

I really think that Ubuntu has a chance to go mainstream, but before that, it has to have better hardware support and a more stable upgrading process (one that doesn’t involve constant destruction to the system files), not to mention more support for 64-bit systems.

All in all,  I have wasted a lot of time on computers lately, mainly trying to get them to work the way they should. I am even starting to feel a bit annoyed with them…oh noes! My nerdy side is slowly diminishing! (the fact that I just said that proves to be on the contrary).

- Peter Kao