[clug] Has Ubuntu resulted in a decline of Linux distribution innovation

[Daniel Pittman]

Paul Wayper <paulway at mabula.net> writes:
> On 19/06/09 19:38, Alex Satrapa wrote:
>> On 19/06/2009, at 18:47 , Jason Stokes wrote:
>>
>>> Perhaps this is flamebait, but I see very little need for the
>>> proliferation of distributions anyway and would be extremely happy if
>>> there were just one, or perhaps two, "big distributions" that everyone
>>> uses for most purposes.
>>
>> You're addressing the issue of "the Paradox of Choice":
>> http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html
>
> Really, the choice is actually much simpler: do we let one or two big
> distributions dictate how our operating system / GUI / mabulator works, or
> do we let the open market work?

It seems to me that you are drawing a false dichotomy here: you would need to
prove that having one or two big distributions[1] is somehow a failure of the
open market.

Regards,
        Daniel

Footnotes: 
[1]  As opposed to the present three, or four, depending on how you count
     them, in the first tier, then about as many again in the second tier.
     Much like how IT "system" hardware vendors have fallen out, as it happens.