Why Linux is not coming to a desktop near you

Sam Varghese
Monday, 16 June 2008 20:52

Opinion and Analysis

So much for the individual who contemplates a change. Human nature is such that I am pretty sure that the number who switch to Linux on the desktop will continue to be few and far between.

Let's briefly examine the case of companies, schools and government organisations. In all these cases, a change to a Linux desktop is never user-driven; it can come from the overlords or, at times, in schools, as the result of a desire to save money. In some rare cases, one gets an individual who is already aware of the benefits of using Linux and this person drives the change.

If it is difficult to weed out Windows from any sizeable number of desktops, then there are factors other than mere continued use at play. One is the relationship that Microsoft has built up with these organisations - in the case of schools, educational discounts are offered initially and once the order is in, then there are riders such as a fee for every single PC in the school and so on.

There is a lot of very aggressive lobbying, borderline marketing, and pressure brought to bear when any sale looks like slipping away. To avoid this kind of a situation even coming up, Microsoft cultivates people within vital industries and they turn into some kind of unofficial sales force.

When it comes to governments, many politicians need the donations that companies like Microsoft hand out. A company of this size can also influence other firms when it comes to political donations. Guess who has a head start when it comes to software contracts?

Let's take the case of a company that runs Linux on the desktop. If you, a seasoned Windows user, went to work at such a company, would you be able to ask for your own Windows PC? No, you would have to use what everyone else uses. You would have to adapt and learn - unless, of course, you were willing to leave the organisation because it wasn't using Windows. Such companies are relatively few in number.

There is a lot of talk about the lack of applications on Linux but most of it only has validity only when you look at specialised applications - after all, when it comes to Microsoft Office, what percentage of office worker uses more than 10 per cent of the features? In any small office, where the basics are all that are needed, a switch to Linux on the desktop will end up saving a lot of money. Trouble, is that small office often has one odd-job man who doubles as the tech support guy. And that man is highly unlikely to know anything about Linux. Hence, even if the boss wants a switch, the fact that he has to go out to source technical assistance for both the initial installation and set-up and also ongoing support, will be enough to keep Windows going.

Considering even such a limited range of factors, I think movement on the Linux desktop is pretty much stalled at the two or three percent mark. I would, however, be interested in what you, gentle reader, have to say.