Is the new Linux kernel poised to pop Windows' dominance?

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Is the new Linux kernel poised to pop Windows' dominance?

Bill Machrone
Contributing Editor PC Magazine
Friday, March 30, 2001

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The ABM (Anything But Microsoft) market is vibrant and growing, but its mainstay operating system, Linux, has been falling behind the times. For all its vaunted performance and efficiency in small, single-processor servers, it's had to take a back seat to Windows 2000 and commercial versions of Unix when it came to big, multiprocessor servers with gigabytes of memory.

The desktop situation was deteriorating, too. Multimedia has been progressing by leaps and bounds, and although the worldwide open source coterie that supports Linux has added extensions for new devices and file types, it was time to gather the good stuff into a general release. Time, too, to update the kernel and make it fully multithreaded and enhance support for firewalls and other kinds of security.

Linux 2.4 is all that and more. It has better support for USB, 1394, and it's even ready for Bluetooth. PC Magazine's review has lots more information on the enhancements.

So should you rush right out and download a copy? Probably not, unless you're a Linux guru. Integrating the kernel with the file system, peripherals, and other devices requires a high level of expertise. For most of us, it makes more sense to wait for the distributions--compiled versions of the kernel with all the support files and utilities--from sources such as Red Hat, Caldera, or your hardware vendor. This two-tiered system tailors Linux to specific markets. It also adds support--and a price tag.

Whether you roll your own or go with a distribution, there's a lot to look forward to in this new version. I think it'll give Linux a real boost in the server market and enhance its position in the Internet appliance market while Windows continues to rule the vast majority of desktops.

Are you a member of the ABM market? Want to sound off on Linux? TalkBack to me.

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