“Now that the Linux operating system is being embraced by the
likes of IBM and Dell Computer, the darling of hobbyists is
positioned to challenge Windows on several fronts.”
“According to Marty Larsen, director of professional services
for VA Linux Systems, which sells Linux systems and services, Linux
is ideal for the burgeoning small business market. “If a small
start-up company happens to have an old 486 computer, they can
build a pretty robust Linux-based server. It’s free and it’s a more
stable environment than Windows,” he says.”
“The scalability stumbling block may soon be removed. According
to Paul Kube, vice chairman, computer science and engineering at
University of California, San Diego, “Linux was developed for the
Intel PC architecture, which doesn’t scale well for large systems.
That may change with the introduction of Intel’s new IA-64 chip.”
He also notes that IBM is reportedly developing enhancements to
Linux that allow it to run on large IBM servers, and programs are
underway at SGI to get high-end graphics into Linux. On the other
end of the spectrum, Linux applications are being configured for
small, low-power devices like PDAs.”