Linux in crisis?, Nov 28, 2006

Between Oracle's support offering and Microsoft's patent pledge, recent events could prove significant for the Linux operating system market.

I don't know about you, but suddenly I'm starting to think Debian ought to be my GNU/Linux distribution of choice, and that I should turn to Mac OS for those few tasks I cannot currently accomplish with Linux and Free Software.

The first stage of the "three-phase rollout" for the open-source operating system starts November 27.

Trolltech, perhaps the most successful Linux smartphone software provider, is readying a more comprehensive stack aimed at simplifying Linux-based phone development.

France's gendarmes and Ministry of Culture and Communication have done it, and now members of the country's parliarment are about to switch to open source.

Xandros Home Edition Premium ran fine right out of the box. Indeed, it has turned out more functional on this Linux-hating computer than even a vanilla Windows installation, which is not something one expects.

And now for a completely obvious idea: loading Linux onto Microsoft's new Zune digital music player.

I'll begin with thoughts on the Microsoft-Novell deal, move on to Sun's having set Java Free, and then wrap up with some thoughts and an open question about hardware support in Linux.

In an open invitation to Novell OpenSuse developers concerned about the recent Microsoft-Novell pact, Ubuntu creator Mark Shuttleworth makes an argument for abandoning Novell and joining the Ubuntu Linux development effort. He is trying to lure developers away from Novell by suggesting that they could thus avoid working with Microsoft.

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