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What Will Linux Be Capable Of, 3 Years Down the Road?

Posted by timothy on from the synthesizing-new-species-on-other-planets dept.

An anonymous reader writes "In a prediction of the open-source future, InfoWeek speculates on What Linux Will Look Like In 2012. The most outlandish scenario foresees Linux forsaking its free usage model to embrace more paid distros where you get free Linux along with (much-needed) licenses to use patent-restricted codecs. Also predicted is an advance for the desktop based on — surprise — good acceptance for KDE 4. Finally, Linux is seen as making its biggest imprint not on the PC, but on mobile devices, eventually powering 40 million smartphones and netbooks. Do you agree? And what do you see for Linux in 4 years?"

8 of 679 comments (clear)

  1. Think Antarctica by Facetious · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll go out on a limb here and guess that Linux will still look like a penguin.

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    Let us not become the evil that we deplore.
    1. Re:Think Antarctica by jgarra23 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Four years from now will be the year of Linux on the desktop!!

    2. Re:Think Antarctica by mrsteveman1 · · Score: 5, Funny

      That was my fourth thought, the first 3 correspond to the 3 years in between now and then.

  2. Linux on the desktop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    1998 Nope

    2000 Nope

    2002 Nope

    2004 Nope

    2006 Nope

    2008 Nope

    2011 YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

  3. Outlandish? by PCM2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait ... are you saying that the Linux kernel will remain free in the future, but that people will pay for extras on top of that, including commercial software in some cases? That is just ... insane! What barking madman would even conceive of such a concept?

    Incidentally, how do you go from what that article actually says:

    Expect to see a three-way split among different versions of Linux. Not different distributions per se, but three basic usage models: ... For-pay ... Free to use ... Free/libre

    ...to "Linux forsaking its free usage model"? What are you, running for Congress?

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    Breakfast served all day!
  4. Finally, I understand... by Cocoa+Radix · · Score: 5, Funny

    So THIS is what the Mayans have been predicting. Linux calls forth Armageddon in 2012. Wonderful.

  5. What it will look like to me in 3 years.. by mule007 · · Score: 5, Funny

    root@localhost:~#

  6. Re:maybe it'll be like ms word? by actionbastard · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tux has detected that you would like to write a letter. Would you like to use vi or emacs?

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    Sig this!