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Topic: Hardware

Has Ubuntu clinched the desktop Linux market?

Summary: Were this a breakfast plate, Red Hat would represent the eggs and Ubuntu the bacon. The chicken's involved but the pig is committed.

Dana Blankenhorn

By Dana Blankenhorn for Linux and Open Source |

Dell Ubuntu Linux from IndiecomOn the surface a two-month delay in Red Hat's release of Global Desktop Linux is no big deal. (Picture of a Dell laptop running Ubuntu from Indiecom.)

The aim of the project is not just to deliver an operating system, but a complete environment, including applications, aimed at the mass market.

Some feel there are too many Linux distributions, and in the server area I disagree, since the distros are basically compatible. But in the desktop space things may be different. To beat Windows we may need unity.

And increasingly I'm seeing desktop Linux coalesce around Ubuntu. Dell now sells Ubuntu. Acer is selling it in Singapore. No other distro has these kinds of big company endorsements. Whether they're worthwhile is another question.  

That's mainly because Ubuntu specializes in desktops. Its key advantage is localization. You can get Ubuntu in more languages than you can Windows, with local language support. Canonical has worked hard to make this happen.

For companies like Red Hat, on the other hand, desktop Linux is a project, a loss-leader, a sideline. The success or failure of its desktop Linux initiative will not make-or-break Red Hat.

That's the problem. Dedication is the key to success in everything. It's rare that you find great success in a sideline.

Were this a breakfast plate, Red Hat would represent the eggs and Ubuntu the bacon. The chicken's involved but the pig is committed.  

So are the desktop Linux wars over?

Topics: Hardware, Linux, Open Source

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188 comments
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  • Why should there be a war?

    Let anyone who wants to put together a desktop Linux distro do so and let people use what they want. Let MS play the marketshare game; Linux distributors don't have to and shouldn't.

    I, for one, don't think I'd be able to get away with replacing Fedora with Ubuntu on the family PC.
    John L. Ries
    Reply Vote

    • Because war sells

      we're here reading this, aren't we? Bad news sells, and nothing gets someone's attention better then a war.
      John Zern
      Reply Vote

    • War sells

      ad space on articles, service agreements for maintenance and code warrioring, it pimps code jockies to make the next great thing that somebody will sell as necessary to breathe, . . . the war is the common thing that binds us together. In peace, what would the industry accomplish? It's a good question.
      Boot_Agnostic
      Reply Vote

    • This is...

      kind of what people who use MS say, and they reason they have not switched to
      anything else.
      cashaww
      Reply Vote

      • Competition leads to improved products ...

        Like it or not, free enterprise works to improve the products we buy. If Linux vendors want to put Linux on the desktop of consumers who cannot otherwise take care of their own technological needs, then they must make desktop linux as easy to use as Windows or Macintosh. This means it must be pre-installed by a well-known OEM who is willing to provide consumer-level support.
        M Wagner
        Reply Vote

        • Preinstallation fallacy

          I disagree with the requirement of preinstallation. I bought and installed OS/2 Warp 3.0 before the "Blue Spine" box was out. That means that I had to integrate the Win3.1 VM with my on diskettes.

          When IBM started really pushing Linux, I started trying to install Linux. Corel linux v 2.0 was a snap to install, but application installation was a bear. I finally found an easy to install distribution. Linspire 5.0. Boot from the CD and follow the on display directions. Linspire also had CNR for application installation. One click to download and install. If you decide you don't like it, one click to remove it. I tried several other distributions, but found none that worked better for me.

          But I wanted a laptop with everything, and all I found was a list of problems and NO preinstallations.

          Dell offered, then withdrew, then reoffered preinstalled Linux. I bought one. The distribution, as everyone knows is Ubuntu. Upon receipt, I ran through the initial setup and then downloaded and installed the updates. A reboot was needed. The system refused to boot. I had to reinstall from the supplied CD. Just like Linspire, it only required a boot from the CD and follow the directions. This time the upgrade worked and the system rebooted. It has been reliable since.

          However, the display is 8.125" by 13" and Dell did not provide andy video drivers that support this aspect ratio. That has been fixed.

          The Intel 945 gm/... mobile minicard that was part of the computer was supplied without support for WPA/WPA(2) encryption despite the fact that the linux drivers for this are and have been on the Intel web site. I am still trying to find clear and explicit instructions for installation of WPA encryption.

          The Ubuntu included software management packages work well, but not as easily as CNR, which is supposed to be available shortly for Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian and several other distributions with additional distributions to follow.

          The ethernet connection works superbly. I have not yet been able to use the wireless capability.
          Update victim
          Reply Vote

        • True, but...

          ...but real economic competition is peaceful and aimed at maximizing profit by producing goods and services people want to buy. "War", to me, implies cutthroat competition aimed at 100% market share and the destruction of any and all competitors by any means necessary. One form of competition is self-sustaining, the other only lasts until a "winner" is declared.
          John L. Ries
          Reply Vote

    • Ultimately, Linux vendors ...

      ... need to make money off of Linux or they cannot afford to provide it and support it. Two ways to do that -- sell support and Value-Added components to the enterprise-server market OR mass-market Linux as a dekstop product for the consumer.

      The enterprise-server side is a high-margin, low-volume business. The consumer-desktop business is a low-margin, very-high-volume business.

      Today, the average consumer cannot support themselves on desktop Linux. The average Windows (or Macintosh) user can. And, if they run into trouble, they can call Dell, or HP, or even Microsoft (or Apple).
      M Wagner
      Reply Vote

      • Disagree with this

        If the average Microsoft or Mac user can support themselves on their system why do we have the "Geek Squad" and other commercial support sites for them?
        Update victim
        Reply Vote

        • why do we have the "Geek Squad"

          That's funny I've never needed The Geek Squad. The Geek Squad is for people who know virtually nothing about computers, not average users
          bmore_bro69@...
          Reply Vote

          • According to what we've been hearing on ZDNet

            The people who know virtually nothing about
            computers IS the average user.
            Ole Man
            Reply Vote

          • Most are Average Users

            I am in the industry and have dealt with many "average" users. I agree with the statement, "The people who know virtually nothing about computers IS the average user."

            The "average" user does not even know of the existence of this forum. They get blank looks if you mention ZDNet or any of the other adjoining groups. Mention the registry files and watch them panic.

            THAT is the average user. I have converted quite a few in a 55+ park in Florida from Windows 98 and XP to Ubuntu Linux. I am in touch with them regularly as friends, but they never had problems with Ubuntu as they had when they had to call me for Windows support. And I even stuck my head in the lion's mouth when I offered them free support as a carrot to try Ubuntu. As long as they had equivalent applications to their familiar ones in Windows, everything went fine.

            Once you get people past the installation, they are fine with Linux.
            jkaiserling@...
            Reply Vote

          • The "Why" of Geek Squad and Firedog...

            They're around so Circuit City and Best Buy can make a ton of money off technophobes and clueless "noobs". I mean, really.. $50 bucks to install an antivirus app..? PULEEESE!

            It's an attempt to outsource IT.
            Wolfie2K3
            Reply Vote

          • Average Users

            Gee, the Geek Squad was started because the "MINORITY" will use them. That sounds like a wise business decision.

            "Average Users" don't know anything about their computer; they want to turn it on and use it to produce work; not learn how to fix or tweak it.

            Not sure what color glasses you see through to determine the average user is a skilled and knowledgeable computer user. Come back to the real world anytime to see what it really is.
            aallord
            Reply Vote

        • MS help sucks

          Commercial support sites for Microsoft products exist because Microsoft's help is a nightmare for the average user.
          Greenknight_z
          Reply Vote

        • Because there are 100's of millions of Windows users

          While on the surface it almost sounds like you have a good point about "The Geek Squad" and similar outfits, you don't. They are needed as a result of the fact that hundreds of millions of people use Windows and out of that number you only need a minimal percentage of those users to either be without a clue or run into a serious difficulty and the Geek Squads will be busy.

          Rest assured that if Linux was on as many machines as Windows that there would be Geek Squad outlets for Linux across the nation beside every 7-11 and donut shop.
          Cayble
          Reply Vote

      • Computer hardware WAS expensive

        Then the bottom dropped out, due to
        competition and other factors.....

        Computer software WAS (and still is in
        Microsoft's case) expensive, now the bottom
        is dropping out, due to competition and
        other factors......

        So now Microsoft lovers can do what they
        have always told Open Source users to
        do, "get used to it".

        The only question now is, will the big
        software manufacturers be able to crush Open
        Source like the big auto manufacturers did
        Tucker in 1948?

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Tucker

        http://www.thehenryford.com/exhibits/showroom/1948/tucker.html
        Ole Man
        Reply Vote

        • Ms vs Ubuntu Vs Save Tucker

          Younger people if you do not know the Tucker automobile witht he helicopter engine story there is a movie about - get it and watch it. Big governemnt and Big business can crush you and your ideas., believe it.
          All computer users noobs to geeks should realize that your ability to earn an income can be destroyed by both big business an government, time to wake up.
          Open Source at least offers you the opportunity to consult with those who need your help and earn a decent living.
          At age 50 they don't need you anymore, if you don't believe me look around in your own family and prepare to protect yourself now and into the future with opensource.
          jzabo
          Reply Vote

      • One problem there

        There are very few original Linux codes, most distros, even the paid ones like Linspire are still based off borrowed code (open GLP code) anyway.
        Linspire 5.0 is based off Ubuntu.
        As a consumer, and one who tries to stay informed, why would I shell out $50 for what I can get for free from Ubuntu, or Debian?
        Linux distros have a hard time trying to sell, because people know that it is all open source. And as soon as someone starts to sell thier distro for money, then another distro will come up and give something much like it away for free.
        Many Linux users like myself will not install anything that isn't open source or GPL (maybe other than drivers or codecs)
        I am going to probably sound mean about this but it is what it is. For those who are looking for windows, point and click everything and very little learning required, and are not opposed to spending a little (or a lot of) cash, please, use windows.
        For those who aren't opposed to learning a little bit, getting into a terminal, and are willing to sacrefice some convienince for price, Linux may be the way to go.
        Now, for a fee, you can get user support with many distros. Then again, I have never had to use it, I learned more from forums and blogs. But I am one of the latter half of my earlier statement.
        gene_fitz@...
        Reply Vote

    • Linux is Linux, now which Distro do you prefer?

      When I had trouble upgrading my wife's PC to Ubuntu Feisty Fawn (Gnome) in late night desparation I loaded PCLinuxOS (KDE).
      Later when I asked her if she had any problems with the new "version", her reply was "No - why do you ask?"
      BTW - she is a teacher and a "regular user".
      steve@...
      Reply Vote
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