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| Deja vu: Windows 8 is an opportunity for Linux |
| By Thom Holwerda on 2012-08-28 20:46:35 |
| "For years now, Linux has been a black sheep standing in the shadow of Apple and Microsoft. Despite having a fervent and enthusiastic following, the operating system hasn't been able to grab a sizable share of the computing market and has instead been content to subsist on the customers that come away dissatisfied with the mainstream competition. But that may be about to change. With the release of Microsoft Windows 8 on the horizon, some are saying Linux may have a great opportunity to steal a significant share of the market away from Microsoft, allowing it to finally take the helm as a major operating system service provider." This has to stop, and the only reason I'm linking to this nonsense is to make this very clear: Linux will not magically conquer the desktop or even make any significant gains because of Windows 8. People who don't like Windows 8 (Vista) will continue to use Windows 7 (Windows XP). This is getting so tiring. And does it even matter? Linux is winning big time in the mobile space, server space, and countless other spaces. The desktop is and always has been irrelevant to Linux. |
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| Comment by Bobthearch |
| By Bobthearch on 2012-08-28 21:03:18 |
|
some are saying Linux may have a great opportunity to steal a significant share of the market away from Microsoft Only if OEMs pre-install Linux on machines and stores stock them on the shelves. It also remains to be seen how typical home computer buyers will react to Windows 8. Seems that the majority of technical-oriented users don't care for the new interface, but that's not an indicator of future sales. |
 - Score: 7 |
| RE: Comment by Bobthearch |
| By orestes on 2012-08-28 21:07:36 |
| Exactly. If a distro, probably Ubuntu, got significant OEM backing it might gain some ground. Until then this talk of stealing market share from MS is just silly. If anything people who don't like 8 will just elect to remain with 7. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE: X Sucks |
| By Bill Shooter of Bul on 2012-08-28 21:14:09 |
|
Uhm.. similar nickname to nt_jerkface. Did you get banned recently or something? Or are you just trolling in the name thereof? I haven't ever been kicked back to command line due to a driver crash, after using Xfree/xorg daily for 13 years. |
| - Score: 2 |
| Comment by shmerl |
| By shmerl on 2012-08-28 21:15:18 |
|
I don't think Linux will gain huge increase in market share because of Windows 8 faults. But some increase is definitely possible. Do you want to call it significant or not? That depends. It may be isn't significant in market share percentage numbers, but on the other hand any mind share gain is significant. To compete with Windows Linux needs more exposure, and this is a good opportunity. Edited 2012-08-28 21:16 UTC |
| - Score: 7 |
| RE[2]: Comment by Bobthearch |
| By Bobthearch on 2012-08-28 21:16:13 |
| I'm thinking of upgrading XP to Windows 7. Probably won't do it, just thinking about it. :) |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE: Comment by Bobthearch |
| By shmerl on 2012-08-28 21:17:58 |
| Yep. Windows tax is the strongest blocker for Linux adoption, and the hardest to break, since MS evades antitrust regulations by delegating this issue to OEMs and pretending that they aren't involved. |
| - Score: 1 |
| RE: Comment by shmerl |
| By Bobthearch on 2012-08-28 21:18:40 |
| The reason why people will potentially avoid Windows 8 is because it's not like their 'old' Windows. Linux will be even more different and scary to those people. :) |
| - Score: 8 |
| RE[2]: Comment by Bobthearch |
| By shmerl on 2012-08-28 21:20:10 |
|
The real way to deal with it is to give MS serious legal beating for anticompetitive bundling. But so far they masterfully evaded such kind of outcome by escaping the equation. I.e. if refund is possible for the Windows tax - they aren't violating the law. And refund is delegated to OEMs who make it a nightmare to get. In the end MS comes out "clean" and Windows is still de facto bundled to computers all around. So some successful cases against OEMs (like this one: http://www.techworld.com.au/arti... ) can decrease their eagerness to play MS's game and will benefit Linux over all. Edited 2012-08-28 21:38 UTC |
| - Score: 3 |
| Comment by Soulbender |
| By Soulbender on 2012-08-28 21:22:15 |
|
> This has to stop, and the only reason I'm linking to this nonsense is to make this very clear: Linux will not magically conquer the desktop or even make any significant gains because of Windows 8. So why post it at all? Why not just ignore the nonsense from irrelevant sites like gogadgit? I haven't heard ANYONE seriously state that Windows 8 will magically increase Linux desktop share. In fact, this gogadgit article is so cluless it's not even funny. Among other things it seems to be confused about servers and desktops. For example: > Developers, other web services increasingly working with Linux This would only be a new development if you have lived under a rock in the desert for the last 10 years. The webservice and hosting market is dominated by Linux and have been for a long time. > That not only demonstrates a growing respect of the operating system, but it will make the transition to Linux easier for current Microsoft users I REALLY don't see how this could possible be the case. |
| - Score: 9 |
| RE: X Sucks |
| By amadensor on 2012-08-28 21:23:22 |
|
I'd rather be kicked back to a command line than to a blue screen where there is no chance to recover. All crash recovery stinks. Linux's is no worse than Windows, so it is instead a matter of how often you need to use it. |
| - Score: 8 |
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