Posted on 01/27/2003 11:41:29 AM PST by B Knotts
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mike Petitjean has been a dedicated Microsoft user for more than a decade, but now the software developer says he's so fed up with the high prices and unreliable systems that he's switching to Linux (news - web sites). Linux's popularity with programmers has already managed to make a huge dent on the market share of rival software Unix (news - web sites) and now it's gradually threatening to do the same with Microsoft's dominance of the business software market. And giants such as IBM (NYSE:IBM - news), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ - news), and Dell Computer Corp. (NasdaqNM:DELL - news) are lending a helping hand.
"Windows is a lousy platform," said Petitjean, who was attending the LinuxWorld show in New York last week. Platforms are technology jargon for the operating system software, like Microsoft Corp.'s (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) Windows and Unix, which are used to run business computers and servers.
"It's just not reliable enough."
Petitjean runs a small company in Frankfort, Kentucky, that writes software programs for the state government and businesses. He's used Microsoft's Windows operating system since the early versions of the software but now he wants to swap to Linux because he says Microsoft is too expensive, too difficult to use and not reliable enough.
"We want to offer software that's simple to set up and help companies run their businesses without them having to become computer gurus," said Petitjean, who was wearing a "Linux Rocks" t-shirt.
Today, Linux has superseded Unix as one of the most popular operating systems used by scientific, government and academic institutions -- and increasingly financial services firms -- that need to crunch huge amounts of data and don't want to spend hundreds of millions on software systems like Unix or Windows that keep them locked in to one technology.
Linux has been slower to take hold in businesses running the critical day-to-day operations that keep business going.
But as companies like International Business Machines and Hewlett-Packard have entered the scene, that's started to change, analysts said.
"The rebels have been rabble rousing about Linux for five or six years, and until the end of 2001 for the most part nobody cared," said Tom Berquist, an analyst with Goldman Sachs. "But all of a sudden in 2002, there were a huge number of announcements from all the big companies that all agreed to support Linux. A look around the showfloor at LinuxWorld showed what he meant. Sure the smaller companies and diehard Linux developers were out in force, but it was the tech giants -- IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sun Microsystems Inc. (NasdaqNM:SUNW - news) and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE:AMD - news) -- that stole the limelight.
They were all out guns blazing, showing bigger, better and faster versions of their computer systems and microprocessors running Linux. For the first time, Hewlett Packard said it earned $2 billion in revenues from Linux in 2002, while IBM said it made $1 billion from selling systems with the free software.
STUNTING MICROSOFT'S GROWTH
Linux started out in 1991 as a project by University of Helsinki student Linus Torvalds (news - web sites) to teach himself how to program a version of the two-decade-old Unix operating system used to run powerful computers called servers. A request for help posted to an Internet discussion group led to offers by other programmers around the world.
The result was an operating system that was essentially free for individuals and organizations to use -- if they pay for services and support -- as long as they agreed that any changes made to the software's inner workings were free for all to use.
According to research firm IDC, Linux server revenue grew 27 percent worldwide in the third quarter of 2002, even while the overall market for server computers declined 5.6 percent. Microsoft still owns about 42 percent of that market, IDC says, but Linux is gradually gaining speed with 26 percent of all servers being shipped with the free software. Unix has about 12 percent.
While nobody predicts that Microsoft will be eclipsed by Linux any time soon, Berquist said the growth of Linux in the datacenter -- the centralized stacks of computers used to run the networks of far-flung organizations -- could stunt the software giant's growth in the long-term.
That's because right now, Microsoft is all-powerful at the department level, running the computers that house business software programs, e-mail systems and file and printer servers. "On a long-term basis, the success of Linux blunts the opportunity of Microsoft to go into the datacenter in a meaningful way," Berquist said, adding that as Linux gets a stronger foothold in the datacenter, it will gradually gain more acceptance at the department level too. And as more and more software makers, like Oracle Corp. (NasdaqNM:ORCL - news), SAP AG (SAPG.DE) and Computer Associates (NYSE:CA - news) endorse Linux, the speed at which it encroaches on Microsoft's turf will start to pick up. "The major difference this year is that we started to see people come through asking real business questions," said Jon "Maddog " Hall, executive director of Linux International, a non-profit organization which seeks to educate businesses and individuals about the benefits of using Linux. But the success of Linux also depends on tearing down the psychological barriers, Berquist says. "The argument is valid from a technical perspective but it doesn't address the brand value that people perceive around Microsoft," he said, noting that right now he doesn't see any evidence of Linux replacing Microsoft on desktop computers. Petitjean, the software programmer agrees. "It's safe from a bureaucratic standpoint to chose Microsoft," he said. "But you just can't run businesses that way."
First, they should chew off a major appendage. Then when they are thus crippled, ask a group of long term handicapped people to teach them how to get around. When everyone walks effortlessly by you as you try to get simple things accomplished you will begin go understand how it feels to go to linux after using windows.
I am sorry, I love linux, I program for BOTH and make MORE MONEY programming under linux, but Microsoft has tools sets and software that all works together and is easy to use in a way Linux has not even ADMITTED yet, let alone addressed...
Oh, and watch closely how the linux proponents will start to bash me the way liberals mindlessly bash conservatives- they are almost religious in their zeal- and most Linux programmers who work exclusively in that enviroment are the same way.
Because they can 'grep' a file and 'su chgrp' and 'find . *.cpp - print' in a COMMAND LINE they feel oh so superior. Just like the last 4 who got fired at my last contract company when they insisted they need 3 weeks to program an XML parser after I showed management how to cut and past a spreadsheet into an oracle database connected through an access file (in about 10 minutes).
That is what it is like dealing with Linux people... (and liberals)
oh and I am not on Bush2000's payroll (but I would like to be if you work for Microsoft!!! - I am SORRY I turned down that job offer back in '85 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give me another chance!!)
If you're already familiar with UNIX, you shouldn't have any trouble with Linux.
.. the fact remains that Linux has achieved less of a penetration in e-business to date and to the average consumer is not "user friendly", especially when compared to Microsoft. IT managers must, therefore, cut through the Linux hype and ask the right questions: Can the enterprise and their operating system support their needs with unquestionable security going forward.
If the time is here ,however, for Linux to get a "bigger toe" in the door, then with IT managers given fewer dollars to spend and Linux giving away their Products..some will buy. But real big dollar buying isn't happening. Companies are staying with what they have, for now anyway. My opinion.
It's kind of a retro "pop-culture" thing. You know, trendy. Like yoga, sandals, granola, not bathing regularly, wearing one of those stupid little goatees, and attending anti-america rallies. But it's so cool.
I, like you work with both, but I find XP both more user-friendly and stable.
Very bad advice - I would never partition my PC. The best way to get started with Linux is to spring for about $50 for a 4-5 yr. old PC that you can muck around with. (Make sure it has a NIC.)
You can either format the hard-drive first or install Linux as a complete overwrite - either way works fine. BTW, on first pass, I wouldn't bother installing X Windows. Since the biggest demand for Linux right now is for server applications, you should get used to using SSH from your PC to log into the Linux box.
Once you've got the server apps loaded, play around and get used to how the Net applications work (ie Apache, PHP, MySQL, etc.) If you have a good Net connection, you can start downloading and installing all sorts of programs to get a feel for how they work.
What you'll find is that even though MS has a great developer interface, you have to do things MS's way. If you want a lot of flexibility, and have customers that need basic server functions, you'll find out pretty darn quick why there's been a huge movement towards Linux.
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