Could Linux be a big threat to Microsoft?

As far as a linux based OS yes it will be a real threat.Look at the chrome OS.There is money behind that.As far as ubuntu,mint or any of those no they aren't a threat and I see no reason to think they will be a threat in the future.It's not like they are new,they have been around a long time and are free.Even being free hardly anyone uses them.For good reason nothing really works that great.Even simple things a user can do on windows can be a pain.There are always linux fan boys out there but they fail to see the truth.If it was even close to be as good as windows,everyone would be using it.But it's free and still less that 2% of computers users use it.

It already is. Why do you think Windows 8.1 is free?

They have also made huge changes to their licensing model.

There's no doubt that Chrome OS is threatening to them, and eventually Steam OS from Valve.

The Chinese and Russian government are using Linux.

And this new Firefox OS for cheap cellphones is eventually going to win the market in poor countries.

So the fact that all these linux computer and gadgets are starting to pop up everywhere is eventually going to hurt Microsoft big time.

The thing about Microsoft is that they don't take risks anymore.

They follow the others and are usually too late to the party.

Unless you work in a big business, play a lot of games or just can't get used to new things, chances are that Windows is not in your house.

Not Ubuntu either for that matter.

But with tablets and cellphones, most people really don't need a Windows pc.

Even more and more schools are starting to use linux now.

It has a lot to do with the economy. Why pay for something when you can get the exact same thing for free?

All Linux really need is that one big software company (such as adobe or sony), which obviously is going to happen sooner or later when they see how much money they are losing by not.

I've had to abandon several Windows installs because the key would not allow any more activations. Go figure.

I've used Windows since 1990, and LInux since about 2004 or so. And today I refuse to use Microsoft products or Windows.

Is Linux a threat to Microsoft? Eventually, but Microsoft is everywhere, and it takes time for the masses to replace Windows with Linux. I don't see that happening for several years to come. But Microsoft's days of dominance are coming to an end.

Microsoft is the biggest threat to Microsoft. They build an empire on the open and consistent platform. The mobile sector they are moving into will fragment compatibility, and they are creating a closed platform in the mobile space.

@AJ " the only reason Linux doesn't have viruses and spyware is that it is not worth it because no one really uses it. "

The real reason is that Linux has the flexibility to change ABI's and API's where appropriate and neccessary, and a package management system that can update everything in the core system and most applications. Additional the repository provides a huge number of useful and free applications so that people don't go out and gamble running random programs they stumble across on the net. Stronger ALSR, stack smashing protection, no-exec, PIE, and a greater variety of permissions systems and access controls that are available.

No. Windows is a Consumer OS. Linux is a cheap knock-off of a Technical OS on which modern Computer Science evolved. As the old joke goes, the Optimist says the glass is half full, the Pessimist half empty and the Engineer it is insufficient for the present task. Yes it is customizable, infinitely so, but computers are evolving and the terms of the debate are changing in way most of us are not aware of -- of course the big companies want consumer machines but for more of us than they realize those aren't even useful. And the security holes being opened up by things like UEFI boot are criminally absurd. Micro$oft is and remains a threat to itself. Linux is just a free and open source OS.

@AJ: no one uses it. i beg to differ, goverments, organizations, heck even google use it and why? because it is more secure. no one runs as administrator so any damage a virus can do can only damage a local account. google actually has rules about windows and not linux or osx simply because windows is a security nightmare. but i dont think linux doesnt want to be a threat to microsoft even if its often seen as one for the simple fact that linux was designed by users for users. http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm best article ive read about the difference. then dont want to take over the world, they just want an os that they can use. android is linux based and look at what thats doing to the world. even valve realizes that linux is a viable threat to microsoft.

now as to the question yes it can be and i think it already is. microsoft is losing customers and millions in profits because organizations are realizing that they dont have to pay for crap. windows is for the people who like their lego cars prebuilt for them. linux is being given the parts and instructions and you can build it how ever you want. osx is having the car preassembled and glued together.

Possibly, but a lot of Linux distros require a fair bit of knowledge & alot of people can't be bothered to learn it so that's why Windows is still so popular because it's relatively simple & that's also why there are no viruses because no one really uses it , anyways I like the tight knit linux communites.

the only reason Linux doesn't have viruses and spyware is that it is not worth it because no one really uses it.

And your rant on Windows is pathetic and inaccurate. And your statement that when you re install Windows that you need another key is a flat out lie. And if you would spend some money on proper AV and malware applications maybe your computer wouldn't get infected? and if it did, it would be your fault, not the OS.

You sound like someone who thinks everything should be free. They have a term for someone who thinks that way, a Communist.

Eventually.

Microsoft sure seems to think so http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/02/ballmer_li...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsdv4AJdzdU