News
Windows-free computing becomes a reality
Andrew Wooden Sep 1 2008, 10:11am
Comments (6)
Industry figures look to open source software as Microsoft begins PR buzz for next generation OS
As the Windows 7 PR machine begins its awareness campaign, key industry players are predicting that open source rivals could begin to take serious market share away from Microsoft's dominant operating systems and Office software – potentially changing the face of the PC industry as we know it.
Leading the charge against Microsoft is industry stalwart IBM, which has recently claimed it wants to create 'Windows-free computing' by 2009.
"I think there is a high probability that Windows will become increasingly irrelevant," vice president for messaging and collaboration at IBM's Lotus division Kevin Cavanaugh (pictured) told PC Retail.
"Already we see people choosing not to upgrade to Vista and ditching Microsoft Office, in favour of Symphony or other open office alternatives. As devices change it will make the Windows operating system increasingly less relevant. You see that with people choosing the Mac as a solution; you see them choosing Linux based mobile devices as well."
IBM itself was instrumental in making Linux so prolific on the server market – and Cavanaugh was less than ambiguous on the firm's role in repeating that on a wider scale: "From this point of view IBM is a disruptive force in the marketplace. Most people don't think of IBM that way, they think of us in some cases as a supporter of the status quo.
"I think that's a misread of us; look at the disruption we did with Linux on servers. We're going to continue to do those disruptions where we think they’re in the interests of our customers."
Bobby Watkins from Acer, which offers open source Aspire One systems added: "More and more people are using the internet to look for information, to keep in touch, and to share content.
"This means the web becomes the primary interface of the system not Windows, so actually the job of the interface is to make accessing the web and all the other frequently used applications as simple as possible, and that is what we have aimed for and achieved on the Aspire One."
And it's not just vendors who have noticed the trend. As the demand for low cost PCs grows, retailers are finding themselves increasingly dealing with non-Microsoft systems – and many are predicting this to rise exponentially.
"We're about to see a huge explosion. Certainly I would expect the figures to at least double in the next 12 months," said Matthew Woolley, owner of PC Retail Award winner Forum Computers and chairman of trade body ITACS.
"I think in the next five years Microsoft will lose at least 30 per cent of its market. If it buries its head in the sand it's going to lose its market."
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Comments
“Shift to OSX”
Posted by: Steve - Sep 1, 12:16pm
I believe the current iPOD kids generation will cause just as much a shift away from Windows to OSX as they come of age and desire a notebook. Only obstruction will be whether parents can stump up premium price for a mac.
“Re: Shift to OSX”
Posted by: Brett Stocks - Sep 1, 1:00pm
It's not really a premium price though. And besides, I would say the lack of software in stores is the bigger problem. Even the big etailers like Play and Amazon have their Mac software tucked away in a dark, dank corner of their websites, as if it was something to be ashamed of stocking.
“RIP Microsft”
Posted by: Rob F - Sep 1, 3:01pm
The limiting factor will always be software, and it's compatibility with what the vast majority are using. The OS is the easy bit, but the demise of Windows depends on a true alternative to MS Office. OpenOffice is certainly getting there, so there is some hope. Microsoft have shot themselves in the foot with Vista - half the speed, twice the resource, and for what!!!
I'm not a Microsoft hater - I make my living from there products and the services surrounding them. But whenever you have a market that is dictated to the way MS has over the last few years - change has got to be a good thing. Although I think dominance is required to force standardisation, the alternative is "Open" - design by committee - and we all know whenever you need consensus you get nothing in terms of progress - see the EU, UN and many others for how poor committee's work!
“Look at Linux”
Posted by: Allan - Sep 1, 3:15pm
In the past year you just need to look at how the netbooks etc have taken off and how Linux's market share has rocketed. The last figures I saw had it approaching 50% of Mac userbase. I know from a tech support stand point we're seeing almost as many Linux machines now as Macs...ok neither as many as Windows but in the not so far future it's going to make life a real pain supporting so many different OSes, and possible variations.
“Windows free computing”
Posted by: Norman-Ellis - Sep 2, 2:49pm
I think Windows-free computing could well be very popular in the near future. Already Linux based systems such as Ubuntu, Mozilla Firefox browser and email client, Sun OpenOffice provides the consumer just about everything they need.
Now IBM have added Lotus Symphony to the opensource community, giving people a choice of two excellent office applications that are just as good as Microsoft Office.
Indies need to seriously consider supporting Linux based computing, those reluctant to do so will be trampled in the stampede.
“Re: Windows free computing”
Posted by: Matt Wilson - Sep 13, 9:03pm
I don't see MacOSX as the future either.
Mac OS is so closely related to unix and the hardware is now just an x64 platform.
With the 6 month product cycle forcing linux forward apace it's become a realistic alternate.
Proprietary costs and exorbitant upgrades are making more users try open source solutions.
It's become practical and even beneficial for some industries for example audio and video production to stay with the solutions they find.
Many SME's and Schools can't manage complex solutions so those sectors are under pressure from cloud based services.
Even though I really like the latest MS server products; Unified coms, OCS 2007 and the Business Intelligence software are great but they're so complex. My head spins looking at all the combinations and that's before you install anything.
I see clouds on the horizon.