[Fsf-friends] Elx Linux... on desktoplinux.com (some time back)

[Frederick Noronha]

http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT6850645834.html
An interview with ELX Linux founder and chief architect, Abhi Datt 
Rick Lehrbaum (Feb. 4, 2002)

DesktopLinux.com founder and executive editor Rick Lehrbaum interviews
Abhi Datt, Chief Software Architect and founder of Project ELX, a new
project to create a uniquely easy-to-use Linux distribution. Abhi Datt
describes his vision for Project ELX, lists the main features of the
ELX Linux distribition, provides an update on the status of ELX, and
shares his thoughts on how Linux can succeed on the desktop and
elsewhere.


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DesktopLinux.com: What is ELX? What are its main objectives?

Abhi Datt: ELX, as its name suggests, is "everyone's Linux". It is the
most comprehensive work ever done to bring Linux to desktop. Very
soon, ELX will bring to users a complete suite of various Linux based
operating systems so that it caters to the complete needs of a wide
range of users -- from home, to corporate, to power users, to hardcore
developers. Our vision and mission are to take Linux to everyone.

DesktopLinux.com: What are the key features and software that ELX will
provide?

Abhi Datt: The expression "ease of use" has become such a misnomer
that I would rather refrain from using it. ELX's true brilliance can
only be appreciated by actually using it. ELX does not believe in
"dumbing down" the system to achieve so called simplicity. It's the
most comprehensive work ever done to bring Linux on the desktops of
all -- and by that I mean normal users, power users, and developers.
People who think ease and power cannot walk hand-in-hand should try
ELX to change their opinion. It's easy to make a Windows-lookalike
desktop, but its difficult to make it actually work like one -- of
course I'm not talking about Windows' inimitable ability to crash! 

Small things do matter. For example: How do you share files in
Windows? Right click on any folder and pick share, a couple of
buttons, and off it goes in the network. ... How do you copy your
files to your floppy? Right click and send to floppy. ... How do you
add a printer? Go to Control panel say add printer and follow the
wizard. ... How do you change Network settings? ... How do you zip a
file and email it? ... Try doing all this in ELX, and you will know
why ELX is ELX.

ELX comes with 3 fullfledged office suites (including OpenOffice), 5
browsers, 2 state-of-the-art email clients with outlook express
compatibilty, a complete multimedia suite to run virtually all file
formats, and more. "Application Launch Pad System" (ALPS) manages all
this in the most intelligent way. Though the default desktop
environment is based on KDE, it installs base libraries of Gnome so
all Gnome applications work perfectly well. 

For system adminstrators and network administrators, ELX offers the
latest Linux kernel with a lot of security patches. It also provides
the latest configuration tools, the ability to control a network
securely from any remote place via a browser, a firewall utility, plus
an auto backup utility which is advanced enough to handle backup of
complete partitions automatically on a periodic basis over the network
itself. 

If someone is looking for an extraordinary development environment,
ELX is the answer. It provides twin compilers (gcc 2.96 and 3.0.3)
switchable on a flick of a button, twin QT libraries, latest
development components, four preconfigured IDEs (Integrated
Development Environments) incuding a Java IDE, two databases and
preconfigured database drivers in IDEs, Sun's latest JRE, and a
graphical versioning system. What else could a developer ask for?

There is so much in ELX that if I tell you about any one of its areas,
it will overshadow all the others. ELX has so much to offer that it
can best be judged by actually using it. We are, in fact, releasing
multiple versions of ELX along with the main release so that users can
pick the most appropriate package. But ELX will never do a version
which is inadequate in any means. So its fundamental character of
Power and Ease will alway be preserved even in its basest of versions.


DesktopLinux.com: Is ELX a totally free and open source distribution?

Abhi Datt: The base version of ELX will remain free and under GPL,
though there will also be several commercial versions available. 

DesktopLinux.com: What is the current status of ELX? Can people
download and run ELX now? When can we expect a first "finished",
stable version? 

Abhi Datt: Right from day one ELX has come out with an ultra stable
version. We have a record that out of more than 40 thousand ELX users
worldwide, there is not even a single after-install crash problem
reported so far. And in many places (even in some renowned
universities) it's used as a server because of its stabilty, ease of
use, and ease of configuration. The current release of ELX (the new
ISO set of preI/rc2E currently available) has no known bugs and is
highly stable. It has been thoroughly tested. 

It is very much available for download. Users can visit our download
page. The main release of ELX can be expected very shortly. In fact,
it is currently under testing by several universities and developers
worldwide. It will have several firsts to its credit -- a part of
which we are keeping as a surprise. 

DesktopLinux.com: What is your vision of the opportunity for Linux on
the desktop? What are the main barriers to the growing use of Linux on
the desktop? (what are the key things that must be done in order for
Linux to succeed? etc...) 

Abhi Datt: I think as a result of the entry of ELX there will be very
little, if any, reason left with potential migrators to not switch
over to Linux. But to actually keep maintaining a fair balance with
the mammoth resources and market clout of Microsoft, all the Linux
supporters should focus themselves on the real issues, which according
to my understanding are as follows . . . 
Linux support from hardware vendors -- All hardware vendors have to be
pressed to release Linux drivers out of factory, and in fact to ensure
fair play in the market the US Government should pass a statutory
regulation directing these vendors to do the same or at least write a
clear and conspicous warning on their devices such as: "WARNING: ALL
CUSTOMERS ARE HEREBY WARNED THAT THIS PRODUCT CURRENTLY SUPPORTS ONLY
WINDOWS BASED SYTEMS". Hiding or not prominently displaying this fact
from the innocent buyers is one of the prime reasons why people who
want to excercise their freedom of choice also sometimes get badly
locked into one technology only. How often does it happen that you
purchase a laptop / modem / webcam only to later discover that your
hardware is either not supported or partially supported in Linux? This
attitude of most hardware/system vendors has made it almost impossible
for Linux developers to keep up, since the onus is left to Linux
developers to create compatible drivers to support the hardware/system
vendors when it should really be the reverse.


Linux support from software vendors -- Software application vendors
should come forward and make their applications available to Linux
users as well. In any case, more and more business applications are
now becoming web based and therefore operating system independent. But
applications used for specific purposes like CAD / CAM, graphic
designing, etc. need to be made available for Linux as well. It now
makes more commercial sense than ever for application vendors to have
their Linux versions ready.


Education -- There is a pressing need to educate and inform normal
desktop users and corporate users so that they can make informed
decisions rather than allowing themselves to fall into vicious cycles
of vendor designed technology traps. The implications of their buying
decisions with respect to both hardware and software have a direct
impact on them both technically and financially. In fact we are
planing to start an "Educating exercise" through the ELX website, to
help people make informed and proper decisions. Until and unless we
involve "normal users" in this cause, some of the hardware/software
vendors will keep taking advantage of their ignorance. We'll be
inviting both hardware and software vendors to inform Linux users how
much of their product range currently supports Linux and when (if at
all) they plan to provide Linux support for the rest. We will also try
to inform users as much as possible regarding alternatives, provide
compatibility rankings, etc. This will allow normal users to make
better decisions.


Lack of action oriented focus -- To bring much needed fair balance
into action, the focus of the Linux friendly organizations should be
unified. Until and unless we bring Linux closer to common normal
users, it will keep itself distant from people's acceptance. Though
IBM has announced a mammoth support for Linux, it has kept itself
largely to the enterprise/server side of it. On the other hand, Sun
would contest with Microsoft for issues such as not "standardizing"
its Java standards, conceding in a way that Microsoft's OS can be the
only viable vehicle to do so. Why? If giants like them can spend a
fraction of their resources on addressing issues like giving more
support to Linux developers, business application development on
Linux, Framing common standards for Linux application development, and
so forth, results would be far more effective. 


Finding a way to make money --- There needs to be some mechanism in
open source where people can make some money (if they desire to do so)
so they get further motivated to the cause rather than taking these
issues part time, or as university days passions, or, for that matter,
kind hearted gestures. In fact, to some extent this image of the Linux
/ open source community was responsible for not allowing it to gain an
entry into serious corporate environments for a long time. Now,
however, users are demanding an equal level of services from Linux
companies, and also are not hesitating to pay for it. 
DesktopLinux.com: Do you think there is either a geographical or
cultural difference in how Microsoft is perceived in India and other
parts of Asia vs. how they are perceived in the U.S. and Europe? For
example, is it easier or harder to get individuals and companies to
switch to Linux from Windows in India and the rest of Asia than in the
U.S. and Europe?

Abhi Datt: One great thing about Windows is that it has proven to be a
great unifier of cultural/geographical disparities of all sorts. It
behaves the same way for everyone, everywhere -- and also evokes
similar responses. As far as my experience goes, U.S citizens are the
first to embrace, support, and encourage newer/better technologies.
People in the U.S. are more open to change and are on the lookout for
newer and better alternatives. Often, they make changes due to
technical, rather than economic, reasons. Here in Asia, on the other
hand, Linux is growing in popularity because of the immediate economic
advantages it offers. Currently, a wave of Linux is sweeping througout
China and South Korea. And Linux has just recently started picking up
in India.

DesktopLinux.com: Please give a brief overview of the history and
background of the ELX project. Who are its leaders? Is a commercial
enterprise funding or supporting ELX, or is it a community project
based on volunteer efforts? How many developers are working on ELX?

Abhi Datt: Project ELX was begun in February 2000, to build a
distribution with the ease of Windows and robustness of Linux. For a
little while it was funded by a commercial organization. Thereafter,
it was funded by me until we became self sufficient -- this initially
included a lot of sacrifices on the part of every ELX team member, who
worked for minimum salaries and rejected lucrative job offers in India
and overseas. All this because of their love towards ELX. We managed
to achieve self sufficiency through various assignments including work
in areas of embedded systems, training, and migration solutions. Now,
with orders for support versions and CD's pouring in, we expect to be
posting profits. 

We at ELX are a team of twelve people all below the age of 27 and with
highly technical background and experience. Each ELX team member is
key to the project. Narsi is Chief of Operations at ELX; his role in
ELX design and development has been instrumental. He and I share the
same vision, and without him I could never have taken this endeavor so
far. Other key team members: Padmaja leads the Installation Team,
Murali leads the Programs Management Team, Sudarshan leads the Desktop
Team, Venkat leads Testing Team, and Praveen heads up Web-based
Development of ELX. 

My own role is that of Chief Software Architect and founder. I,
together with my team, design technical roadmaps, frame day-to-day
objectives, and ensure that the teams' objectives are met by putting
everyone's efforts in the right direction. I also am responsible for
taking care of business issues at ELX.

DesktopLinux.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Abhi Datt: I'd like to add that the role of DesktopLinux.com in
promoting the ease factor of Linux is equally instrumental -- if not
more so -- than developing a product like ELX itself. For an
organization like us which has an ace product like ELX, but
limitations both geographically and in terms of resources, it is
difficult to make our voice heard. We are extremely thankful to
DesktopLinux.com for taking up the cause of actually bringing Linux
nearer to people.

DesktopLinux.com: And we are most grateful to you as well, for your
efforts of creating "the people's Linux" -- and also for sharing some
of your time and thoughts with the Desktop Linux community. Thank you
and good luck with Project ELX!
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Please note: If you have tried ELX Linux and would like to make
comments about it, please post your comments here.


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