Linux- Gaining Ground
 <<Previous
THREATENED BY THE PENGUIN
In the mid-1990s, Linux gained respectability in
corporate circles and was supported by several computer companies like IBM,
Oracle, HP, Compaq and Dell. It was felt that the main players who would be
affected by Linux were Microsoft and Sun Microsystems (Sun). Analysts felt
that with the free availability of the source code, Linux would be a major
threat to Windows and to Sun's operating system, Solaris.
Customers might slowly shift to Linux as support from the big names in the
industry gave Linux greater credibility in the business world. Initially
Linux was used only in low-end workstations; however, with support from IBM,
HP, Compaq and Dell, consumers would probably move to installing Linux in
critical operations also.
|
Major companies in the world announced their support
of Linux. In 1998, Oracle started offering Linux versions for its
software and even IBM announced support to software that would run on
the Linux o/s. IBM supported Apache, a leading web-server program, which
worked on Linux. HP and other major players in the industry also
announced their support to Linux and announced huge budgets for Linux
research.
Till early 1998, Microsoft tried to sideline Linux, saying it was an o/s
developed by hobbyists with no technical credibility. However, in August
1998, internal memos of Microsoft, which were leaked to the web – the
‘Halloween documents'- made it clear that, though Microsoft's top
management was not acknowledging the growing threat from Linux, its
employees perceived Linux as a major threat. Memos from an engineer,
Vinod Valloppillil (Valloppillil), highlighted the threat from Linux. |
|
The memos said that the open-source movement “poses a
direct, short-term revenue and platform threat to Microsoft, particularly in
server space[15].” It was also mentioned that Linux was becoming popular due to
the reliability factor, on which Microsoft Windows was struggling. The memo
also highlighted the fact that due to its open source code, Linux exploited
the advantage of a large number of developers working on debugging the
software, and this minimized the problem of bugs in the o/s.
Said Valloppillil, “Commercial quality can be achieved/exceeded by
open-source software projects.” Valloppillil felt that the main advantage of
the open-source movement was its ability to bring together the IQs of
millions of developers through the Internet, which made its software
superior. Microsoft downplayed the whole episode by terming it as a
technical analysis of an engineer and not as the official stand of the
company over the Linux issue.
But many analysts felt that it was clear from the internal memos, that
Microsoft's employees were considering Linux a serious threat to the
company, and they were not happy with the company's response to the
situation. Meanwhile in IBM, an employee survey in 1999 found that most IBM
employees felt that the next big trend in the industry would be Linux in
servers.
In response to its survey findings, IBM announced that Linux would be focal
point of its strategy. It also conducted its first ‘Linux Summit'about
Linux and open source programs, for its employees worldwide. The summit
discussed issues relating to Linux and database administration, performance
challenges, Java for Linux, and the future of the o/s. IBM also announced an
increase in its research on Linux to turn it into a comprehensive o/s which
could be used for enterprise solutions also.
This move from IBM further strengthened the Linux movement and gave it
greater credibility. In 2000, IBM announced the allotment of US$ 1 billion
for research and development activities on Linux, and it also appointed
around 250 engineers to work with the open source community on Linux.
More>>
THE FUTURE OF LINUX AND THE OPEN SOURCE MOVEMENT
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
EXHIBIT II - TIME LINE OF LINUX
EXHIBIT III - EVOLUTION OF WINDOWS contd...
EXHIBIT IV - COMPARISON OF LINUX AND WINDOWS
ADDITIONAL READINGS & REFERENCES
[15]
Breaking Windows - David Bank, The Free Press.
2010, ICMR (IBS Center for Management Research).All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted
in any form or by any means - electronic or mechanical, without permission.
To order copies, call +91- 8417- 236667 or write to ICMR,
Survey No. 156/157, Dontanapalli Village, Shankerpalli Mandal,
Ranga Reddy District,
Hyderabad-501504.
Andhra Pradesh, INDIA.
Ph: +91- 8417- 236667,
Fax: +91- 8417- 236668
E-mail: info@icmrindia.org
Website: www.icmrindia.org
|
More Classifications...