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What does the future hold for Ubuntu?
Ubuntu begins shipping on Dell PCs today -- with $50 knocked off the price tag when compared to the same model with Windows Vista -- it's a hallmark day that comes after years of waiting but, will it really make a difference? There has never been a desktop Linux version available from a major hardware manufacturer until now. (Hint: Linspire doesn't count. Michael Robertson did more to damage Desktop Linux than he ever did to further it) In the past, hardware companies have fiddled with server versions of the OS but, that's an entirely different animal; Servers are shipped to staff who know what to do with them, desktops are shipped to grandma's house at Christmas time. The buzz so far is incredibly positive. PC World just placed a 100 Best Products crown on Ubuntu's head, Wired is asking, "Is Ubuntu Linux right for you, too?" and, the only pessimistic coverage I can dig up is this piece, which asks if Ubuntu's support operations are ready for the big leagues and real n00b endusers.
Operating System adoption is a Catch 22 game; Software makers don't want to release product for a platform that isn't leading or gaining mindshare but, it's hard to gain mindshare without a significant crop of commercial software available on your platform. Ubuntu, and Mark Shuttleworth, may be the first to truly capitalize on the huge trove of good-to-great open source desktop software out there as a springboard to the attention of commercial software vendors. Toshiba is already rumored to be mulling the idea of offering Ubuntu on its line of notebooks and, just a few more breakaways could catapult Canonical's Feisty Fawn into the annals of history, and the living rooms of many a consumer.
Comments
4
Subscribe to commentstobin92May 25th 2007 1:57PM
I am thinking a lot to businesses are going to take the Linux route. It it cheaper and much harder to hack and make IT's job easier thanks top the open source community.
MysteriusMay 25th 2007 3:28PM
This is a great development. Congrats to the Ubuntu folks!
I'm not familiar with Linspire. Would someone care to enlighten me about what the controversy is?
EricMay 25th 2007 2:57PM
Most businesses will be among the last people to adopt Linux, because most business are small to mid size and depend on Windows only proprietary software. The business I am working for now uses an industry specific piece of software that cost us 35k, it is most definitely not available for Linux, and doubtful it ever will be.
As for consumers desktop linux getting into the hands of your Average Joe consumer is a very bad thing for linux. The first time these people purchase that $5 dollar game at Wal-Mart (and you know they will) and it wont run on their computer, that will be the last time they give linux a try.
Jonathan HarfordMay 25th 2007 3:20PM
@eric:
As for consumers macs getting into the hands of your Average Joe consumer is a very bad thing for apple. The first time these people purchase that $5 dollar game at Wal-Mart (and you know they will) and it wont run on their computer, that will be the last time they give macos a try.
Anyway -- even if you were right, how would that be bad for linux?