前几天，Con Kolivas(ck)退出Linux kernel开发可谓引起了轩然大波。
在apcmag对ck的采访中，记者感到意想不到的顺利，居然“The response I got was more than I bargained for...”。ck的这次采访也确实道出了很多Linux kernel开发的“内幕”。呵呵，起码让我对这帮“神人”有所了解。个人总结一下ck此次道出的核心：linux的kernel开发人员太侧重Linux在企业的应用，对于cpu schedule也给企业应用的进程有了一些照顾，这就导致linux在桌面应用表现不尽于人意，速度慢。而且Linux kernel开发人员使用自己的mail list，很少倾听大多数用户的意见，这也导致linux在桌面应用方面的落后。总之，ck抱怨的就是linux在桌面方面表现不好，核心偏于企业应用而疏于桌面。
另外，ck还提到了一点，就是linux开发的支持大多来自大企业，像IBM等大公司，这样导致了linux kernel的开发偏向了企业应用。
很多人看了这次采访，估计有一点反应是：linux在桌面方面敌不过windows。但是，请大家注意看看这个新闻后很多读者的留言以及ck本人的留言，你会发现ck抱怨linux的桌面不好，并不是他对linux桌面失去了信心。而且起初apcmag将新闻标题写成“why linux failed on the desktop”，ck反对，改成了"why i quit"。相信ck还是对linux充满了感情的，尤其是linux桌面，他不会承认linux就此在桌面败给了microsoft的。另外还有很多网友的讨论以及对ck的挽留，其中一个网友的留言我觉得非常好，转过来：
10: Con, how about this for an idea...
Con,
Yes, computing is in a mess.
Hardware innovation is slow and wanting, although the prospect of SSDs replacing hard disk drives is exciting, and LCDs are good news too especially with the new LED backlit variants. Also, a recent return to the idea of quiet fanless systems is very very welcome too. Just love all that copper on the motherboards.
The operating system should have addressed the security issue a long time ago when the Internet started becoming popular. Why don't any of the OSes sandbox everything by now better protecting users from themselves?
I would dearly love to see Con getting involved with Ubuntu and creating kernel enhancements which are desktop oriented for Ubuntu users.
Ashton states that Linux will rule the world. Well, it won't until the desktop side of things is addressed, and users taken into account. Ubuntu should boot fast, shutdown fast, be stable as a rock, everything intuitive, be secure, and be really easy to develop applications for. It should have a VB 6 like pre .Net RAD tool that uses a cross platform runtime a la Java. There is a gaping hole right now for a fast really easy to use software development tool that reduces software development costs (both on Windows and on Linux - RealBasis has the right idea though). A lot of the business community are very annoyed about that because they have lost the speed and low cost advantage that languages like VB 6 pre .Net, Cobol of old etc gave them. There is a huge opportunity out there right now, but Linux is missing it by concentrating too much on the server side of things.
Until this is addressed Microsoft will always win. The only other way to stop Microsoft is to stop paying the Microsoft tax and stop buying Microsoft products. To that end, I refuse to buy the awful Vista for as long as I can (XP rules for now), and will use Open Office rather than buy Microsoft's Office 2007.
I am interested in Ubuntu but it's not ready for mainstream consumer use yet. No wonder Microsoft is trying to get patent protection deals. Clearly it is worried that somebody might wake up and fix things on Linux so that it becomes a real threat. Sounds like Con is the man to get things rolling. Perhaps Con should give Mark Shuttleworth of Canonical a call. I'd love to see that happen.
Tony (5 days ago)
这个tony建议ck转而开发ubuntu。我觉得这个建议非常好，只不过不知道ck会不会采纳。
而且，在看完整个采访，我对linux desktop的未来感到很担心的时候（也许就像大多数网友一样），在看到这篇文章以后突然有了另一个想法，可以说也是预言:linux将在桌面打败windows。我的理由如下：ck提到了现在的linux kernel太侧重企业应用忽视或者说牺牲了桌面。linux因此在企业应用方面大出风头，也导致了unix的没落（大家可以看看陈皓的谈unix的发展和将来的文章）。如果将来linux重视桌面应用，这些无私的天才、斗士们的能量是不可限量的，开源社区的精英们最终将把windows打败！而且，ck此次退出影响极大，肯定会引起linux kernel开发人员以及其他开发人员对linux desktop的重视，以及对用户的意见的关心和重视。
相信linux将来肯定会在桌面大放异彩！btw:ck原来只是业余参与Linux开发，白天他是一位麻醉师。景仰并学习。
