Could Linux Ever Truly Take Over?
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Will Linux ever take off in the mainstream like Windows or OS X has?
Linux is an Open Source operating system, which means that the entire community can contribute to it. That makes Linux very powerful, but it also makes Linux very marketing unfriendly: it has taken the Linux community years to produce something that is even remotely user friendly.
Ubuntu, at this point, has the best chance of taking off in the desktop marketplace. But, before that is ever going to happen, the community needs to stop in-fighting over what the best applications are (Gnome vs KDE) before the average user should ever consider using Linux.
Even Chris doesn’t have a dedicated Linux machine, as he either uses a Live CD version of Linux or goes through a virtual machine. As a primary operating system, Chris thinks there’s too much elitism within the individual communities: answers tend to be human unfriendly, often ending as “RTFM.”
Ubuntu has the mindshare and the support, so it has the potential, but Linux probably won’t take off until the need for an operating system is further minimized.
What do you think? Will Linux ever take over the desktop world?
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[tags]operating system, os, linux, desktop linux, windows[/tags]
3 Comments
marc klink
June 13th, 2007
at 5:06pm
If Shuttleworth and company can get Edubuntu into the school system in a big way, where children learn on machines with it, and no other OS, yes. As the Bible says…paraphrasing here…if you train a child in the way they should go, as an adult they will not depart from it.
Vince Andrews
June 14th, 2007
at 1:22am
Hi, Chris
I think that the biggest problem for linux not being a mainstream OS is that there are just too many different distros around. There is no chance on a new comer ever getting the right information to decide on what is best for them and this more than likely means that they will end up downloading or purchasing a distro that they cannot cope with. This will then lead them to think that linux is not for them and they will stay with their previous OS.
Take myself for instance. I have a website for the sale of ebooks and i would really like to maintain the site using a linux distro but whenever i ask the question for help with deciding on what utilities to use for designing and maintaining a website in linux, no one seems capable of helping with the question. This then makes me stick with Microcrap and dreamweaver, smartftp, fireworks, photoshop etc, etc.
I would have moved onto linux an age ago, if i could have figured it out, especially just for my business side of things.
Another big think for a lot of users of Microsofts OS and Macs probably, is the fact that they have purchased so much top quality software and worry about the loss of their invested cash. I know this also applies to myself, after buying things like the above packages.
I do not know if this makes sense to any of you, but it is what i think is main reasons that people shy away from linux
Vince
François Laverdure
June 14th, 2007
at 2:54pm
The question should not be “if” but “when” Linux will go mainstream. Microsoft products have for a long time been at the very top of the computing ladder. They had no serious competition since Windows 3.0 came out in the early 90’s. But now, Linux is getting to the point where it is just as easy to use as any product Redmond puts out.
Linux also has one thing going for it: rock solid reliability. For now, Linux has in my point of view two major stumbling blocks to overcome:
First is the fact that most people are used to the way Windows works. These same people are usually reluctant to learn the slight differences required to run Linux.
The other stumbling block the Linux community has to face is the creation of a truly universal installer that would make it easy for everybody who is reluctant to switch to install software no mather what distro you use.
To me, the Gnome vs. KDE debate is quite pointless. It’s like saying “which car runs better, the blue or the red one”… I’ve tried them both and have a hard time saying which one I like best. Only when people learn to adapt to different desktops will there be progress.
Linux also has one great thing going for it: multiple producers. This garantees the fewest bugs. Just imagine if many companies had produced Vista simultaneously. Would there have been so many required patches?