(COMTEX) B: Linux To Be OS Of Choice, Researcher Says
B: Linux To Be OS Of Choice, Researcher Says
Apr 07, 1999 (Tech Web - CMP via COMTEX) -- Linux could be the
operating system choice for the next millennium, according to
information from U.S.-based research company International Data Corp.
And, according to Linux supporters, the increase in popularity of Gnome
and KDE will be one of the main reasons Linux could be appearing on
more business-user desktops during the next few years.
IDC said in its March 31 bulletin, "Linux Operating System Market
Overview," that until 2003, total Linux commercial shipments will grow
faster than the total shipments of all other IDC-covered client or
server OS environments.
"Linux has a strong future as a server operating environment. Its
ability to support Web-based applications is well-proven, and a strong
success on the client requires more than a Windows-like interface,"
said IDC's operating environment program director, Dan Kusnetzky, of
the Unix-like OS. It is now being backed in the United Kingdom by
companies such as Red Hat, IBM, Compaq, Oracle, and Novell.
John Winters, of the United Kingdom's Linux Emporium, said he was sure
Linux would become part of business-user software as the increasing
development of a more user-friendly interface was anticipated.
"There is potential for businesses to decide to base their desktops on
Linux," Winters said. "It would take a fairly bold one to break from
the norm, but there is potential, and it is happening in the States.
Linux has enough qualities to make business users want to employ it."
Winters described Linux as "freedom of speech" rather than "free beer,"
because it is more stable, reliable, and supportable than alternative
OS options.
"It will become more popular as a workstation in the U.K.," he added.
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Copyright (C) 1999 CMP Media Inc.
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