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The impediments of Linux moving their operating system from servers to desktops, and to compete effectively with Microsoft has well been documented. The complexity and skill sets required to operate and administer Linux distributions have well beyond most end-users who require simple and intuitive Graphics User Interface (GUI). This is where Microsoft, and to a lesser extent Apple’s Mac OSX, have done exceptionally well.
It estimates that Microsoft’s market share of the desktop segment is over 90%.
This may soon change with the maturity of Linux distributions, particularly, from developers MandrakeSoft and Red Hat. Mandrakelinux 10 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 have streamlined their installation process and given their desktops a revamp. In the case of Mandrakelinux, there is less interaction from the user during the installation process than your typical Windows installation. This has come a long way where in the past, Linux was tedious to install and not very user friendly.
Linux has also been given support from developers of window managers such as KDE and GNOME which gives the interface the so called ‘look-and-feel’, an area of weakness against GUI operating system such as Windows and Apple Macintosh. Both products have reached maturity over the last few years where it can compete in th GUI space.
KDE and/or GNOME are often bundled with Linux distributions, and can be customized with a few clicks.
The transition from the server to desktop space also requires a shift from the type of application available to both platforms. This has not gone unnoticed by industry giants such as IBM, Sun and many others who are supporting the platform to curb the dominance of Microsoft. Products such as OpenOffice, from Sun Microsystems, is a step towards competing with the Redmond giant’s Office suite. It offers similar features including a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software. More importantly, it is interoperable with Microsoft Office documents and available at a significantly lower cost.
It is little doubt there are now more alternative to Microsoft Products than ever before, but can it succeed in the marketplace? This is the key question to the whole debate, and Linux is becoming a force to be reckoned with. With businesses focused costs control in recent years and expectation of greater returns from their IT investments, Linux has become a hot topic.
Governments globally, such as those in Germany and Australia, are exploring open-source alternatives to Microsoft solutions on their desktops; thus, there is growing momentum to effectively compete with the software giant. However, it may be a decade, if not more, before any winner can be determined. So sit back and buckle up!
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