“Whether they’re hardware makers, desktop application makers,
database makers or portals, companies across the technology
industry have been clamoring to jump on the Linux bandwagon.
Some, such as Intel Corp., are hedging their bets. The more
operating systems the company supports, the more chips it can sell.
Others, such as Infoseek Corp., are porting products to Linux based
on customer demand.
‘It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a truly new OS on the
scene,’ said Dora Futterman, director of marketing for Infoseek’s
software group. Futterman said about 13 percent of customers who
download Infoseek software are using Linux machines. Still, she
acknowledges it could take a while for the software to really catch
fire. ‘Everyone’s sore of waiting for everyone else to do it.’
A few are jumping right in.”