Tux Penguin Waddles to More Market Share
A debate has been raging among educators for some time. Should school and college budgets be spent on upgrading tedious textbooks to more stimulating educational tools, namely notebook computers? Or should the technology fad be abandoned, in favour of the tried and trusted, more traditional method of educating students?
That peskypenguin just won't go away. It's unlikely that Microsoft wouldshed a tear if Linux was frozen out of the market. But thenonproprietary operating system continues to grow in marketshare-and not at a glacial pace either!
Because of its proven security, and lower costs, Linux hasinvaded the global business and government market. computerworld.com estimates that the Tux Penguin has waddled into almost80 percent of today's companies, and can be found on web servers,network monitoring systems, desktop computers, firewalls, e-mail,laptops, you name it.
What these companies have realized is threefold. First, thepenguin is one tough guard dog. Security is less of a concernwith Linux than with most proprietary systems. As open code,Linux also offers the collective brainpower of all its users anddevelopers when it comes to updates and patches. Lastly, usersdon't miss much when they switch to Linux. Itpossesses nearly every feature and function that a Windows-basedsystem does.
As for security, the best defense is a good offense-againstthose with a grudge against Windows. The litany of chargesagainst Bill Gates' products is long, including MyDoom, MSBlaster, and every other worm and virus out there that can creepthrough chinks in Microsoft's armour, whether they are in Windowsor Explorer. Face it, Microsoft unfortunately is a target. ThinkFrance with its Maginot Line.
On the other hand, Linux can have gaps in its fortificationstoo. But seems to attack its own weaknesses rapidly, with patchesand upgrades. Experts point out that Linux fixes issues beforethey really even become issues.
A lot of this can be explained by the philosophy behind Linux.Unlike Microsoft, which sometimes releases products before errorshave been ironed out, Linux is based off the principles of UNIX,the first nonproprietary OS. The main principle: to create theperfect Operating System. With this same notion in mind, Linux seeks tocontinually improve. It's possible. Its code is always beingtested and tinkered with by the users and developers in the Linuxcommunity.
The result is a high-quality OS that never limits its users andcan be adapted to meet the needs of any application, project, orhardware. Like the rising popularity of the firefox browser, it'sonly matter of time before the laptop buying public wise up. For Microsoft, the Tux penguin may well be starting to look more like an 800-pound gorilla.
