“Linux (as a server). Main customers: Webmasters and underfunded
system administrators. Benefit: Runs reliably and fast.
Affordability: Free, or nearly so. Disruption: As a Web server or
file-and-print server, it integrates invisibly into the network.
Score: Perfect. Linux is a winner.”
“Linux (on the desktop). Main customers: End-users. Benefit:
Fast, less crash-prone PC. Affordability: Free except for the (not
overwhelming but not trivial) time needed to learn it. Disruption:
The office suites for Linux do not reliably read and write the
Microsoft Office file formats. That is, there’s a significant delay
before the Linux suites catch up to each new Office release, and
even then they’re glitchy. Score: Iffy.”