Why Linux Doesn't Spread - the Curse of Being Free

Vlad Dolezal tips us to a philosophical take on why Linux hasn't grown to challenge Windows as the most popular operating system. According to the author, the reason is simple; Linux is free, and humans tend not to equate free things with being valuable. "Here's what Compy McNewb sees. He can get both OS's for free. But one of them is worth over three hundred dollars, while the other one is worth nothing. 'That's not true!' I hear you scream. 'Linux is worth a lot! It's just being offered for free!' I know it's not true that Linux is worth less than Windows. It's far more valuable to the end user in terms of getting things done. But that's not what Average Joe Computer Newbie sees. He sees a free product versus a three-hundred-dollar product he can get free. It's all about the perception!"

Comments

Re:It's the applications, stupid!

[TheMeuge]

I don't know about quickbooks, but I have never had any trouble using Gimpshop and OpenOffice in lieu of MS or Adobe offerings... and neither has anyone else I've exposed to it.

Why: Software

[Ralph Spoilsport]

I've said it before and I will say it again:

Linux is going nowhere because of the lack of quality software.

Open Office != or > MSOffice

GIMP != or > Photoshop

There's nothing on Linux for quality page layout, CMYK etc, video editing is a fright, and the music software is years behind stuff on windows or mac.

Sure: running a server on Linux is fine, but that is a tiny tiny percentage of what computers do, and Linux software simply isn't there. Yet.

Until then, it's going to be a minority OS.

RS