"There have been so many glowing stories on the use of Linux
that one might come away with the impression that Linux is an
elixir that solves myriad business problems, and that it is always
cheaper than alternatives. But like a lot of technologies before
it, Linux has, to some degree, been overhyped.
"There is no question that companies can sometimes cut costs and
increase productivity by using Linux systems instead of Unix or
Microsoft Windows. But there are costs and technical limitations
associated with Linux that don't typically make headlines.
"Customers say these include a lack of mature development tools,
too many Linux variants, acquisition costs for more sophisticated
versions of the software and lack of applications for small and
medium-sized businesses..."
