Growing Linux Desktop
Doghouse – Chess
Maddog considers the history of chess as a metaphor to grow the desktop Linux user base.
There is a story about the game of chess and how it was invented centuries ago. After the game was invented, the ruler of the country was so happy that he offered the inventor a reward for their efforts. The inventor requested a grain of rice on the first square, two grains on the second square, four grains on the third square, and so forth. The ruler, speaking quickly, said "Let it be done." The problem was that there was not enough grain in the entire kingdom.
Today we might think of this as "two to the 64th power," a number so large that it is fairly unimaginable. Even two to the 32nd is over four billion, and, if you start with a number greater than two, it gets very large very fast. It is this concept that I was thinking about when I asked Linus Torvalds to port Linux from the 32-bit Intel platform to the 64-bit DEC Alpha.
Today, I would like to apply this concept to a different subject, that of desktop Linux, one of the few places where Linux does not have the penetration that it should have. Few people would say that Linux does not have penetration in the high performance computing market, the server marketplace, the embedded system space, and the cell phone space (as Android), but we have been stymied in the desktop space to the point where "The Year of Desktop Linux" has been a running joke for at least two decades.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Framework Laptop 13 Pro Competes with the Best
Framework has released what might be considered the MacBook of Linux devices.
-
The Latest CachyOS Features Supercharged Kernel
The latest release of CachyOS brings with it an enhanced version of the latest Linux kernel.
-
Kernel 7.0 Is a Bit More Rusty
Linux kernel 7.0 has been released for general availability, with Rust finally getting its due.
-
France Says "Au Revoir" to Microsoft
In a move that should surprise no one, France announced plans to reduce its reliance on US technology, and Microsoft Windows is the first to get the boot.
-
CIQ Releases Compatibility Catalog for Rocky Linux
The company behind Rocky Linux is making an open catalog available to developers, hobbyists, and other contributors, so they can verify and publish compatibility with the CIQ lineup.
-
KDE Gets Some Resuscitation
KDE is bringing back two themes that vanished a few years ago, putting a bit more air under its wings.
-
Ubuntu 26.04 Beta Arrives with Some Surprises
Ubuntu 26.04 is almost here, but the beta version has been released, and it might surprise some people.
-
Ubuntu MATE Dev Leaving After 12 years
Martin Wimpress, the maintainer of Ubuntu MATE, is now searching for his successor. Are you the next in line?
-
Kali Linux Waxes Nostalgic with BackTrack Mode
For those who've used Kali Linux since its inception, the changes with the new release are sure to put a smile on your face.
-
Gnome 50 Smooths Out NVIDIA GPU Issues
Gamers rejoice, your favorite pastime just got better with Gnome 50 and NVIDIA GPUs.