Application
Programs:
“The existence of such alliances as mentioned
in the article Andreessen Sees Mozilla-Linux Upset of Windows clearly shows
that Linux is strengthening its presence in commercial environments. (For
newcomers to this arena, Mozilla is the name of the Netscape/Communicator code
and Marc Andreessen is Cofounder and Executive VP of Products at Netscape).”
—“Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX”
“…Corel, which has already announced plans to
build a Linux-based network computer, said it will next month post free
Linux-based development tools to its Web site, joining a number of software
companies supporting the Linux open source movement.” —Erich Luening, “Corel
joins Linux fest”, CNET News.Com, 8 May 1998
“The very latest headlines [1998] indicate
that Linux is well on its way into the major leagues: Informix, Oracle ready to
port to Linux (PCWeek Online, 20 July 1998), Oracle to port database to Linux (PCWeek
Online, 20 July 1998), and Netscape: Linux a top priority (CNET News.Com, 7
April 1998). … Also noteworthy is a new alliance between Sun Microsystems and Linux
International (Slashdot: Sun Joins Linux International, 21 May 1998).”
—“Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX”
“Tim Payne, director of database marketing at
Oracle, says many of his company’s corporate customers have made large
investments in Linux. When Oracle announced in July [1998] that it would be
offering 24x7 support for Oracle8 on Linux, he says 300 customers called the
next day asking about availability. ‘It’s reliable, it’s proven, it runs on
commodity Intel boxes, and it’s a really low-cost alternative to NT,’ says
Payne. ‘The fact that you are going to be able to get enterprise quality
support from Oracle to deploy on the Linux platform will help customers adopt
Linux.’ ” —Ann Harrison, “In LINUX We…”, Software Magazine, Cover Story,
September 1998
Security:
Other:
“On March 7, 2003, The SCO Group filed suit
against IBM, claiming it improperly inserted proprietary Unix code in the Linux
kernel. The case has diverted the attention of the entire IT industry. As a
service to [its] visitors, Linux Online has devoted a section of [its] news
area to provide more information on SCO controversy.” See www.linux.org/news/sco/index.html.
“The suit has evolved into a full-blown
controversy. SCO’s lawyers are threatening to make the case a test of the
validity of the Free Software Foundation's General Public License (GPL), under
which the Linux kernel and the GNU programs that make up the Linux operating
system are distributed. Were SCO to prevail, it might hinder development of
Linux and make the general public’s ability to obtain it difficult. It could
also have an adverse effect on other Open Source projects which are developed
and distributed in ways that are similar to the Linux model. Since SCO is threatening
to charge exorbitant licensing fees for Linux, this would be a serious blow to
developing nations particularly. Their fledgling IT industries rely on Linux to
a great extent in their efforts to overcome a technological lag which
contributes to the cycle of poverty. Though most experts in the Linux, Open
Source, and Free Software communities believe SCO’s claims dubious, their
evidence flimsy, and their chances for success slim, the case has managed to
divert the attention of the entire IT industry. It has many in these
communities understandably worried.”
“Historically, large corporations have
steered clear of free software due to the unfounded assumption that anything
free can’t be worthwhile. The recent trend among some corporations is to use
these cost-effective operating systems. Hewlett-Packard used Linux instead of
its own HP-UX operating system ‘to port the Carnegie Mellon Mach kernel to HP
PA-RISC in order to use it for their imagery work’ (full story). Schlumberger
chose Linux over SCO for its new point of sale computers (Linux Journal,
November 1997, Issue 43, pp. 83-4). It is interesting to note that SunWorld
On-Line gives Linux positive press in one of its articles, Linux lines up for
the enterprise.” —“Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX”
“Yesterday’s college students learned their Unix
expertise on Linux and FreeBSD. Today they’re working in IT departments, and
many of them are openly hostile to both Microsoft and Windows NT. As a result,
Linux, BSD, Solaris, and other forms of Unix are finding their way into IT
departments, both overtly and on the sly.” —Nicholas Petreley, “The new Unix
alters NT’s orbit”, NC World