“The Linux phenomenon, with its open-source philosophy, has
turned the operating system (OS) market upside-down. Open sourcing,
the free and public publishing of OS source code for review and use
by anyone, has started a revolution of sorts that has network
operating system (NOS) vendors scrambling to maintain their market
share.”
“Linux, once considered a hacker’s delight and poor man’s OS,
has become the hottest server OS in the industry. Disgusted with
proprietary OS platforms and exorbitant total cost of ownership
expenses, the IS community has turned to the long-established and
thoroughly tested Linux operating system for relief. Linux promises
a platform free from a couple of common bugaboos: being subject to
vendor investment priorities and having to compromise for the sake
of maintaining the integrity of the platform. Many Linux converts
migrated out of the desire to be free from the proprietary solution
cycle in which vendor-specific operating systems require the
purchase of vendor-specific equipment and software to build the
network.”
“The Linux community embraces open sourcing. In fact, the
ideology helped drive the development of the Linux global
community. The industry has seen an explosive growth in Linux
implementations in recent years, with an almost cult-like following
and widespread show of support by independent software vendors
(ISVs). The evolution of Internet-centric networks and
Internet-driven applications has boosted Linux ratings because
Linux supports so many Internet technologies and protocols as well
as open-industry standards. International Data Corp. (IDC) reported
this spring that Linux license shipments grew at a dramatic 212.5
percent rate during 1998, accounting for more than 17 percent of
all server operating environments (SOE) shipped. Non-Linux SOEs
showed a growth rate of 11.3 percent.”