A July survey by international Web research company International Data Corporation found that Linux's initial impact would be with business users of servers, rather than the home PC user market, with Linux growth mirroring Microsoft's NT.
However, despite Linux's market potential in the server OS market, it is still far behind Microsoft in terms of the number and quality of compatible applications available, Kuo said.
"Linux's weakness lies in the fact that there aren't so many major desktop applications right now which have the power of Microsoft Office. Sun has launched it's free Linux-compatible Star Office software, but it still leaves much to be desired," Kuo said.
Problems not withstanding, Clement Lin (
"Students or MIS people all know it and are very interested. Linux was started by hackers and our magazine provides information for hackers and we have a regular section on Linux news," Lin said.
Linux' strength lies in its hacker origins, Kuo said.
"Hackers and other freelance programmers created the core source at the Linux OS's heart ... which just goes to show -- apart from the negative side, hackers can program."
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