There has been a lot of noise both from the desktop
Linux camp and from Microsoft trying to rebut everything the Linux
brigade says. So should you be considering Linux as an alternative
to Microsoft on the desktop?
First, Linux is more secure than Microsoft Windows.
It does appear to have fewer security vulnerabilities than
Windows. From Quocirca's research in this area
(www.quocirca.com/report_linuxdesk.htm),
those who have a preference for Windows accept that the cost of
maintaining security in a Windows environment is high.
So - one point to Linux.
Second, Linux is cheap - but this can be only a half point to
Linux.
Anyone can download Linux for the desktop free of charge from
any of the distributors. But the trouble is, the majority of
machines that people buy come with Windows installed, so you will
end up paying Redmond a tax for running your copy of Linux, if you
want to look at it that way.
This then leads to another problem: support. It is fine for
techies to support Linux themselves, or to go to the myriad forums
that are around and discuss issues among themselves, but is this
appropriate for a company?
Companies want proper support and a throat to choke when things
start to go pear-shaped. This can be done with Microsoft, and
companies that have looked at Linux for the desktop still find
themselves having to broker a full maintenance and support contract
with the distributor or hardware supplier. So the score is Linux
1.5, Windows nil.
Third, applications. There is such a developer community out
there that it is reasonably certain that you can get a free or
low-price Linux equivalent to any bit of software that you could
possibly be running in the Windows environment.
But do you want an equivalent? The companies Quocirca spoke to
say this can be the killer: the applications are not going to be
ripped out and replaced, and so the operating system needs to run
the existing copies of Quickbooks, Sage, Maximizer and so on. Do
you fancy having your company dependent on Superwhizzye-books from
Joey in Paris, Texas? Linux 1.5, Windows 1.
And what of the user experience? It makes no difference if any
of the Linux distributions are theoretically easier to use than any
version of Windows.
The problem is that users are used to Windows, not because they
have been inculcated through work, but because they have been using
Windows through school, at home, at work and everywhere else.
Any alternative user experience is therefore different, and has
a cost for the user to become familiar with it; something they will
continue to struggle with unless you can persuade them to use Linux
elsewhere as well. Linux 1.5, Windows 2
There is also the problem that was mentioned even by Linux
adherents: there is not a great deal of commonality of the user
experience across different Linux shells. The same applies to
applications, so even something as necessary as "cut-and-paste" is
carried out in different ways by various applications.
Linux 1.5, Windows 3.
Linux has an established place in the technology environment – a
definite option at the server side, and it could be used for
single-task workers where any issues with differences in user
interface could be well hidden, and we’re purely looking at “black
box” deployments of a completely swappable unit. The trouble is,
if we try to push it higher up the stack than this, we run up
against the biggest issue. If we take a 100% Linux or a 100%
Windows environment where multi-functionality is required, it will
take a certain amount of cost to manage these environments. Pay no
attention as to whether Linux is cheaper than Windows or the other
way around. The problem comes round when you have a mixed
environment – you now need both sets of skills, and the overall
cost to maintain the environment jumps up.
So, no matter how you view Microsoft as a company, or Linux as a
loose grouping of freedom fighters, look at it from your business’
point of view. Linux at the desktop can enable you to bring in
more of your workers who are single task oriented. Beyond this,
ask yourself whether a Linux desktop strategy from a trusted
partner along with a set of suitable, supported tools is the best
for your business, or whether the same from Microsoft and its host
of partner fits in best.
Only you know best – but I’d advise looking around at what your
peers are up to…