Desktop Linux great white hope hits the canvas

Stan Beer
Wednesday, 29 April 2009 10:51

Business IT - Technology

At the beginning of 2008, the landmark Eee PC netbook running Xandros Linux left an unprepared red faced Microsoft with 0% share of a burgeoning new market. Nine months later, thanks to a resurrected Windows XP, Microsoft had 70% of the netbook space. Six months on and recent reports suggest that Linux on netbooks is down to single digits and heading south. True or false?

For some desktop Linux advocates of the more zealous persuasion, time has stood still, and netbook Linux market share has been frozen at 30% and is destined to remain a threatening thorn in the side of Microsoft forever.

Yesterday,  iTWire specialist Linux writer David M Williams wrote a story in which he predicted a gloomy future for Linux on netbooks, based on interviews with local Dell and Asus representatives. Williams learned that Linux did not figure in the future plans of either vendor in Australia.

In response to his story, Williams, a staunch desktop Linux advocate received comments such as this one:

"Your sources ..... are Australia-based representatives, so they speak only for a regional market. Your sad news applies to a demographic with borders.

"According to those who speak for the worldwide market, consumer Linux is doing well. Canonical's director of business development (Chris Kenyon), the CEO of ASUS (Jerry Shen), and Dell's consumer group representative in the US (Jay Pinkert) all report that about 30% of the global netbook market is owned by Linux."

Can this be true? Is it only Australia where netbook Linux market share is shrinking? Does Linux continue to hold a 30% share of the global netbook space?

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