It’s the same old story every year: Linux will finally dominate Windows, Windows will finally kill off that pesky open-source Linux. My dad’s better than your dad; my mashed potatoes can beat-up your mashed potatoes. The truth simply is it’s not going to pan out like that. Linux will still dominate the server world and Windows will still dominate the desktop world (and if you think vista’s failing is a sign of Microsoft’s slipping, I kindly ask you to remember Windows ME followed by the popularity of XP). So what’s new to the battle front? Well, honestly, it’s not really ‘new’ it’s just what people are talking about these days. ‘Netbooks’. And I highly doubt it will be some epic battle of Good Vs. Evil, either.
Approximately 30% of all netbooks shipped have Linux installed on them. That’s great, there’s many good reasons to put Linux on a netbook. The biggest is Linux runs much smoother with less hardware than windows does. Linux can also do anything windows can do (for the most part), but here’s the difference – there’s a learning curve. Sure some ‘average consumer’ might be willing to try Linux on a netbook, but that does not equate to a full OS rebuild on a desk-top. It may convert some, but it may also remind a few why they have Windows installed in the first place – they’re already comfortable with what they know.
Windows 7 will not kill off Linux. Nor will server 2008. Nor will any other distribution of Windows. Most Linux distributions are free, stable, and secure which keep costs down and everything running smoothly. Gone (for the most part here) are the days of searching for drivers all day. Heck, sometimes it’s harder to find drivers for Vista. While Linux isn’t for everyone, it’s definitely not going anywhere anytime soon and it’s definitely not going to loose much, if any, of its server footing.
I, personally, use both. Linux more-so, especially with the addition of a linux workstation at my home, than Windows – but they both have their places/faults/features.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.