The recent news that several major players in the desktop/laptop are going to sell Linux pre-installed is a perfect storm of activity that will finally break the monopoly. Around 2001 there were some similar moves, but this is much bigger. Major time, energy and money is being invested in making GNU/Linux a choice in selecting an operating system for an OEM product. Dell was the first big OEM in the pool and some of its actions were tepid, like aiming for a market with Linux “enthusiasts”. Certainly that market exists, but many of those folks build their own machines to avoid “the tax” or to obtain features they want. The larger market are businesses and consumers. That is where the OEMs will create new markets and break the monopoly on the desktop.
These moves by OEMs are not the whole story. M$ has failed miserably to produce a major release of that other OS since 2001. The Vista is clouded with driver and application issues as well as the re-training and forced obsolescence. Of course, the world has reason to look for alternatives. Longhorn/Vista was vapourware freezing the market for years. The market will finally go its own way. The SCOG saga is winding down. The patent FUD is obviously hollow. There is nothing left to hold back LInux on the desktop now that millions of ordinary folks will have an opportunity to use Linux at work and to choose Linux in the market.
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