Linux operating systems, an alternative to the market-dominating Microsoft Windows, is expected to enjoy huge growth in the next few years, as governments and corporations gradually adopt the open-source platform to save costs and improve efficiency, an IBM Corp official said.
"Linux's stability and reliability make it a fast growing operating system with strong market traction in recent years," Shintaro Nezuka, IBM's director of Linux sales and marketing division, told a press conference yesterday.
Linux, which can be copied and modified for free, is generally held to be almost indestructible and by far the most reliable core for the world's computer systems.
Expecting great potential in open-source software development, IBM pumped in US$1 billion in developing the Linux platform in 2001 and built up over 4,000 applications to provide end-to-end solutions for customers, Nezuka said.
The company's investment in Linux-based applications has paid off, as it has become a popular operation system among enterprises, Nezuka said.
During the first three quarters of the year, shipments of Linux-based servers increased by 51.4 percent from the same period last year, Nezuka said, citing a report from research firm IDC. Worldwide shipments of Linux servers are expected to exceed 2.1 million units, worth up to US$6.5 billion, IDC said.
The Linux system is also popular among governments. Germany, for example, contracted IBM to offer Linux-based computer systems in government departments last year to enhance computer security and lower dependence on Microsoft, whose Windows platform is considered unstable and is frequently being attacked by computer hackers.
The Linux trend has also extended to Asian countries. In September, the governments of Japan, Korea and China decided to co-develop Linux, including versions that handle Asian languages better, to replace the lock-in Windows platform for large-scale use.
Last month, IT groups from the three countries met in Osaka, Japan and set the agenda for the three-way collaboration.
China, one of the world's fastest-growing technology markets, gave the system a further boost after its government announced last month that it will build a domestic software industry around Linux.
"I believe Taiwan is doing the same thing," Nezuka said. "No one government or enterprise wants to risk depending on one single system."
Indeed, Taiwan launched a government-sponsored Web site -- www.oss.org.tw -- in early October to promote open-source software development including Linux, as the government aims to increase its NT$120 million software industry 100-fold within five years.
Nezuka painted a bright future for Linux, saying the system would soon be applied to desktop computers for personal use, after the system can be completely compatible with popular programs such as Word and Excel.
However, Nezuka said Linux is not defect-free, as it may also be a target of crackers if the system dominates the market like Windows now.
Pamela Chang (張培虆), a public relations official at Microsoft, said the company respects decisions made by governments and corporations, but disputed Linux can help them to save money than Windows.
“Linux is widely regarded as 'free' because there is no or little cost associated with software acquisition, but the system is not any cheaper than Windows when adding all IT costs,” Chang said.
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