5 Reasons Why Linux is Recession Proof

[Ken Hess]

What's more stable than a rock, faster than a spinning disk, more powerful than a Windows system twice its size, and able to leap platforms like no other operating system? Surprise! It's Linux.

It's also recession proof.

Can that be true? Yes, and here are the 5 reasons why:

1. Not Corporate Bound - Linux is developed worldwide by volunteers. It isn't owned by a single company. No one person or entity really owns Linux, the operating system.

2. Free - Several companies create their own distributions and market them commercially but the underlying system is still, and will always be, free.

3. Multi-Platform - Linux is now the only multi-platform operating system. It runs on mobile devices, x86 systems, mainframes, NSK (Non Stop Kernel), Macs, Sparc, and maybe others. You won't need to purchase new hardware on which to run it since it will, most likely, install on whatever you have.

4. Frugal - Linux is a frugal operating system in that you can install it onto very small devices (routers, bootable CD ROMs, wristwatches) and it doesn't require the latest hardware nor does it require a new generation of hardware on which to run. You can run it comfortably on your current hardware--no need for an upgrade each time a new version is released.

5. Vendor Neutrality - You aren't locked-in to a particular vendor, distribution, or support scheme. There isn't just one Linux so in effect, you could run one type of Linux for File/Print services, another for web services, and still others for mail, virtualization, and database. You'll never have to worry about Linux going out of business nor will it ever have layoffs to ruin your support model.

Linux is truly recession proof. Recession proof your business by taking a good look at Linux. It has everything you need for data center services, small and medium business needs, and even makes a fine desktop operating system that won't add more pain to your life with viruses, crashes, and incessant reboots.

Write back and let me know how you'll recession proof your business with Linux.

[jbennet]

Linux is now the only multi-platform operating system

wtf?

NetBSD supports far more

and windows NT has in the past run on many many platforms (alpha, itanium, powerpc whatever)

[khess]

As you say, "in the past."

NetBSD isn't really in the running for any corporate services. I'm speaking strictly of the viable OSs: OS X, Windows, Linux, Solaris, AIX, and HP-UX.

[jbennet]

ms ran hotmail off of FreeBSD before switching to Server 2008 beta to show how good it was

and there isnt much to prevent windows being ported to other platforms.

[khess]

What other platforms would you port it to?

[jbennet]

well, any

server 2008 (so basically vista) exists for itanium.

Windows NT was designed to be fairly portable (in fact it was originally designed on non-x86 architechture pcs way back)

According to MSDN its only a comparitively small part of the system which is not very portable.

[peter_budo]

It is all nice what was said about Linux top reasons why to use it. What about 5-7 issues/needs is having and facing?

For example driver support is not so great, I had issue to get hold of drivers fro Intel wireless card, then after moving from one version to other I had to go through same process of setting up the wireless. This also go for graphic card vendors, yes drivers are easy to find, but the settings are no so easily done. No everybody love to mess with console.
Last issue, Linux is still not considered serious entertainment solution. Game industry never release their product in same time for Windows and Linux edition. Linux is always months behind

[jbennet]

"This also go for graphic card vendors, yes drivers are easy to find, but the settings are no so easily done. No everybody love to mess with console."

Yeah but that situation cant change. The stupid GPL doesnt allow shipping binary drivers with it.

[ndimundoh]

@jbennet :

"Yeah but that situation cant change. The stupid GPL doesnt allow shipping binary drivers with it. "

Let's talk market:

1. INTEL (no. 1 in graphic card-market)
Very good driver situation (open source)
2. Nvidia
Very good driver situation (closed source) . They are shipping binary drivers only. The statement "no binary driver under Linux" is DEFINITELY wrong.
3. ATI
Medium good situation. The've published the spec's of their cards and are assisting in developing a driver-set for ALL the common cards. Situation is definitely improving.


@peter_budo:

There are definitely some driver problems concerning Linux. But the problem is not the "the Linux project" itself, it's the hardware producers. The same goes for the "game producers" .
And all depends on one thing: the amount of people using Linux. The higher the market share, the more those "problems" will be solved.

I'm interpreting KEN's article as a statement concerning the the impact of a recession on the Linux-developement. And I think he's having a point there.

[Rashakil Fol]

The merits of various operating systems has nothing to do with whether we're in a recession or not. What an entry of nonsense.