Promoting i386 version over x86_64?

[Peter Robinson]

On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 11:14 AM, Ralf Corsepius <rc040203 at freenet.de> wrote:
> On 11/20/2009 11:58 AM, Peter Robinson wrote:
>
>>> IMO, they are targetting MID devices, competing with Android, Smart
>>> phones
>>> and similar.
>>
>> Not at the moment they're not/
>
> Then please explain what they are targetting.

Netbooks.

> So far, all of Moblin I have seen was them trying to turn a multi-user
> environment/desktop into a single-user, Smart-phone/Kiosk-like desktop.
>
>>> That's a completely different audience as I am talking about: People
>>> using
>>> netbooks, nettops and old i386s as inexpensive, "secondary" machine for
>>> everyday, "low end" desktop usage, such as "browsing the web", "word
>>> processing", "presentations", "photo browsing" etc.
>>
>> They are targeting Netbooks for the online type of device.
>
> What is this? UTMS, WLAN, LAN, Bluetooth etc.?
>
> How is this kind of device different from an "ordinary desktop" with UTMS,
> WLAN, LAN, Bluetooth ...?

Its not but its a move away from the traditional start menu style of
interface to one with Social networking and other communications at
its core. Like Sugar is a move away from a standard desktop for
education. It doesn't suit everyone one but it doesn't mean its wrong.
And for the target market its targeting it works very well.

>> They are
>> targeted at web browsing, Social Networking, Media
>> (Audio/Video/Photos) and Instant messaging running on small
>> inexpensive netbook devices. They will do presentations and word
>> processing quite happily as well as it based on gtk and clutter so all
>> the usual gnome apps will run but that's not the main target.
>
> In my understanding this is exactly the same target audience as all other
> "desktop installations" address - So, why does it exist?

Why do both gnome and kde and other desktop environments exist. They
all achieve the same thing so why have more that one? The target is
more the online market than a standard desktop market. Ones that use
web based apps and the likes of twitter and itunes more than they do a
word processor or spreadsheet.

> Getting rid of the "multi-user overhead", turning Linux into Windows?

You can run it multi user just fine. I do so myself.

> Catering the the Telcos to address the TelCos' audiences? This would be the
> Smartphone/Android etc. audience.

No. A netbook isn't a smart phone.... you can't put it in your pocket.

Peter