2008: Linux’s year on the desktop

29th December 2007, 23:33

According to a blog published on ZDNet, 2008 could be the year Linux has been patiently waiting for the past few years.

Tidbit from the article:

Quote:

Desktop Linux hurts Microsoft
Linux has kept a big chunk of the server business out of Microsoft’s hands. But in 2008, Linux will hurt Microsoft on the desktop. Here’s how.

A new computing platform
Thanks to Moore’s Law and evolving application needs, a new computing platform arrives every 10 years. Mainframes in the ’50s, minicomputers in the ’60s, PCs in the ’70s, microcontrollers in the ’80s, PDAs and cell phones in the ’90s and now sub-$400 - soon to be sub-$300 notebooks.

Small and light enough to be carried everywhere, these sub-notes provide Internet access, PDA functionality and basic mail and document creation functionality at a rock-bottom price. Asustek is expected to build 1,000,000 Eee sub-notes in Q1 ‘08 alone. Asustek’s competitors are just getting warmed up.

As an avid open source and Linux fan, I can only hope 2008 will bring about increased interest in open source products, both for Windows and Linux.

I am continually surprised how many people thing programs like Mozilla Firefox and OpenOffice are alternative products written and promoted by Microsoft.

30th December 2007, 01:39

in my humble opinion linux can become very popular on those sub $300 notebooks, but only for doing basic tasks like surfing, chatting, organizing, reading documents or watching a movie.
However, I don't think linux will take over the 'more demanding' desktop market, too many applications aren't available on linux (and if it's available or an alternative is available) it never offers the qualities (speed, compatibility, document-interchangeability, support) as the windows version. Microsoft Office is probably the best example, I know there is OpenOffice.org, but most of the documents that you'll receive from a company are made with Microsoft Office and the OoO import filters are far from perfect. It also works the other way, you have to be able to send proper formated Microsoft Office documents to a company.

oh, and btw, Open Source = free for non-commercial use, most linux fans tend to forget that (including me).

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30th December 2007, 01:39	#2
wutske Posts: n/a	in my humble opinion linux can become very popular on those sub $300 notebooks, but only for doing basic tasks like surfing, chatting, organizing, reading documents or watching a movie. However, I don't think linux will take over the 'more demanding' desktop market, too many applications aren't available on linux (and if it's available or an alternative is available) it never offers the qualities (speed, compatibility, document-interchangeability, support) as the windows version. Microsoft Office is probably the best example, I know there is OpenOffice.org, but most of the documents that you'll receive from a company are made with Microsoft Office and the OoO import filters are far from perfect. It also works the other way, you have to be able to send proper formated Microsoft Office documents to a company. oh, and btw, Open Source = free for non-commercial use, most linux fans tend to forget that (including me).