Yesterdays [04-01-08] N.Y. Times had an article about how Linux was once again poised to take off. The typical rhetoric was used to describe how Linux was making in roads into ATM’s, supercomputers and a smattering of mini-Laptops which cited the Asus Eee PC and the offerings from Dell. Wal-Mart el cheapo Linux systems were mentioned and the OLPC project was thrown in as well.

Than the also useless statement that:

While the best features in the latest Windows release, Vista, require
top-notch configurations that can quickly ramp up a PC’s price, one of
the hottest segments of the industry involves inexpensive computers.

Not mentioned is that Microsoft has a version of Windows XP that is also being included on the Asus Eee PC and is still being offered by major OEM’s as an alternative to Vista. Windows XP may also be included on other low end mini-laptops. We should know about this more sometime this week. Maybe.

But the biggest tell tale sign why Linux nor Apple is going to become a major player in the OS wars anytime soon, are the stats cited by Gartner in the article. Out of 981 million computer systems worldwide, Linux has a 1.5% share with Apple at about 2.5% market share. This is the real bottom line. When these figures jump to a respectable 10% or higher, than maybe, just maybe Linux and Apple can really be considered a real alternative.

I am not anti-Linux or anti-Apple. I have used Linux and enjoyed it. I also use Linux on my Asus Eee PC and it works fine. But facts are facts. Microsoft through their cunning ways has just done a better job at promoting and manipulating the PC market. Hardware and software vendors flock to Windows because that is where the money is.

You can’t wish something into existence. The marketplace dictates the outcome.

Comments welcome.

Times article is here.

Tags: windows, microsoft, linux, apple, ny times, gartner, stats, useage