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How Linux Could Kill Windows NT
URL: http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/story/story_2241.html
Berst Alert
Jesse Berst, Editorial Director<BR><I>ZDNet AnchorDesk</I>
Tuesday, June 23, 1998
Linux. It's not a serious challenger to Microsoft Windows
NT. But it could be. If three things take place.
Linux is a freeware operating system developed in the
early 90s by a volunteer group under the leadership of
Linus Torvald, then a Finnish computer science student.
This 32-bit, UNIX-like, multi-user, multi-tasking operating
system is legendary for its stability. And for its flexibility,
since users have full access to the source code.
Linux has roughly 5 million users worldwide, compared
to about 200 million for all versions of Windows. Click
for full story. Lately I've been seeing signs of momentum.
Corel is shipping Linux as the operating system on its
NetWinder network computer. Click for full story.
Sun Microsystems is backing Linux as an alternative operating
system for its UltraSPARC platform. Click for full story.
VARs and system integrators have begun to use Linux for
customer projects. They like the fact they control the
source code, so they can mix and match the components
they need and build custom extensions.
But these are baby steps. Three things are needed if Linux
is to duel Windows NT for real.
1. Enterprise-quality technical support. Linux still feels
risky to large corporations, who feel they need support
from a single point of contact, not from a loose alliance
of libertarian programmers. It makes some IT professionals
wonder if they could get fired for choosing Linux.
Of the three obstacles, this is the easiest one to solve,
because it is largely perception versus reality. Companies
such as Caldera and Red Hat now offer user-friendly commercial
versions with nationwide support. Click for full story.
2. Tier One applications. The leading applications must
be available in Linux versions. The situation is improving
but very slowly. Corel ships WordPerfect for Linux and
plans to develop a suite of business applications. Most
other vendors won't do Linux versions until there's enough
demand. And there won't be demand until there are enough
applications. That leaves Linux trapped between a chicken
and an egg.
3. A standard interface. This issue will prove hardest
of all because it flies in the face of the Linux gestalt.
It's not a technical issue. At least one firm has already
built a Win95 clone. Rather it's the problem of getting
the fiercely independent Linuxites to agree to a single
standard. Remember, the core community is made up of Unix
geeks who think graphical interfaces are for sissies.
Would you like to see the rug pulled out from under Microsoft?
Here's how it could happen. IBM ships and supports Linux.
Oracle does Linux versions of all its products. A consortium
of top vendors picks a standard Linux interface and creates
a compatibility logo.
Possible? Absolutely. Microsoft's long-range strategy
would come crumbling down if it was forced to give away
Windows NT. It plans to upgrade all of us to NT, and charge
us twice what it gets for NT. Is a Linux takeover likely?
Give me a break. Of course not.
Still, as we reported yesterday, IBM is now shipping the
freeware Apache Web server. Is it too much to hope that
it might ship and support Linux? Click the TalkBack button
to tell me what you think. Or jump over to the discussion
now underway in my Berst Alerts forum.
Don't Miss These Previous Berst Alerts...
Home Networking Breakthrough
Learning on the Web
Top 5 Web Authoring Lies
READ MORE:
Extreme Linux Is Potent but Complex - PC Week
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.zdnet.com/products/content/pcwk/1523/323718.html
Linux Online! - Internet
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.linux.org/
EVALUATE:
OSUser: The Ultimate Operating Systems Resource - ZDNet Products Channel
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.zdnet.com/products/osuser/index.html
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DISCUSS:
Jesse's Berst Alerts
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/disgroups/disgroups_54.html
COMPANIES:
Caldera Inc.
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_2146.html
IBM
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_1668.html
Microsoft Corp.
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_1749.html
Red Hat Software
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_4014.html
PRODUCTS:
Linux
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/products/products_2429.html
Red Hat Linux
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/products/products_2393.html
TOPICS:
Systems Software and Platforms
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/topics/topics_13.html
PEOPLE:
Linus Torvald
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/people/people_59.html
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