Despite a recent surge in interest in Linux, it will fail to make much of an impression on the desktop, claims a Gartner analyst.
Linux will be deployed on no more than five percent of desktops over the next two to three years because of a lack of viable applications, claimed Gartner research director Phil Sargeant on Thursday evening at the Gartner Symposium and ITXpo.
“There’s quite a lack of tools in that particular space,” said Sargeant. “We are going to need to see more tools if it’s to make any inroads.” He cited StarOffice and Open Office as examples of the few good tools available.
I think what Gartner overlooks is the emergence of new users. Rather than looking at just the overall installed base, one needs to look at what the new users decide to have on their desktop. Right now, this may be Windows for almost everyone, but this is where Linux has an opportunity because most of these new users come from markets which cannot afford the high costs of software.
What is unfortunate is that there are few Linux software companies focusing on these new users and emerging markets, in order to make a serious play on the desktop.
Linux Desktop
