Is Linux a desktop operating system?

[Tom Adelstein]

> >
> >I disagree with your disagreement but I don't take exception to it.
> >
> >I am surprised at how you liberally used generalizations as if they were
> >universal truths. Such terms as "everyone who is reading this",
> >"Everyone and their mother", "Windows only", "Windows is a great OS",
> >etc. 
> >  
> >
> s/everyone/almost everyone/g
> 
> I de-generalized the Windows is a great OS to a specific type of user.  
> As for everyone and their mother, I guess I did generalize.  The meaning 
> being, that software that people feel good about using is still not for 
> Linux.  Take finance software.  GNUCash is good, but I would not use it 
> over Quicken or what have you.

Quicken works on Linux with Codeweavers Cxoffice and Xandros comes with
Cxoffice. I also believe that Codeweavers will be available in
additional distributions of Linux. I understand your feelings about
GNUCash. 



> 
> >Perhaps Oracle slipped your mind. Also American Management Associates wrote the accounting packages for government use on Linux - especially those used by the US Judiciary. In fact, a long list of business software exists on Linux.
> >  
> >
> I was referring to Linux on the desktop.  I know Oracle runs on Linux, I 
> admin one now.  As for standard workday tools few have the features or 
> capabilities as their Windows counterparts.
> 
> >Five of the global seven financial service use Linux to handle all the financial transaction as do the world's largest banks.
> >  
> >
> Banks are still, and will continue to use VMS for their backend 
> transfers.  I am not sure where you think they are running Linux.  Linux 
> is nowhere near stable, or secure enough to stand up to VMS banking 
> software. 

In the US, many banks including Bank of America use Linux in many
places, especially in clearing house chores, transactions, through
terminals, etc. That began happening when IBM opened up its S/390 and
zSeries platforms to Linux and got SuSE validated for Common Criteria.

I also know of Red Hat grids and clusters at banking houses brought in
by HP (who now owns VMS) and IBM. 

I'm also aware of Linux use in large banks in Europe and South America.

The first ever reference account for IBM with Linux was Banco do Brazil

http://www-1.ibm.com/linux/news/banco.shtml


Then you have New Zealand's TSB Bank, Banca Commerciale Italiana, IBM
reported 15 banks in central London were running Linux clusters in 2002,
Venezuelan bank Banco Mercantil, Banca Carige, Bank of China; then
Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse First Boston, Goldman Sachs
Group, E-Trade are among the financial institutions known to be using
Linux extensively. I saw a presentation by Morgan Stanley's CIO showing
their use of Linux and it was impressive.
> 
> >The subject of this thread refers to Linux as a desktop. Personally, I do not see Windows as a tool with a purpose.
> >Too many people are glad to use free software exclusively. 
> >  
> >
> Too many people, in a small scope.  Something that I have overlooked 
> before is John Doe who works at a mom-and-pop shop downtown.  He has not 
> graduated with a degree in computing, nor has ever used a *nix OS.  It 
> would be hard for him to get something like Ubuntu that has built-in: 
> mp3 support (through default player), windows media(through default 
> player), java/java-plugin, etc.etc.  That may be a bit to Debian/Ubuntu 
> specific, but the point is there.  So what happens when he updates and 
> some dependency is not met.  What does he do?  I would guess he would 
> not know about the forums/list.

I've seen more Red Hat Enterprise Linux in small to medium sized
business than any other distribution of Linux. Red Hat has a strong
channel and system integrators, IBM Business partners, etc. have
introduced Linux into that segment. Think in terms of AS/400
and iSeries shops with small employee numbers.

Also, the uptake in Linux at the user level has increased approximately
50% this year to date in North America. I got that figure from a
publishing house. I read a similar figure (56%) for Asia according to
China Standard Software Company Ltd. reports.

With regard to media, Cyberlink http://gocyberlink.com  has provided a
Linux product which supports DVD, MP3, etc. to Linux. I wish that they
would make it widely available rather than OEM it. I think many people
would purchase it. It's all legal, etc.

I can visualize many scenarios where Ubuntu could grab market leadership
at some point in the future. I believe this is the best community to
realize such a goal for Linux.