SF Chronicle: Breakup Scheme May Assume Too Much

“For the future, though, all eyes are on Linux, the Unix
derivative that’s distributed free and maintained by a worldwide
community of volunteer programmers. It has already proved its
mettle as an alternative to Microsoft’s Windows NT and 2000 in
parts of the marketplace, chiefly for use on Internet
servers.“

“But servers are one market and the mainstream desktop quite
another, and so far, Linux has made only limited inroads into the
latter. Though it works with most up-to- date PCs, it still lacks
software “drivers” needed for compatibility with many older and
less-popular graphics cards, network adapters and the like.
Installing it can still be complicated, though Linux developers are
working hard to alleviate that problem.”

“And the selection of applications, utilities, plug-ins and
games available for it, though growing, remains far more limited
than the options for Windows PCs.”

“In other words, it’s not obvious that enough users are likely
to adopt Linux in the near term to create a market large enough to
induce the new Microsoft-descended applications company to develop
Office for that platform — even if the company makes its decisions
strictly on the basis of its own economic self-interest, without
regard to its former OS colleagues.”

Complete Story