[HAL9000]

Still, a stronger Linux share can only be beneficial for all of us, so let's hope that Linux keeps improving.

Yes, let's hope so - but in the USA, I don't expect that Linux will ever catch up with Mac OS X in quality or the number of users.

The interesting question is whether Apple will pass Microsoft. Apple has tremendous upward momentum, and Microsoft has been stagnant for several years. If the current rates are sustained, Apple's market capitalization will pass Microsoft's in a couple of years.

[ShadowAce]

[Pessimist]

The viability of Linux on the descktop for the masses is virtually nill.

The bulk of the great unwashed probably find Windows too confusing to begin with, much less Linux.

It might be Ok as server software, but in that case the only real plus it offers compared with any flavor of Unix is it's initial price. And most of the "big iron" guys I've dealt with would never consider risking their jobs on open source code with no support.

[Pessimist]

"If the current rates are sustained, Apple's market capitalization will pass Microsoft's in a couple of years."

That's a big "if", and a big "couple".

Doesn't the Mac have single digit market right now?

[big'ol_freeper]

Ping

[B Knotts]

Linux is a kernel, not an operating system.

[Keith in Iowa]

>>>The interesting question is whether Apple will pass Microsoft.<<<

They could if they'd let their intel-compatible OS X be sold "over the counter" as a boxed software item rather than limiting it to mostly proprietary hardware.

[solitas]

ping

[nerdwithamachinegun]

I'm one of those who ditched amateurware for OS X. In fairness, I run Gentoo on an old 15" TiBook out of sheer masochism.

[Swordmaker]

Linux users switching to OSX? PING!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[goldstategop]

MacOS X is really a souped up Linux tightly integrated to the hardware. Linux users should feel right at home. The undelying OS X kernel - surprise - is UNIX! The key advantage Apple has is experience and know how in making its distro slick where other Linuxes have struggled.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[SunkenCiv]

"everyone wants it to gain more momentum and succeed (and maybe conquer the world of OSes)"

Guess again. ;')

[js1138]

If the current rates are sustained, Apple's market capitalization will pass Microsoft's in a couple of years.

And if the tide keeps rising at its current rate, we will all be underwater in a few days.

Macs are great, but they will not approach MS market share with closed hardware. Perhaps Jobs will surprise everyone in a couple of years and license the OS. My guess is the switch to Intel is a step in that direction.

I would expect dual boot Mac/Windows machines in five years. After all, the OS is cheap, about the price of a few games.

[af_vet_rr]

The interesting question is whether Apple will pass Microsoft.

Vista will partially determine that. Because of past security problelms with Windows, and because of Microsoft's boasts about the security model in Vista, if MS can't get it right with Vista, the industry will tear them a new one.

Microsoft's biggest concern is the rise of web applications. With and more and more people using web applications that are platform independent, Microsoft has good reason to worry - if Grandma and Grandpa just want to check their mail, surf the web, read the news, and swap pictures with the relatives, they won't need or care about the OS - all of that can be taken care of through web-based software (AJAX-based, etc.), which helps Apple out.

As far as the original topic of the thread - I'm not surprised - I see plenty of people using Linux-based servers for their back-end, while they are moving to OS X on the front-end. Linux is great for servers - Free Republic is living proof of that, it's great because you can strip it down to only run what it needs to run (enhancing its stability), and it runs on just about any piece of hardware you want to throw at it.

[glorgau]

Just how scp on Mac OS X is different (let alone better) from the Linux one is a mystery to me.

The difference is that file names are not case sensitive on MacOS. That 'makes' (pun intended) for some interesting quirks. Other than that, it's a joy. I use it to develop LAMP sites just fine.

[tortoise]

MacOS X on the workstation, Linux on the server. Neither belongs anywhere else, but both excel in these roles.