IT professionals considering move away from windows

[xir_]

So looks like ubuntu could do well according to this

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10217917-75.html

[samjh]

There is always a lot of pessimism about new Windows releases. We saw a lot more negativity toward Vista than Windows 7. I don't think the article shows anything earth-shattering. Linux has long been gaining steam. It's just a continuation of a slow but steady trend.

[will1911a1]

I'll believe it when it happens.

[davetv]

I'm a "I.T. Professional". I work as a programmer for a company that writes software for a niche market. I have been a full time programmer for nearly 20 yrs.

Our customers govern our direction, and our application platform, not our whims. 100% of our customers use and will continue to use Windows based PC's.

While I would love to see Ubuntu and other Linux distro's share in the desktop market place, the reality is that it is many many years away.

[EvilMarshmallow]

To counter DaveTV's argument, I'm an IT Professional too. I'm a network/system admin for a company that's completely not in the software development industry. Dave's right about his business catering to the whims of its customers... but I don't have that limitation, and this is where you'll see Linux making major headway.

In the last two years, I've gone from 0% linux servers in my data center (my predecessor didn't want to touch Linux at all) to about 75%. I also have plans to increase that penetration by migrating even more systems over... I just haven't had the time to do it yet.

My boss likes it when I say I can accomplish my mission without spending money. Our economy stinks, and cost savings are considered to be of paramount importance. Linux helps me do that. When I look for software packages that I can't build myself, I ask my vendors if there's a Linux client. Sometimes they say yes, other times they don't, but it increases awareness... if you suddenly had a lot of potential customers who asked you for a linux version of your program, wouldn't you consider it?

[xir_]

well to me this article meant that it is what the IT people will be rolling out them selves, not necessarily at the sales end of thing. For instance i was think database management or print servers

[chris200x9]

is it just me or does anyone else think it's weird that ubuntu is the only linux that is increasing? Even other linux is going down.

[cl333r]

I'm a "I.T. Professional". I work as a programmer for a company that writes software for a niche market. I have been a full time programmer for nearly 20 yrs.

Our customers govern our direction, and our application platform, not our whims. 100% of our customers use and will continue to use Windows based PC's.

While I would love to see Ubuntu and other Linux distro's share in the desktop market place, the reality is that it is many many years away.

Speak for yourself and for your customers.
Watching movies, listening to music, browsing the internet, checking the mail and other stuff is almost the same on all platforms including Linux. Point and click. A friend of mine had to check his mail on my PC and I only showed him where's the Firefox icon.
So "many many years away" is something I'd expect to hear from gamers or M$ trolls.
The truth is, however, that the companies selling computers are not willing to talk about Linux not only because of "Linux" or "customers", as I found out in a few of the shops in my country, they don't have a clue about Linux themselves, and that's a very big reason why like 100% customers "require" windows (most of them don't even know the word "Linux" exists, not to mention the OS).

[Mehall]

is it just me or does anyone else think it's weird that ubuntu is the only linux that is increasing? Even other linux is going down.

Novell are gaining a little share, though losing profit compared to last year, thanks to their co-operation with MSFT

RHEL are gaining money, both gross and profit, compared to last year.

I fail to see how either of those are going down.

[chris200x9]

Novell are gaining a little share, though losing profit compared to last year, thanks to their co-operation with MSFT

RHEL are gaining money, both gross and profit, compared to last year.

I fail to see how either of those are going down.

Did you read the article? The graph shows everything but ubuntu going down.

edit: not going down just something people may use in place of windows 7

[Mehall]

Did you read the article? The graph shows everything but ubuntu going down.

edit: not going down just something people may use in place of windows 7

Yes, but in the main markets Novell and RHEL target, they are making more in either share or money. (RHEL getting more of both)