Linux Starts to Find Home on Desktops

WSJdpatton writes "The much-hyped notion that Linux would be a viable alternative to Windows to run desktop and notebook PCs for corporate users seemed dead on arrival a few years ago. But the idea is showing some new vital signs as companies look for cheaper alternatives to Microsoft products. The Wall Street Journal outlines several firms that are reaping savings and stability on their workplace desktops by rolling out Linux distributions. 'Auto maker PSA Peugeot Citroën last month said it will start using Linux on 20,000 of its workers' PCs. Novell Inc., which sells a version of Linux and is supplying it to Peugeot, says it has recently signed up several large U.S. financial institutions that are installing Linux on some employee PCs. Sales of Linux PCs are showing a really nice uptick at Novell, says Ronald Hovsepian, chief executive of Novell.' Not everyone is a convert, though. 'The State of Illinois recently consolidated its IT systems onto Microsoft software -- and has no interest in using Linux, says Paul Campbell, director of the state's Central Management Services department. "We don't have time for science projects in state government," he says.'"

Comments

Don't have time

[Raistlin77]

'The State of Illinois recently consolidated its IT systems onto Microsoft software -- and has no interest in using Linux, says Paul Campbell, director of the state's Central Management Services department. "We don't have time for science projects in state government," he says.'

Apparently, they don't have time for security either...

Re:Don't have time

[Anonymous Coward]

Or stability.

Re:Don't have time

[SnowZero]

I heard that dead people prefer genuine Microsoft Windows(tm) to Linux by almost 4:1.

Re:Don't have time

[Raistlin77]

Linux isn't a magical fairy security and stability wand. It's a also a massive paradigm shift in formats and IT training.

Windows isn't a magical fairy security and stability wand. [Securing] Windows is also a massive paradigm shift in... IT training.

Re:Don't have time

[jazman_777]

More evidence that WGA is not for the customer, because in many cases in Illinois, the customer is dead.

Re:Don't have time

[curecollector]

...and if they can vote in elections, they can certainly vote with their wallets!

Re:Don't have time

[TrailerTrash]

Here in Illinois, we take the rights of Deceased Americans (formerly known as dead people) very seriously, including the right to vote. Many issues, such as elections of aldermen, are critically dependent on the outspoken support of Deceased Americans.

The number of Deceased Americans is expected to grow to unimaginable proportions as time goes on, and so protecting their rights is important to do now.

This is not to confused with Reanimated Americans (formerly known as zombies), who tend to be vocal almost exclusively on health care issues (notably, brains).

Re:Don't have time

[Anonymous Coward]

How can you be a registered user for 5 years and not know how anonymous posting works?

So that explains it.

[Anonymous Coward]

""We don't have time for science projects in state government,""

That's why they never bothered to find out how so many dead people were able to vote in Chicago elections.

Re:The Illini Case Study (or Lack Thereof)

[Anonymous Coward]

You know, where I work, if you make a statement like "would save our company $10 million" you kind of need to make a business case.

You don't work for the government, do you?

Science Projects?

[andy314159pi]

"We don't have time for science projects in state government,"

They are too busy streamlining service at the DMV to install Linux.

Windows can be as secure as Linux

[wiredog]

Not by default, and not as easily, but just as secure.

Re:Windows can be as secure as Linux

[Anonymous Coward]

Cutting the network cable doesn't count!

Re:It's true

[LaughingCoder]

I can play WoW with it, listen to my mp3s with it, surf the web with it, watch YouTube with it...the only two things I'm not doing with Linux yet are watching DVDs

Sounds like Ubuntu is all ready for use by state government employees then, except for that pesky DVD problem.

Misquote

[NotFamous]

It was acutally "We don't have time for science in state government"

Re:The Illini Case Study (or Lack Thereof)

[Locklin]

1: buy MS software
2: decide to do a "case study" on "total cost of ownership"
3: recieve massive discounts from MS.
4: publish the difference between 1 and 3

everybody wins!

seems fair

[teh_chrizzle]

seeing as how science projects rarely make time for state governments.

perhaps the linux community needs to reach out. you know what might do the trick is yet another repackaged ubuntu distro that caters to some cultural minority. maybe you can call it illinibuntu or just dabuntu.