Microsoft Admits Linux OS is Competition
Microsoft Admits Linux OS is Competition
Posted 08/05/2009 at 7:18am
| by Paul Lilly
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Linux has been cutting into Microsoft's market share for some time now, but up until recently, it was difficult to get Microsoft to admit as much. But in a recent filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Microsoft for the first time named a pair of Linux distributors -- Red Hat and Canonical -- as competitors to its Windows client business.
"Client faces strong competition from well-established companies with differing approaches to the PC market," Microsoft said in the filing. "Competing commercial software products, including variants of Unix, are supplied by competitors such as Apple, Canonical, and Red Hat."
Microsoft went on to reference netbooks, noting that Linux has gained "some acceptance," noting that "competitive pressures lead OEMs to reduce costs and new, lower-price PC form-factors gain adoption."
Canonical makes the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, known for its ease of use and often recommended to users new to open source OSes.
Image Credit: Techworld.com
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Mr_Gone
August 07, 2009 at 10:17am
If it had advertising...... and support, and an easier learning curve..
i prefer Linux over Windows (grnated i like Windows 7), but linux is add at what the individual wants/needs. BUT, since linux is a broad title, making major distribution of linux harder... Once there are commercials for linux "want a FREE OS? VS paying 100 dollars?", it will rise... then itll start gathering support, like at VAs, businesses, etc... but onyl when its easy enough for dumb people to user
thefuzz4
August 05, 2009 at 9:32pm
It took me two attempts to make the switch completly. About 3 years ago I tried out Ubuntu x64 but at the time it wasn't really ready for the x64 so I held off. Then in March of 08 I made the switch once more this time to Kubuntu because I like KDE better than GNOME. (One thing linux has up on Windows ability to choose your desktop). I work in IT and I've been a windows admin now for quite sometime and I decided that if I was ever going to have a shot at going for the Unix side of things was to install it and use it myself day to day. Now I have it installed on everything my desktop, laptop and work machine. The work machine was quite a tricky one to pull off since we are a 99% MS shop (We have one linux server thanks to me for secure FTP). I'll tell you what being a admin one thing I really love with Linux is the CLI. If windows ever has a hope of winning over admins through the CLI they will take some plays out of Linux's play book and learn how to write a decent CLI. One that out of the box remembers your commannd history. Auto completing more than just directories and oh so much more. I am just now getting into a new area that will be all Unix based and I know that I have a lot to learn here but so far the trip has been awesome and I won't be turning back anytime soon if ever. Sure Win7 is nice and it runs nice in my virtual box :) and if need be I'll boot into windows to play a game but most of the time I stay to the linux side of things. Hey if your really curious and just want to try it out go download and install VMWare Player and then download a Linux VMWare appliance it's already setup for you all you have to do is hit play.
As for MS Linux may not be a huge threat YET to the home pc user but give it time. Over the last 7 years I have watched Linux grow and with great companies out there now building better distro's I think it will only be a matter of time before that 1.4% grows even bigger. Because humans by default love the word FREE :)
neo1piv14
August 06, 2009 at 11:21am
I use Ubuntu on my work PC as well, though I find myself having to RDC into a Windows box every time I want to access ADUC or similar windows administration tools. I love the interface and I love how fast it all runs, but unless there's tools out there I'm missing, I still need Windows machines to do almost every part of my job, it's just how I'm accessing them that's changing.
horzo
August 05, 2009 at 5:00pm
I use Linux on my primary work desktop and my laptop. KDE4 + Kwin actually has better task switching and multi-desktop management features than OS X. You like expose? KDE4 has got it....only better.
Of course, I still use Windows at home for all my gaming needs. It'll be a long time before that goes away.
neo1piv14
August 05, 2009 at 1:09pm
I think it's a great option for those that need a very simple to use OS for school kinds of things: Web browsing, email, office, watching movies, etc. However, there just haven't been enough advances in Wine, even with Cedega making a reasonable showing, for them to win the gaming crowd over. However, I think MS needs to open their eyes if they're just now seeing it as a competitor. We've got far more unix based servers here at our office than windows servers simply because we have a much easier time managing them. When it comes to the server area, I'd definitely have to hand that one to our linux boxes.
Taqueed
August 05, 2009 at 9:18am
why would M$ say Linux is competition? Let me think...
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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}Your Honor, We couldn’t possibly be a monopoly with all the
competition out there Apple and a dozen different versions of Linux. We are in
a fight for our share of the market.
Taqueed
August 05, 2009 at 9:18am
why would M$ say Linux is competition? Let me think...
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false
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mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
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mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}Your Honor, We couldn’t possibly be a monopoly with all the
competition out there Apple and a dozen different versions of Linux. We are in
a fight for our share of the market.
HerofTime64
August 05, 2009 at 8:03am
Linux is it's own thing. i wouldn't go as far as calling it a serious threat but more of a "option". Great little OS to mess around with but not something that I would personally use. works wonders for IT work.
Devo85x
August 05, 2009 at 9:19am
Linux may only have about 1.4% of the market share, but server wise, linux is HUGE. And its not exactly a "little" OS, I use it A LOT and absolutely LOVE it :)... looks better than windows, all free software, now that it has WUBI, it is easier to install than windows... (not that installing windows is hard)... not to mention your chance of getting a virus is slim-to-none... you should try it if you havent...
lunchbox73
August 05, 2009 at 10:29am
I've heard this many many times and I've tried 3 or 4 times to like Ubuntu after I've installed it over the years. I always went back to Windows.
comptech08
August 05, 2009 at 9:29am
Yes I wouldnt be surpised if there are more linux servers in use than windows servers. I am thinking about switching to linux for my home server just to test things out.
ryantmer
August 05, 2009 at 10:53am
77% of the world's most powerful computers run a Linux-based OS.
http://www.top500.org/stats/list/33/os
It is also widely used by webhosts.
http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2006/10/07/rackspace_most_reliable_hoster_in_september.html
There is a reason for this.
FrancesTheMute
August 05, 2009 at 4:12pm
actually, it's more than 77%. If you look at the other OS's listed, most of them are some form of Unix based OS. Windows 2008 HPC only has 1% of the share, so it's like 99%. And like you said, for good reason.
ryantmer
August 06, 2009 at 8:44pm
You are very correct indeed. Only really looked at the Linux column, tbh. Guess that teaches me to do better research (especially when the research supports my comment even further...).
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