"It's been a tough year for Linux companies. Those that
didn't go bust announced large layoffs as investors realized that
businesses built around a free operating system weren't poised for
aggressive growth. The Linux Hatchery at this month's Comdex
convention was home to just two companies, down from about 150 last
year.
So it may come as a surprise that the sturdy computer program
with the Penguin mascot has never been more popular. While the
flightless bird may have been booted off Wall Street, it is being
welcomed on Main Street as a dependable substitute for more
expensive software sold by competitors such as Microsoft and Sun
Microsystems. From auto dealers in Florida to grocery stores in the
Arctic Circle, companies are using Linux to run Web sites, power
databases, track inventory and balance the books.
``It's hard to say no to free,'' said Jeff Davis, technology
manager for the Standard School District in Bakersfield. The low
price, stability and speed of Linux-loaded Compaq hardware
persuaded Davis to select the package over rival products offered
by Microsoft and Novell. Plus, he said, ``It is super-,
super-configurable'' thanks to readily available source code that
allows users to add features or fix bugs without waiting for an
upgrade."
