“Hype states that Linux will overthrow NT. A more interesting
scenario shows Linux reinvigorating the Unix market….”
“The Linux community wants to replace well-established OSs.
It can be done, but enterprise planners take years to redesign,
architect, redeploy and reconfigure systems and change vendor
relationships. We fault the Linux community’s claim that Linux will
topple Microsoft. Instead, we present a scenario of
accelerating Linux acceptance in mainstream corporate applications
where resistance lingers (outside the “hot spots” in education,
technical computing, consulting and specific-function network
services).”
“The Unix market spans a variety of user needs. We foresee a
Unix/Linux OS continuum (see Note 1) including a vendor-specific
Unix-branded segment (as today with Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, Tru64,
etc.) focused on enterprise functionality, deep vendor support,
extreme levels of scalability and mission criticality. At the other
end of the market is a low-end “vendor-independent,
open-source-driven GNU Linux” in which the OS and allied
applications conform to GNU principles. This market focuses on
appliance-style, shrink-wrapped “Unixlike” servers, many
pre-configured and deployed in infrastructure services. This
enables Linux to move upmarket as demand and technological maturity
warrant. Parts of these markets are evolving and are wide open
competitively. Linux, if allied to Unix, would reinvigorate Unix,
especially in competitive bidding against Microsoft, in low-end and
midrange markets sensitive to price and price/performance….”