Linux Shipping (in Stealth Mode) on More Desktops
by Kristin Shoemaker - Oct. 30, 2008Comments (0)- Related Blog Posts
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The Linux Foundation's executive director, Jim Zemlin, pondered the idea that next year Linux may ship on more desktops than Windows or Mac. He cites a New York Times article on PC manufacturers reducing boot times with utilities such as SplashTop.
Even if the Linux shipments don't outpace Windows, Linux is being used increasingly on consumer machines. Zemlin says that though this isn't what was envisioned as the "Linux desktop," it is a positive sign.
Zemlin says the fast boot utilities that either run in lieu of Windows and allow for basic computing tasks or run in the foreground while Windows is booting are a good introduction to how user-centered Linux can be.
This is true, and is an eye opening demonstration for new users of what Linux is -- and isn't. There is a catch, however. How many of these users realize they're using something that isn't the operating system they expect?
A friend of the family (who works in IT, no less) recently purchased an ASUS Eee desktop box that runs XP and has a Linux quick boot configuration. I heard quite a bit about how one of the saving graces of that machine was that XP boots in five seconds flat. However, he wasn't convinced it was Linux (not XP) he was seeing in this case until he was pointed to some further documentation.
It's really bittersweet. The fact that he could boot his computer, get online and do some basic work without ever realizing he wasn't using the operating system he thought is an impressive statement on how user-friendly Linux is at this point (especially on preconfigured machines). It's a bit disappointing that he didn't believe it until he read more about what powers that particular feature.
Zemlin's take on Linux making inroads and having an impact on the casual computer user is true, and a huge step forward for both the operating system and open source software as a whole. And as an open source enthusiast, I can say without reservation that while the temptation to talk in detail about SplashTop was hard to resist, there's an undeniable satisfaction watching a five second boot and saying, "That's not XP -- that's Linux."
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