OSNews: Can Linux Make It Mainstream?

“Linux has made huge strides in terms of useability in recent
years, hardware auto-detection is getting better, kernels are
improving, installations are smoother. Joe or Jane public can
pretty much get some sort of Linux desktop running on most modern
PC’s. So surely its a small step from here to acceptability in the
big world. Well probably not.

“Linux as a hobby OS is great. You can make a personal statement
about your independence and hacking ability, and sleep better at
night knowing you have a superior OS without so much as a nod to
the great satan. Linux as a server is greater still. The bang for
your buck, the ease of installation and reliability make it an
ideal candidate for mission critical situations. But Linux as
replacement for Windows on people’s desktops?

“The Windows desktop is a highly developed and polished product.
A Macintosh desktop is likewise, unfortunately OSX continues to
only be available on fairly expensive hardware made by only one
company, Apple…”

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