This is a great segue into a point I was hoping to make.  I read Rob Pike's comments at:

    http://rob.pike.usesthis.com/

and it really got me thinking.  What a great idea he talked about!  I think this may be at the heart of the Plan-9 idea.

Mind-share and markets rarely move with sense or logic.  The better approach rarely wins. It is more a matter of critical mass of mind-share.  Linux, for a lot of really good reasons, has that mind-share (in the technical arena).  (Of course Windows has much more mind-share do largely to the fact that most users are non-technical and don't understand the difference - not to mention Microsoft's bullying of the market...)  

I think Plan-9 suffered from two big issues.  The first was lack of mind-share (crowd acceptance).  It is very hard to compete with Windows & Linux.  The second was lack of support for a huge need - a fully functional browser. 

In spite of some really great ideas, I think we'd all agree that Plan-9 has no real future.  On the other hand, I believe that some of the best ideas Plan-9 brings us can and should be a part of the future.  I think the best, most practical way to bring those ideas to wide-spread use and availability is to implement those ideas in the Linux kernel.  I understand that, since Linux is not Plan-9, there would be compromises and limitations, but it would be a huge step in the right direction.  Plan-9 proved those ideas in an ideal environment.  Just like what Smalltalk did to the world - creating C++, Java, the mouse, etc., Plan-9 can bring its ideas to the mainstream through additions and improvements to existing technology like Linux.

Just some thoughts.

Blake McBride