NewsFactor: Has Linux Eclipsed Open Source?

“In the world of open source, Linux has become the 500-pound
gorilla. So much so that the term ‘open source’ often is used
synonymously with ‘Linux,’ as if Linux were the only open-source
operating system.

“Linux’s dominance of the open-source world is more than just
perception–real numbers support this view. Tim Witham, director of
the Open Source Development Lab, noted that of the two main
open-source OSes, Linux and BSD, there are ‘a lot more people using
Linux than BSD,” and “if you look at revenue share, Linux far
dominates.’

“Given the ostensibly cooperative and communal nature of open
source, it is a paradox that one OS would so dominate. How is it
that the penguin has spread its wings farther than the
alternatives…?”

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