Time for Linux: A Mix of "Egoboo," Proliferating Penguins, and a Bold Young Finnish Programmer Who Gives His Work Away Is Challenging Mighty Microsoft on Its Home Turf. (Tech Topics)
2003; American Bankers Association; Volume: 95; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0194-5947
Autores Tópico(s)Distributed and Parallel Computing Systems
ResumoLinux (linn'-ux) started life about same time that world wide web did. It had a similar adolescence as a useful collaborating tool and technical delight for computing insiders. Now, approaching full-muscled maturity, it has become darling of IT managers in every sector from large corporations to universities to governments. Bankers are also beginning to catch Linux fever. Mark Greene, general manager, IBM Global banking industry says that in quest to cut costs and boost productivity in branch, adoption of Linux along with server consolidation will be increasingly popular options. IBM is a big proponent of rapidly emerging technology. Interesting how fast things can change. From 1994 to mid-2003, adoption of Linux kernel (i.e., nucleus that controls functions of an operating system) has gone from zero to about 18 million users worldwide. In $51 billion market for server computers, Linux operating system (OS) has won a 14% market share, according to market researcher IDC, which expects that share to jump to 25% by 2006. Moreover, Goldman, Sachs & Co. found that 39% of large corporations have adopted upstart challenger's wares. Linux already owns market for web-server software through Apache distributor, with a 62% share versus Microsoft's 27%. Earlier this year, Business Week did a special cover report on Linux phenomenon, quoting James Allchin, Microsoft group vice-president who runs Windows business, saying that Linux is the Number One competitor for this company, ahead of even IBM and Sun Microsystems. The present state of OS wars is that Microsoft Windows powers nearly all of world's personal computers but has to compete with Linux for servers that manage computer networks. That picture is already changing: BusinessWeek noted that Wal-Mart is selling Linux-powered PCs for $200. And in May government of Munich, Germany's third-largest city, decided to drop Microsoft products completely and migrate its entire computer network, some 14,000 desktops, to Linux. What accounts for this startling rise? The industry consensus: 1. An anemic economy makes everybody crave lower prices. 2. Intel strayed from its role as exclusive provider of processor chips for Microsoft's Windows OS--a longtime liaison that earned surname Wintel--and started making chips for Linux. 3. The widespread perception that Microsoft may be getting into a position where it could strangle competition in corporate IT. Choosing your platform Earlier this year, Forrester Research's Ted Schadler authored a special report for CNET news.com based on interviews with 28 vendors and 50 large North American companies with Linux experience. Purpose of report was to test water to see if it was safe for IT managers to take plunge. Summarizing: * Linux will go mainstream in data center this year and over next five years will raise over most new Unix work-loads in that area. * There is no risk that IBM will abandon Linux. It's only a matter of time before software makers port their applications to Linux. Sun Microsystems won't set up competing features on its Solaris OS. * Many big corporations are moving, under cover, to Linux. Disclosed: FedEx runs its web applications and email on Linux; Oracle plans to migrate all its servers to Linux this year; Deutsche Bank has moved a risk-engine application from Sun Solaris to Linux. * If your present system matches Linux's price, don't bother switching. * Should you bet on Linux or Windows in data center? Go with both. Let your IT people choose best architecture for applications they now run. For example: run web servers on Linux and develop portals on Windows. * Windows is still best for desktop applications (with exception of high-performance workstation tasks such as credit exposure, analyzing oil fields, and like) or lightweight custom apps such as retail POS or call center. …
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