Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Many more new stories just like it. The installed based of GNU/Linux is
> quietly but steadily being inflated. And the increase is expected to
> exponential (the 'network effect', AKA sheep culture). Today's oddballs
> appear to be those bold (or silly) enough to buy Vista, not those who
> install Linux. Uninformed adopters of Vista often go back or quietly suffer,
> learning to cope with the consequence (see the famous spiky chair cartoon).
I've no doubt Vista will eventually be adopted by the majority of
Windows users, especially as they fix the worst problems with a couple
of service packs and end support for older versions. A single shaky
launch isn't enough to break the desktop lock.
Continuing windows problems, however, do wear away at the base. Early
Vista bugs only reinforce a growing sense of frustration that some
users have with Microsoft. This can result in a visible increase in
Linux desktop growth. In the last couple of months I've installed
three new Ubuntu desktops for friends or relatives. Two of those were
non-geeks looking for a Windows replacement. Not a big deal, until
you think about the larger trend this might be part of.
Back in the early/mid 90's I quit my job at a major industrial
electronics company to start my own software company. I gambled on
the growth of the Internet and it paid off nicely. I now see the
same sorts of market forces behind the growth of Linux and Open
Source. Along with that comes the same business opportunities for
under-served niches that any high growth market generates. The
big players may be slow to wake up to the rising Linux tide, but
that just leaves more on the table for independent consultants,
vendors, and entrepreneurs.
It is a good time to be a Linux geek. :)
Thad
|
|
