Nine reasons why 2006 wasn't a lost year for Linux

by Guest Contributor | Jan 17, 2007 9:07:00 PM

Tags: UNIX, OPEN SOURCE, Operating systems, Ubuntu, User Experience, Kent Police, Korean Government, Guest Contributor, Linux

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Takeaway: While the operating system market is still dominated by Microsoft and shows little sign of changing that doesn't mean that all other options have failed hopelessly because there were some significant gains made over the past 12 months.

By Steven York

I found myself reading an article on Mainframe.gr explaining how 2006 was another lost year for Linux and I couldn't help myself but write this response in disagreement. I found that 2006 was the building of a bridge between Windows and Linux, it may not be complete yet but there's already governments coming across. Let me share my thoughts on Linux in 2006.

A year of big gains

While the operating system market is still dominated by Microsoft and shows little sign of changing that doesn't mean that all other options have failed hopelessly because there were some significant gains made over the past 12 months. Below are some good examples:

IBM will not use Windows Vista -- but will move to Linux desktops
IBM cancelled their contract with Microsoft last October which means that they will no longer use Windows for their desktops. Beginning July, IBM employees will begin using a Red Hat-based platform.
The City of Chicago goes Linux, saves over 85 percent in the process
Big elements such as the vehicle registrations system, online job applications, restaurant inspections and more were migrated to a Red-Hat system in order to reduce costs and improve support, performance and scalability.
Munich opts to use Debian version of Linux
The city of Munich has opted to use the Debian version of Linux for a high-profile, 14,000-computer installation, passing over Novell's Suse Linux despite its regional popularity. Another massive win.
Ubuntu is noted as being #27 in PCWorld's 100 Best Products of the Year
Clearly a great result being placed above the iPod, iTunes, Google Desktop, Flickr and other good products.
Linux cuts Kent Police system costs by 90 percent by using SuSE
Kent Police has cut the cost of running its major criminal investigations system by 90 percent using Novell Open Enterprise Server, the company's version of SuSE Linux.
Kerala (an Indian state) goes Linux
Children in 12500 high schools in the state will not be taught Windows. Instead instructors are lining up Linux for them. Another good win for Linux.
Venezuela's Government Shifts to Open Source Software
According to government sources in Venezuela, the South American nation has announced an official policy that exclusively calls for the use of open source software in that government.
Korea migrates 120K civil servants to Linux desktop
The Korean government is to buy 120,000 copies of Hancom Linux Deluxe this year, enough to switch 23 percent of its installed base Microsoft user to open source equivalents. So another 120,000 users.
Dell refunds Linux users who ditch XP
Dell, a massive player in the computer market have obviously accepted the need for this as an option for those users who do not wish to have Windows. A reasonably good gain as far as the consumer is concerned.

...and that little thing with Microsoft and Linux hooking up and many more.

Short of support?

So clearly it's been a bad year for Linux with bundles of governments opting to ditch Microsoft and use it, awards, continuous PR and an alliance with Microsoft -- how more wrong could the year have gone? Obviously there's a sense of sarcasm in my writing because it's been quite the opposite of "a lost year".

User experience is key

The article in question also returns to slightly tired material which everyone is already aware of - that Linux just isn't quite ready for the mass-migration of Windows users YET. It may not be as perfectly simple as Windows yet and it may still require the reading of tutorials/forums to perform some tasks but 2006 was a massive step in the right direction as far as the user is concerned. Distros such as (K)Ubuntu and PCLinuxOS (amongst others) focused on developing a more intuitive interface to help non-Linux users find their way around. So it may not have put the ball in the back of the net but the ball is in the air.

Too many distros?!

Another point made is that the element of choice offered in the GNU/Linux world is a bad thing. I'm not going to argue with this because it's clearly a matter of opinion which I disagree with. The same goes for fast release cycles, I think that is a great thing -- to have regular updates but he author makes a valid point, regular updates equals regular risk. I disagree but a valid point is made.

Conclusion

The user signs off with a "Good luck in 2007 Linux :P" and I feel that the element of sarcasm may be ironic because I think 2007 will be a good year for all things Linux. Ubuntu will continue its development towards being a user-friendly system (as will the other leaders on this front). With any luck this will be the year that a Utopian system is developed to allow for a reasonable Windows user conversion. So, 2006 may have been a year of development lacking the massive shift away from Windows that maybe some people expected but it doesn't make it a wasted year.

I'll finish as the article began, 2006 was the building of a bridge between Windows and Linux, it may not be complete yet but there's already governments coming across. A toll free bridge at that.

If I've missed any major wins, please comment them in.

This article was originally published on seopher.com and is being republished on TechRepublic with permission from Steven York.

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