[mdlug] Linux push an economic phenomanon?

[Ingles, Raymond]

> From: Art Dries

> I'm trying 2 reason out how this grassroots effort is considered
mainstream
> now. Could it be that a slow economy, increasing cost of propriatary
> software, and an abundance of cheap hardware made it an obvious
choice? Or is
> there a less cynical reason?

 There never was a "year of Linux in servers". It just kept growing
because of the value proposition you outlined. There was never any one
year where Linux suddenly 'took over' - but now it's everywhere in the
server space. There are still alternatives, and people use them, but
nobody gets fired, or even looked at funny, for suggesting Linux. They'd
be in trouble if they *didn't* at least evaluate Linux. (See my .sig
below.)

 The desktop and consumer-OS space is warped by Microsoft's de facto
monopoly, but that's fading as fast as the traditional desktop itself is
fading. Smartphones and tablets are taking over as the interface of
choice, and Linux - open source in general, a la Android - is a big (and
*very* fast-growing) player there.

 There won't be a "year of the Linux desktop" or even "year of the Linux
tablet", however. Partly because, like in servers, it'll just grow and
there won't be a sharp transition. But also because Linux qua Linux will
be there but won't be visible to the user much. Android uses Linux as
the kernel, and is open-source, but the user doesn't interact with Linux
as a matter of course.

Linux will become something like the BIOS of times past - a fundamental
part of everything. Indispensable, but not generally visible. The
open-source philosophy that Linux so embodies, though, will keep
spreading into areas beyond operating systems. But there won't be a
"year of Open Source" either.

 Sincerely,

 Ray Ingles                                              (313) 227-2317

 I remember when people said Linux would never be more than a toy. Then
 they said it was capable of some neat things, but would never be used
  in a business. Then they said it could be used for small things in a
  business, but it'd never scale to the high end. Now, it's fine in a
      server role, but will never be any good as a desktop...

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