Linux for the rest of us?

“Back in the late 1990s, people were touting Linux as the “next
big thing.”

“Think back to 1998 when an internal memo released by Microsoft
about the “Linux threat” was leaked to the public. It appeared that
Linux might be on the verge of seriously challenging Microsoft’s
dominance in the marketplace. At the same time, people were worried
about security vulnerabilities in Windows 98 and the stability
issues of the operating system.

“Indeed, some of them were mad enough at Microsoft to give Linux
a try. It was touted as a free operating system that had a lot of
software support (which it was) but was a bit difficult for
non-technical types to install and learn (that was true, too).

“The end result of the whole hubbub was that Microsoft released
a better operating system in Windows XP and Linux did win a few
converts, but nothing on the scale that some had hoped. In short,
one might argue that competition from Linux — either real or
imagined — prompted Microsoft to get its act together and
take a hard look at making operating systems that are both more
secure and more stable.”

Complete
Story