Scientific American: The Best Things in Cyberspace Are Free

“Some advocates predict that open-source programs will
eventually dominate the entire software market.”

“Although Microsoft’s Windows operating system is still a de
facto standard for the desktop, its fastest-growing competitor is
open-source OS Linux, a Unix variant that has an estimated 10
million or more adherents. You can download Linux from at least
half a dozen different Web sites or purchase a CD-ROM with the code
for $50 or less. A number of major companies, including IBM, have
released versions of their software that run under Linux.
Furthermore, internal Microsoft memos leaked to the Web (at
www.opensource.org/halloween.html) indicate that the company
considers Linux a significant threat, especially since it has
captured the hearts, minds and resources of countless computer
science students and recent graduates.”

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