“As Microsoft Corp., the “10-ton gorilla” of desktop software,
battles a court-ordered breakup, an operating system symbolized by
a small, flightless bird could be the real winner.”
“Linux, which presents a cute penguin as its mascot, is in many
ways the polar opposite of Microsoft’s Windows operating system.
While Microsoft keeps tight control over its flagship product,
Linux is owned by nobody and can be modified by anybody.”
“If two years of uncertainty ensue, how far could Linux get
in that two-year period? It could get pretty far,” Narbeth,
Pa.-based computer consultant Amy D. Wohl said. The prospect
of a breakup could make software developers think about which
operating system to write for, Wohl said. “That may mean a lot of
people both on the customer side and the developer side may feel
that Linux represents a good choice.”