“Linux will soon be able to make a major assault on Microsoft’s
dominance of desktop software, judging by figures from
development-tools specialist Inprise. The open-source operating
system lacks the applications to make much headway on on the
desktop – although according to one survey it runs nearly one in
three web servers. But more than three in four of 24,000 Linux
developers surveyed by Inprise planned to work on code for
applications rather than for servers….“
“Inprise, parent of the better known Borland, has now launched a
project called Kylix to produce a rapid development environment for
native Linux applications. Kylix will build on the strengths of
Borland’s successful Delphi and C++ Builder….”
“Kylix could allow the company to get something of its own back
on Microsoft, whose visual-programming products broke the dominance
of Borland’s early ground-breaking development tools. Borland
recouped a lot of ground with Delphi, which has just hit version
5.0; the joy of Kylix is that Microsoft can hardly bring out a
rival without undermining its own flagship operating systems. In
June Microsoft paid Borland $100m to settle long-standing patents
issues and for the continued use of its technology; it also agreed
to take a $25m stake, giving it an oblique investment in
Linux.”