11 May, 2014

Linux goes mainstream on Desktop

Linux goes mainstream on Desktop!

Well, this is a statement I read almost every year on Internet. But I never really think it is going to be the case (even I'm paid to work on it). Yet my thoughts changed recently. Not because the state of Linux is getting significantly better than its rivals. Rather it is caused by the dynamics happens on the industry.

Think about what had happened over last few years. The web is advanced so much. More and more device comes to the market with great success. People is now reading books, surfing, listening music, chat, watching movie on tablet / iPad / or even with just a smartphone. In their home, new TV have a OS there which you can do a lot of thing. Anticipating the advance on web based platform, IoT and wearable computing, I imagine in near future, general users don't need a PC anymore.

When general users don't need a PC, who needed it? What kind of users still need a PC? Users who need powerful computing like developers, video editing, scientists will be the key user of PC. In this situation, which platform is most suited the needs? I think it is OSX and Linux, obvious Linux will be choice for developers, IT specialists, scientists.

No one know what the future will looks like, this is just my wild guess. Let's put this article aside, come back and revisit after 5 years!