:Philadelphia Inquirer: Will Linux replace Windows? For some area companies, it already has
Philadelphia Inquirer: Will Linux replace Windows? For some area companies, it already has Oct 5, 1999, 14 :48 UTC (10 Talkback[s]) (7524 reads) (Other stories by Leslie Wood)
"Whether or not Torvalds' open-source OS will become the next Windows is yet to be seen,
however, there are strong indications it may be on its way. International Data Corp. (IDC), a
provider of IT data, said that in 1998, Linux accounted for 17 percent of all OS shipments.
According to information on a Linux Web site (www.linux.com), the 8-year-old OS has a user
base of about 10 million people."
"Linux was developed under the General Public License agreement, which makes its source code
freely available to everyone. A General Public License agreement guarantees the freedom to share and change the software and to
assure that it is free to all users. Keep in mind that "free" does not refer to price, but to freedom. These licenses are designed to make
sure that all users have the freedom to distribute copies of the software, change the source code or use pieces of the software in
other "free" programs."
"Some Linux users refer to it as a revolution. Others refer to it as a movement. Whatever you call it, not only is a lot of money getting
thrown behind Linux, but there are more than 120,000 active Linux developers across the Internet, including many in the Philadelphia
region."
