“Delegates attending last week’s European Linux Conference
in London hosted by SuSE Linux in association with IBM, heard how
Linux is fast becoming a viable business option for corporate
desktops, while continuing to strengthen its position as one of the
major software powers behind the world’s corporate server
market.“
“Representatives from both the Linux and business communities
heard leading industry figures discuss the impact of the open
source operating system. Commenting on the restrictive patent and
copyright laws regarding proprietary software, Alan Cox of Red Hat,
stated how businesses are seriously limited by proprietary
software, unlike the open source alternative which offers bespoke
solutions. Of the other direct business benefits, Cox said that by
using open source software, users can share fixed costs and
non-core business expenditure can be spread more effectively. This
was echoed by Dirk Hohndel, CTO of SuSE Linux, who also highlighted
the robust, secure and versatile features of Linux – high agenda
items for most businesses worldwide.”
“The fact that the open source operating system is well
established within the industry and regarded by experts as a
serious rival to Microsoft, was reaffirmed by Larry Augustin, CEO
of VA Linux. He confirmed that Linux was responsible for powering
31% of the world’s server market and 4% of the desktop market and
that market growth rates are exponential.”