R
Linux-supporters often claim that the 'openness' of the system, i.e. the availability of all the source code, is a major plus in comparison to Windows. The reasoning goes that if there is a problem somewhere, you can "just" fix the code.
Now I wonder whether this is really true. Of course, from a theoretical view it is true, but now from a more practical side. Even though it is Unix, that does not mean that it is simple and it is not small either. I wonder whether most
Linux-users have the knowledge to fix the kernel, or the windowing system, or the network applications, or the shell(s), and even if they fix it within reasonable time, are they are aware of any potential side-effects?
Kernel-kacking might have been simple with the 10K-sourceline Unix V6 kernel of 1980, but the kernel and the applications have grown quite a lot since then.
Any opinions?
Rob Hulsebos
Now I wonder whether this is really true. Of course, from a theoretical view it is true, but now from a more practical side. Even though it is Unix, that does not mean that it is simple and it is not small either. I wonder whether most
Linux-users have the knowledge to fix the kernel, or the windowing system, or the network applications, or the shell(s), and even if they fix it within reasonable time, are they are aware of any potential side-effects?
Kernel-kacking might have been simple with the 10K-sourceline Unix V6 kernel of 1980, but the kernel and the applications have grown quite a lot since then.
Any opinions?
Rob Hulsebos