SuSE is close to wrapping up OEM deals with Sun and Hewlett-Packard that will call for the Linux distributor to bundle its version of the open source operating system on select client and server systems from Sun and on HP’s lower-end servers. SuSE challenges analyst warning not to experiment with Windows alternatives until 2005 and has claimed that demand from enterprises prompted it to release a desktop product and that take-up will grow rapidly, according to chief executive Richard Seibt.
SuSE to Sign Sun, HP Desktop Deals; SuSE Justifies Desktop Linux
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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I think analyst’s opinions are worthless most of the time. They just have to spout off something every week or two to let people know they are still there.
On the topic of SuSE as a desktop OS, having tried it I don’t see any reason that a company couldn’t ditch Windows and go with SuSE. They provide a stable, easy to use desktop. The only problem they might have is that they are not Windows, so there will always be those that shun them for that reason alone.
…go after the enterprise… cool
Tough, I would love to see more linux on every users desktop, and that not because of Windows, because IMHO Windows XP is a good OS too, but because of the fact that Linux has so much to offer, especially now its becomming more userfriendly. Look at Red Hat 9 and at the new Ximian Desktop 2, nice combination, and something worth to work with. The thing I don’t like about SuSE is that they don’t give free ISO for download, just that FTP install. Others do, and they don’t bundle commercial apps with the free ISO, just GPLed software. At least I won’t spend every couple of month $89 for SuSE pro, its not worth.
they need more APPLICATIONS, linux will never grow without commercial grade applications like windows has… i just dont understand why no one is grasping this concept.
I had the same complains years ago. It all comes down to how lazy I am and how much I enjoy installing a computer without connecting it to a network and booting off a floppy. Actually most of my computers don’t even have floppy drives anymore.
If you want something done right you gotta do it yourself.. or get debian/gentoo/slackware/LFS.. same thing, really.
Because of the GPL, but much more because of the fact that no company toulk Linux seriously for the last couple of years…
And good apps are not developed over night, but there are free apps that are good enough, like ximians desktop, which is more than enough to have on a computer to run a small busines. And there will be commercial apps in the future, trust me. Linux is growing, and it goes its own way.
Yep, depends how lazy I am. But really, I enjoy distros like Slackware or Debian, but it all comes down to time now. So, I let the distro do things for, even do sometimes I’m better of when it doesn’t…
I don’t think that there is any reason an “enterprise desktop” wouldn’t be useful for home users (think of Windows 2000). XD2 is the best example, it looks great, is stable and extremely well supported. I think that we will see the fastest progress for “home users” coming from those who target the enterprise market (where the money is).
Besides of a professional quality desktop, the only thing that can push Linux on the home desktop is application availability. And considering that os vendors can’t “force” this, out best bet might be to push Linux on the corporate desktops and hope to convince application developers to develop for this lucrative (enterprise) market. Everything else will come slowly from Open Source software (it can’t be long until Gimp will be satisfying for 99% of all private home users for example), with the only remaining big issue beeing games.
I wish Linux on the desktop the best of luck and hope it continues to gain grond on Windows. Although I don’t personally care for it as a desktop OS (other than having something to tinker with), the better it ges and the more people use it, the quality of Windows and it’s apps can only get better while lowering prices at the same time. That way, everybody wins … everybody except Microsoft, that is
I agree…:) completely:) And another issue is hardware support. But, hopefully things will get better:)
Linux hardly exist on the desktop market. it’s even less welcome than existing… Why would someone want to have a Linux box as a desktop machine? It’s not like the price is an issue here, you get Windows preinstalled when you by your box, plus a huge amount of available apps plus a consistent feeling over the interface.
That’s just the beginning, you also have a box which you know may not be that secure, but rather have that than an unsecure Linux box that you think is secure, cause normal joe sixpack just don’t wanna configure the system that much.
Besides, how about running Linux as a desktop for 1 year, what will happen? dependency hell after 3 months? Nope, not for Joe user.
Why would a commercial company wanna develop something on GPL platform? LoL, not any reason at all when they have Windows and Mac OS X.
And the only people requesting Linux for desktop seems to be zealots pushing rather than consumers asking….
Leave desktop for desktop operating systems like Windows/MacOSX/BeOS or maybe even Syllable… but Linux puuuhlease!
> Leave desktop for desktop operating systems like Windows/MacOSX/BeOS or maybe even Syllable… but Linux puuuhlease!
There is no reason why Linux can’t morph into a desktop/server OS– it has for the last five years.
Meanwhile, Windows has been morphing into a dual desktop/server OS and MacOSX has started becoming a desktop/server OS (I expect that once OSX Pather comes out with some yummy PPC 970 lovage from IBM, this will continue to be so..)
BeOS is used probably less in the desktop than Linux is
> Besides, how about running Linux as a desktop for 1 year, what will happen? dependency hell after 3 months? Nope, not for Joe user.
Oh please.. many distros have already solved this
> Why would a commercial company wanna develop something on GPL platform? LoL, not any reason at all when they have Windows and Mac OS X.
Uh, just because Linux is released under the GPL doesn’t mean that commercial companies must write GPL software.
> Plus a huge amount of available apps plus a consistent feeling over the interface.
What consistent interface? This might have been true between Windows95 and 2000, but isn’t anymore. Today, from single application vendors, you may have 3 of four different kinds of widget sets. Take for example Microsoft themselves. You have the win16 Windows widgets (Win3.1 and before.. which occaisionally still crop up in 16-bit apps running on win9x), win32 Windows widgets (win95 to win2k), XP widgets, and .NET flat widgets (like in OfficeXP)
On a typical WindowsXP box, you’ll get the last 3, and on the typical 9x installation, you’ll get the first two and the last, if you have new MS-Office versions.
This is of course, not mentioning the myriad of other things, like java, apps that are skins, Delphi-based apps’ one-pixel off widgets, VB6-based apps’ weird resizing behavior, etc..
I work by day as a MFC programmer (for the last six years), and Windows is quite inconsistant– not more than Linux/X11, but close.
I’ve worked with Linux for a long time now, and its good on the desktop. If you don’t like, don’t use it, but stop trolling around. Everyone should use what it likes…
and you know the rest of the story. And not only zealots use Linux on the desktop:P
Honestly, I think you are the biggest zealot around, since you mentioned it. I hate smart guis like you who pretend they are all-knowing.
Have a nice day B0b.
What consistent interface? This might have been true between Windows95 and 2000, but isn’t anymore. Today, from single application vendors, you may have 3 of four different kinds of widget sets.
I don’t think that widget sets are really the issue here, but rather how each app ‘feels’ in relation with the others, how they interract with each other, and how they interract with the OS/desktop enviroment.
When I use Windows, even though some apps look different, I feel that everything is working together as a whole. The only time I don’t get this feelings is when working with Java or TK apps, or something not using the native tool set (excluding Firebird) – they just don’t seem to ‘fit in’ as well.
When I’m using a Linux DE, it literally feels like there’s like a hundred different ‘processes’ going on that don’t feel cohesive at all. Yes, I know it works the same way on Windows, but most of these things are transparent and feels so much more ‘polished’ … even simply things like cut/copy/paste can be problematic under X11.
“Why would a commercial company wanna develop something on GPL platform? LoL, not any reason at all when they have Windows and Mac OS X. ”
OK, I’ll post no server software…
Alias|Wavfront Maya Unlimited (Win/ IRIX/ Linux)
Avid Softimage XSI (Win/ IRIX/ Linux)
Apple Shake (Mac/ IRIX/ Linux)
Eyeon Digital Fusion (Win/ Linux)
IFX Amazon (IRIX/ Linux)
IFX Piranha (IRIX/ Linux)
PTC Wildfire (Win/ div. UNIX/ Linux)
Realsoft Realsoft3D (Win/ Linux)
(Could be continued…)
Yeah, I know that these are special apps, but they are commercial (and pretty expensive, btw). And I know that there are more commercial apps for Windows, but that was not the issue – and some apps on my listing are not available for Windows, so Windows lacks commercial high-end application support… 😉
This Windowsfanboy and Linux faintheart wailing about Linux not being ready for the desktop is getting both boring and irritating.
I use both Linux and Win desktops everyday both at home and at work and I know which I prefer using but that is not the point .
The trend is rolling across the world. First the entire South Korean civil service, then the Cities of Beijing and now Munich. It is becoming the trend among european police services. It begining to seep into corporations. Yes soon it will take off in North America. Yes its Linux on the Government and Business desktop.
Like it or lump and I explained my reasons before, so I won’t repeat myself. Linux will be widespread on the desktop by 2005 and by 2008 windows will have all but disappeared.
…and by 2008 windows will have all but disappeared.
Some people are so delusional it’s comical. Just because you ‘wish’ something would happen doesn’t mean it’s going to.
without desktop deployment, linux has no chance to make a health mount of money
sadly, the best apps that ordinary people care for the intel platform are for Windows.
if a company went nuts and developed consumer apps for linux, then the next time GLIBC got an update, it would be screwed
even simply things like cut/copy/paste can be problematic under X11.
It’s funny you mention this. I traveled to Australia for about a month and didn’t have access to my Linux machines during that time; but I did have a company laptop running Windows.
During my trip, I noticed a lot of times where I would copy text and then go to paste it, only to find that the clipboard was empty. Almost immediately I thought hey, that’s what people that don’t like Linux are always complaining about. I’ve noticed this at work on my Windows machine too, but just re-copied and then pasted the text without thinking too much about it.
I guess all OSes have problems.
Nope, glibc will get more backwards compatible and stable. That is why NPTL has been implemented….
get it?
how do you define more backward compatible ?
if an old software using old glibc ran with the lastest glibc, then it is compatible, otherwise it’s broken – it is cut and dry – no more or less – otherwise, it is an empty promise.
NPTL is for better multi-threading
Your opinion is far too skewed by a “home user” desktop slant. There are a few reasons why Linux makes a great desktop:
1) Consistency. For simple cases (where you can get away with using all KDE apps or all HIG-ified GNOME apps) Linux ends up being more consistent, not less so. This is because the most popular Windows apps are not consistent among themselves. Heck, the minute you throw Office into the mix, you’ve already fallen below the consistency of a 100% KDE desktop. And the integration between KDE apps far outshines anything in the Windows world. In KDE pretty much everything is a component, most applications respond to scripting the same way, everything uses KIO, all applications automatically inherit color changes and widget-style changes, everything pipes sound through a single media framework (aRts), everything uses the same help system, etc. It is hard to achieve this level of consistency on the home desktop (since home desktops are used for so many different purposes, you’re bound to have to use a non-KDE or non-GNOME app occasionally) but may be quite possible on a corporate desktop, depending on your needs.
2) Ease of maintence. On a single user desktop, Linux requires more skill to maintain, but in a large corporate environment, it requires less. The corporate sector is a very important part of the desktop computing market, and if Linux is a good solution there, then it can be very successful.
3) Cost. Linux is cheaper to buy, and there is no threat of getting audited by Microsoft.
4) Control. As a large company, you have far more control over your Linux desktops than you do your Windows desktops. For many government uses, this is a very important point.
>Why would someone want to have a Linux box as a desktop machine? It’s not like the price is an issue here, you get Windows preinstalled when you by your box, plus a huge amount of available apps
When you buy your computer with MS windows, you pay for the MS windows license. They don’t give it to you !
So the price is actually an issue
And when you install a linux distro, you have many more apps available than with you windows and preinstalled software (without speaking of the generally poor quality of those preinstalled apps)
…and by 2008 windows will have all but disappeared. .. Me
Some people are so delusional it’s comical. Just because you ‘wish’ something would happen doesn’t mean it’s going to...Roybatty
I have made a prediction on the basis of what is happening in the IT market.
In 2008 we will know who is right and who is wrong
I suspect Roybatty is the one living in a delusional dream world.
//I have made a prediction on the basis of what is happening in the IT market.//
Uh … yah. You mentioned 3 or 4 organizations that are moving to Linux.
That about covers it, right? It’s automatic that the *MILLIONS* of other organizations out there will punt MS in the next 5 years.
Listen to “Diesel and Dust” by Midnight Oil. Track # 3.
Can’t you read? He said “all but disappeared”. Which means Windows is *not* going to disappear in 2008, but Linux will be pretty widespread.
“if a company went nuts and developed consumer apps for linux, then the next time GLIBC got an update, it would be screwed”
No it won’t. One word: symbol versioning.
If you don’t know what that means then you shouldn’t even be talking about Glibc.
Try running a RedHat 6.x app (glibc 2.1) on RedHat 9 (glibc 2.2). It willl Just Work(tm).
If your looking for a couple of reasons why it may happen, I’ll give you two.
1.) Many corporations are tired of the Microsoft monopoly pricing scam and are looking for an alternative.
2.) Fear, uncertainty and doubt about where Microsoft is taking them in the future. MS plans to control every aspect of computing from the hardware it runs on (Athens PC and Palladium) to what software you’ll be allowed to use (DRM, subscription-ware, driver signing).
Linux will continue to grow and will eventually have a decent desktop market share. However, Windows will be force to be reckoned for a long, long time. They have way too much money and market clout to “all but disappear” within 5 years. Notice the number of companies still using NT4 which is what, 8 years old now? You think all 2K/XP implementations will be gone in less time than that?
//Can’t you read? He said “all but disappeared”. //
Right. Meaning, basically, Windows will be a fraction of the desktop market.
Which is a completely idiotic hypothesis.
Figures you’d agree.
they need more APPLICATIONS, linux will never grow without commercial grade applications like windows has… i just dont understand why no one is grasping this concept.
I have no idea why they can’t get it. I guess it is some honor code or crap like that. Or I wish they would atleast learn to compile the freaken software dofore they put it on there site to download. You think windows would be the major OS if the software had to be downloaded & compiled by the users. Hey I like Linux as a OS, but christ we need commercial software fo linux.
Starting last year, I’m slowly and surely weaning myself of each Microsoft product. I started with Word (in favor of TextMaker), then ditched Outlook, but I’m keeping Excel for now, but WinXP will be the last thing to go. I use SuSE 8.2 on my second machine and it runs as smooth as glass.
But as many have said before me: the day when you can buy a machine, load Linux onto it, load your favorate apps, and go will be the day we can begin digging the grave for Microsoft’s massive market share on the PC.
I have 14 core apps that I “must have” to do my work. When I can keep those on my Linux machine, then I’m throwing this Microsoft POS out the window. So keep coding toward usability, flexibility, and power, not flash or flare.
I myself am a big fan of Mac OS X, but seeing Linux getting more and more acceptance, pleases me. I like the OpenSource movement very much, I am not religious about the GPL, on the contrary I think GPL and BSD-like licenses both have their applications.
But what pleases me most is seeing UN*X gaining so much mindshare lately, it’s a win win situation, because most of the Un*ces play well together, being based mostly on open standards etc.
That’s why I really don’t get the point those flamewars between the BSDs, Linux distros and other Un*x flavours of all kind. It’s such a waste of energy. We should rather try to unify in the battle agains M$ (yes I am very biased agains companies who take illegal advantage of their monopoly and even get away with it).
O.K. I’ll admit to how I came to the 2008 figures for pretty much complete defenestration (elimination of windows). Last year HP mounted the full text of an IDC report on the growth of Linux for the desktop (I forget if HP or Red Hat commissioned it). I ignored the normal conservative garbage conclusions IDC comes up with and looked closely at the numbers instead.
The figures that they had estimated for Linux desktop usage over a several year period indicated that Linux desktop usage was in the beginning of an exponetial growth phase. So I extrapolated a best fit curve to find out when Linux becomes the predominant operating system. The result was 2008.
I know it is a not necesarily the the most sure approach to simply extrapolate exponential growth. However as a student I did study exponential growth with regard the real experimental situation of the kinetics of chemostats. There – if you get a faster growing mutant in the population it will take over the system in a relatively short period.
The beginning takeup of Linux on the desktop by major institutions on a large scale indicates the start of an exponential growth phase. I have been a computer user long enough (my first OSes were DEC OS8 and RT11) for ne to have seen the rapid changes that take place in the IT market. I am not some kid who all he has ever known is windows.
Extrapolate, calculate, and project whatever you want. I do not see Linux replacing Windows or any MS-based OS as a desktop OS by the year 2008. I’m not saying this because I hate linux. I use it occasionaly on my PC at home and at one time was very fascinated by it, just because it was something out of the ordinary. But some things just do not work right in linux. Most of these things are little problems, but ppl who work in a business environment need an OS that is going to operate absolutely smooth and help them be as productive as they can. If Linux were to gain a greater share in the market over Windows by 2008, it would have to come a VERY long way. I also think that it would be interesting to see Linux overcome all, but I just don’t think it’s gonna happen by 2008…