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goingware, that's a very interesting idea. You might interest yourself in letting us know what your thoughts are about the subject matter. Also, I'm currently thinking of writing a advogato article about delivering a 'good enough' software package suitable for training first-timers. Users I'm basically targetting are the ones who haven't operated a PC before. Where all they have are the desire and curiosity to find out what computers and the internet are all about. Getting them up and running surfing the internet, writing emails and typing resumes and poems are actually big wins for them. They may be considered trivial to us, but they're absolutely important.

mbp, nice to see some comments. Actually, I have no comments to say about it though. I know it's tough to even consider making a watered-down version of Linux for the first-timers. However, I just can't help myself but cry out in vain how Linux is so remote to these type of people. Linux, a name synonymous to freedom is inaccessible from the people it could potentially enable or liberate.

slef, I mean similar in the sense of being safe enough to not being involved in any legal problems. It would be nice to have applications that behave and look similar to the popular ones. I think you know what I mean. Sometimes, gaining marketshare involves not being original, which is relatively true in software.

I'm not talking of philosophical issues alone here. I'm also implying some aspects of financial gain. Whenever something is worthy, it usually has some financial value attached to it. I guess pursuing this cause can also be said to be profitable.