The Linux year has been already
There’s this fairy tail among some Linux geeks that xxxx year is going to be The Linux year. I’m not sure what they are looking for, maybe a stupid bug that takes down all Window boxes in the world the same day, maybe the UN claiming that Windows is very bad and Linux very good, maybe the Linux desktop adoption rates rocketing sky high… For me, the Linux year has been already. Check out this comment on Slashdot:
People need to get it through their thick skulls that Linux is a kernel for a unix-like operating system. The primary purpose of Linux is not to become a replacement for the Windows desktop, or to become the latest gadget PDA system. Its purpose is not to be a fancy, shiny, eyecandy competitor for OSX. Its purpose is to be an extremely versatile, scalable, and portable kernel for a unix-like operating system.
*Linux has succeeded as the number 1 OS of choice for HPC and supercomputing applications.
*Linux has succeeded as being a very popular OS for Internet-connected servers.
*Linux has succeeded as being the OS of choice for many embedded systems, home entertainment applications and DVR systems.
*Linux has succeeded as a powerful development environment.Linux has succeeded in so many areas that it would be tedious to list them. Primarily, though – Linux has succeeded far beyond anyone’s wildest dreams in its original goal: to be a viable monolithic kernel for x86 systems, so that x86 users can enjoy unix.
Linux is not going away. In fact, since the day GNU/Linux has been available, it has done nothing but grow and increase in usage. And not only has it grown, it’s grown wildly… from hacker OS, to mainstream OS, to a laughable nuisance to Microsoft, to a downright huge challenge to Microsoft’s vitality in the server market. From where I stand, I’ve never even seen a dip in its growth. It’s only growing more, and it will continue to grow. Linux has succeeded, and will continue to succeed.
I fully agree and I’ll add my bit. For me, a key success of Linux is “forcing” compatibility so everybody can use whatever OS the hell they want. I’m a Linux user myself and honest to God I don’t give a shit if you want to use Windows, incredibly annoying Macs or you connect to the Matrix via a mobile phone. But what I really care about is when I get a Word document I cannot open, a video file with a non-free codec, an audio streaming I cannot listen to. That is a problem for me, not if you use Mac or Windows.
And same as a big Firefox success is forcing all websites to follow standards, a big Linux success will be forcing standards on the desktop too: ODF, OGG, SVG, etc. File formats that anyone on any OS can read and write without patents and royalties.
Many people think that only Linux users have this problem with proprietary codecs but do you know that at least the first versions of Windows XP could NOT play DVDs? Windows Media Player gave an error and when you asked for help you were taken to a MS’ website with a list of partners to buy a DVD player.
Anyway. The Linux year has been already. Linux will continue to grow. And that is very good news not only for Linux users but also to everybody else. Whether they know or not. Whether they care or not. Whether they acknowledge it or not.