“Linux-based business-critical servers have found a stable home
in the data center and in infrastructure computing applications in
organizations of all types. The low-hanging fruit has been
harvested; most Linux servers have been installed to handle
workloads that traditionally would have run Unix-based operating
systems. This application area is rapidly maturing. The major
opportunity for ongoing growth is in developing countries.“Linux on the desktop has yet to gain any real market presence.
Despite the unrest over Microsoft Windows Vista, the companies that
focus on Linux as a business have yet to deliver a go-to-market
proposition that is compelling for the consumer, for the retailer,
distributors, and original equipment manufacturers. The consumer
segment is the fastest growing potential market for Linux-based
desktop solutions. The rise of the OLPC and the ASUS Eee PC,
together with Microsoft’s reaction to them, is proof that the
consumer market is opportunity rich…”