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TechRepublic: Do businesses love Linux as much as Wall Street?

“If Wall Street likes IPOs, it must love Linux. … But amid the
zeal for Linux stock, how enthusiastic have businesses been about
bringing Linux into their enterprise? Is it possible or practical
for you to integrate Linux into your business? Here’s what
several analysts say about Linux in the workplace and where they
think it’s headed.”

“…for many businesses, the Linux buzz on Wall Street has drawn
their attention, said Tony Picardi, senior vice president for
worldwide global software for the International Data Corporation.
‘They never took a first look at it, so if you’re looking at it at
all, that’s news,’ Picardi said.”

“If a company was using Linux, it did so for ‘non
mission-critical systems that were kind of stuck under the table,’
Picardi said. ‘Now, there are actually some applications starting
to get rolled out on it.’ “

“Many companies have been using Linux for technical, graphics,
and workstation applications, said Michael Erbschloe a vice
president with Carlsbad, CA’s Computer Economics.”

“As more vendors have rolled out Linux operating systems, the
number of companies willing to use it has increased, said William
Peterson, a research manager for IDC. A study this year of 700
businesses found that 30 percent were using Linux in some capacity.
That’s up from 13 percent in 1998 and 0 percent in 1997.”

“Erbschloe, whose company helps businesses plan their IT
strategies, said that the majority of his company’s clients are
interested in deploying Linux. ‘Right now, everybody seems more
than willing to experiment with it,’ he said.”


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