Initial goal of desktop linux was to provide a 'free as in free speech' desktop
Linux has been my free as in speech OS for many years. I love it! I don't give a shit about the "Desktop". Sorry, KDE contributor, KDE is a very impressive product, I just don't need it. The command line is how I use Linux, because it is a far better way to deal with a computer. If you are a power user.
Linux, from, by, and for, power users has always worked spectacularly well using the command line.
The desktop? That's always been something our pride and ambition wanted, but we never needed it.
When we talk about desktop linux, we do not talk only about the widgets and wallpapers. Desktop linux means PDF readers, video players, window managers, web browsers, email clients, music players, chat services, office suites and much more.
Are you telling me that you use none of them and perform all your tasks without even running X?
I try to avoid PDFs as much as possible, I hate them.
I am not interested in video playing on Linux. And I used to work for a video editor maker who's products worked on Windows, OSX and Linux. (And used to work SGI) But my workhorse Linux machine is just not for videos or video games. OSX and Windows are for those. That's why I think of Linux as by and for programmers. Not anyone else.
Email does not need window managers, same with music players, chat service, emacs is my "office suite", etc. All of these are generic things for a wide public. For everyone. But OSX and Windows are already doing a great service for everyone.
Why should the free and open OS also be easy to use for the general audience? What's so wrong about it being specialized to power users?
My point is that Linux as an OS for and by hackers has been spectacularly successful. As an OS for everyone else? Meh.
Linux has been my free as in speech OS for many years. I love it! I don't give a shit about the "Desktop". Sorry, KDE contributor, KDE is a very impressive product, I just don't need it. The command line is how I use Linux, because it is a far better way to deal with a computer. If you are a power user.
Linux, from, by, and for, power users has always worked spectacularly well using the command line.
The desktop? That's always been something our pride and ambition wanted, but we never needed it.