May 31, 2004

Linux. What keeps Microsoft up at night

If there's one thing that keeps Microsoft up at night - it's Linux. For years Microsoft has been able to coast relatively unchallenged as it sold its server and desktop computing software (applications and operating system) to businesses. It has a comfortable 80% or more lock on the market.

However, over the last several quarters, Linux has been increasing in dominance on the server side of businesses. Sure Unix, Sun and Apple based systems have always sold but they've been for very specific applications and not a major threat. Amazon and eBay have decided to buy thousands of cheap servers and put low cost (or free) versions of Linux on them - as opposed to paying high Microsoft licensing fees for its software.

More and more businesses are doing the same.

HP, as reported by CNN Money said it will increase its backing of "open-source" software by being the first large technology company to certify and support programs made by MySQL AB and JBoss Inc.

As Linux grows in use and acceptance more companies will continue to create Linux based applications such as MySQL, IBM, and others. Hardware vendors, including IBM, HP, Dell and etc will support Linux solutions - cutting out expensive Microsoft server and server based applications.

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