CIO Jury: The Linux desktop is dead

Ein Kontrapunkt zu den sonst üblichen "Dies ist das Jahr des Linux Desktops" Artikeln.

Die Silicon.Com Jury bestehend aus 12 CIO´s von Unternehmen wie z.B. der Amtrak (quasi die US-ÖBB) äußern sich zu einem Bericht des National Computing Centre (NCC). Das NCC hat die installierte Basis von Desktop-Betriebssystemen in englischen (UK) Firmen untersucht. Das Ergebnis: Nur einer von 300 PC´s hat derzeit Linux installiert. Hier ein Ausschnitt des Berichtes:

By Andy McCue, Published: Wednesday 8 November 2006 

Linux is unlikely ever to be a viable alternative to Microsoft's Windows on the desktop for corporate IT departments, according to leading CIOs.

Just this week new research by the National Computing Centre (NCC) found only one Linux desktop for every 300 currently running Windows XP in UK organisations. Three-quarters of silicon.com's 12-strong CIO Jury backed the view that the Linux desktop dream is dead.

Rorie Devine, IT director at Betfair.com, said Linux would have to change drastically to compete at desktop level. He said: "There would have to be a unified vision of where the components fit together and application developers would have to be able to work to that and have a mass market. At the moment there are too many options for the Linux desktop to support mass market tools. A more likely Unix on the desktop is Mac OS X." 

Graham Benson, IT director at Play.com's IT organisation the Web Factory, said: "Linux is a great example of the old adage 'you don't get owt for nowt'. It is not free, as you pay for the support and there are so many flavours that it dilutes any potential attractiveness. Far from being a Luddite, I am disappointed with the penetration of Linux; I had high hopes for a viable alternative but commercial interests in the end got the better of a great ideal."

Despite the love-hate relationship that many organisations have with Microsoft, its products are now relatively stable, well-supported and secure, according to Ted Woodhouse, director of IT strategy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. He said: "Unless, and until, Linux can get anywhere near that level of service and guarantee, it's too big a risk."

Simply put, there are currently few business benefits that would justify such a switch from Microsoft to Linux for many IT departments.

Der Link zum kompletten Artikel: https://www.silicon.com/ciojury/0,3800003161,39163932,00.htm