ZDNet: Linux gets corporate

"Suits and ties, big-name brands, slick marketing presentations -- the corporations are everywhere at LinuxWorld.

Maybe it was the live penguins brought up on stage for no apparent reason. Or perhaps it was the surprise appearance by Intel Corp. Chairman Andy Grove during a keynote.

Whatever it was, a quick look at the suits wandering through LinuxWorld Expo made it abundantly clear just how corporate Linux is becoming."

"It hasn't quite reached the bikini-clad dancing-girls realm occupied by huge shows such as Comdex. But it could be headed that way."

"...for many, making Linux corporate is a good thing. After all, more business interest means more corporate bucks for Linux upstarts such as VA Linux Systems Inc., Red Hat Inc., and TurboLinux Inc. It also means more of a thorn in the side of Microsoft..."

"Culture clash or melting pot
The challenge, however, is melding the two cultures. So far, Linux advocates say it's going well. 'I've been very happy with the way the commercial people have worked together with the technical people,' said Linux's creator Linus Torvalds... Many longtime Linux advocates said it comes down to educating the traditional companies about the open-source model."

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• SRO: Culture Clash(Jan 16, 1999)