Slashdot Mirror


Harvard Concludes Linux Will Remain Second Best

watzinaneihm writes "A Harvard Study which uses formal economic modelling to determine "Will OSS ever displace traditional software from its market leadership position?" came to a (not so?) surprising result. Linux is likely to remain second best as long as Microsoft has a first mover advantage."

7 of 460 comments (clear)

  1. By the same logic by MarkusQ · · Score: 1, Funny

    By the same logic, you could argue that cars will never replace trains, MP3s will never displace CDs, and so forth.

    Bottled water? Not a chance! Creeks and brooks not only come pre-installed in most landscapes but they also have an insurmountable first mover advantage, greater mind share, and a more "intuitive" user interface. Sure, a few special-needs groups will drink out of canteens that they fill themselves, but it will never catch on with the general public.

    And don't even get me started on the whole "forks and spoons" fad.

    --MarkusQ

  2. Pff, Harvard? by kbox · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'll wait to see what Yale thinks, Thank you very much...

  3. Wait... Linux second best? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Are you implying Windows is best in something? Now what might that be? Best malware platform?

  4. Re:Second Best Where? by rolfwind · · Score: 4, Funny

    Maybe it's the "You get what you pay for" meme instead.

    Afterall, as a Windows user, you pay for and recieve the finest viruses, trojans, and spyware in the world!

    The linux world doesn't get this but Steve Ballmer does, as he screamed out about Developers! Developers! Developers! That's a man that doesn't ignore the people who scratch his back!

    Linux, OTOH, not only ignores virus writers, script-kiddies, and malware developers, but by default they are also turning their back to Anti-Virus, and anti-malware (incidentally often 1 and the same with malware) developers.

    In contrast, Microsoft even has an in-house team supporting script kiddies with programs such as Visual Basic and releasing multiple deployment environments for such programs such as Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and Microsoft Office so that everyone can easily enjoy their work.

    I see no such combined effort on the Linux front.

    I'm sorry, but until the time comes when I hear about a major virus outbreak on Linux, I cannot take them so called Operating System seriously.

  5. Havard concludes there's more money at MSFT by HangingChad · · Score: 4, Funny

    What Harvard really concluded was there was a better chance of getting an endowment and new Comp Sci building from MSFT than the open source community.

    --
    That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
  6. Re:OSX by sm62704 · · Score: 1, Funny

    That's a feature, not a bug!

    --
    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
  7. Harvard's Credibility is in Question by srobert · · Score: 3, Funny

    Harvard? Is this the university that bestowed an MBA on George W. Bush?
    How can we expect cogent analysis from a diploma mill like that?