Sigh. So why doesn't the Linux community just man-up, and start backing Linux-oriented hardware manufacturers? This pansy whiny attitude from the Linux community got tiresome 10 years ago. Today, it's just absurd.
Please just quit whining, and quit trying to "make Microsoft our bitch", and start supporting hardware companies that are already on your side, and completely ignore Microsoft and hardware companies that bow to them.
> So why doesn't the Linux community just man-up, and start backing Linux-oriented hardware manufacturers?
We do. The problem is this increases their sales by 1% in notebooks and desktops. There just isn't that many people who want to run Linux on their computers.
Microsoft will cleverly induce hardware makers to build those single-purpose locked down tablets to force some market share for a solution they know can't compete on a level playfield. And they'll do so by threatening to increase the exto^H^H^H^Hlicensing fees on patents Android "violates". Watch for those increases after they acquire what's left of Nokia.
There just isn't that many people who want to run Linux on their computers.
Yes there is. I know lots of people who run Linux on their desktop. And I bet there's probably even more people that would be interested in a Linux tablet. The argument that Linux is this totally obscure precious little snowflake just doesn't work anymore.
For varying definitions of "totally", "obscure" and "sucking". In my opinion, Mac and Windows "suck" compared to my Linux desktop, but I'm not going to assert that as fact.
1-2% of a global desktop computing market is small in percentage, but ENORMOUS in total numbers. We're talking about many, many millions of users. And that's just desktop. The potential size of a Linux tablet market is really quite big.
But none of that matters if Linux enthusiasts only want to buy a Windows tablet, and reformat it with a free version of Linux that barely works on that hardware.
There are a ton of craptablets based on Rockchip SoCs. Even so, a craptablet running "real Linux" would probably cost more than the equivalent Android version.
The demoscene people do some really amazing work with some very basic hardware, so why can't that kind of talent be applied to making a really ripping Linux tablet?
If they try and fail, they'll have no one to blame but themselves; if they don't try then they can keep shifting the blame. I suspect that Shuttleworth is aware of Kay's wisdom about building your own hardware, but the market is probably not there.
Please just quit whining, and quit trying to "make Microsoft our bitch", and start supporting hardware companies that are already on your side, and completely ignore Microsoft and hardware companies that bow to them.