Will Linux replace Microsoft Windows?

I have been working with computers since the mid 1980’s, initially using an Apple Macintosh and then switching to Microsoft Windows based machines around 1991.

The first version of Windows I ever used was version 2.x (can’t remember the exact number), which I seem to remember did nothing special. However, with the introduction of Windows 3.0, things began to improve dramatically, with Windows providing an environment in which you could run applications ‘in the comfort’.

Since then, like I think half the world, I have used various versions of Windows and am currently using XP. I have to say that, in general, I am quite a fan of Windows. I’ve always found it fairly easy to use, and it’s always (well, almost always) allowed me to get my job done without too many hiccups.

However, a couple of years ago, I bought a book on Linux that included a CD for Fedora Core 1.0. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I installed the software, but what I got really impressed me. The user interface was nice and clean and once you got used to it, it was pretty easy to use. Granted, it wasn’t as polished as Windows, but considering it was free, it was pretty cool!

I couldn’t get my printer to work, but I know that many hardware manufacturers only offer driver software for Windows, so unless someone has written a Linux driver specific to your hardware, it won’t work. I think even then, some hardware just won’t work with Linux. That’s not a big deal though, as there are plenty of printers and such that work with Linux, so it’s just a matter of checking that a piece of hardware is compatible before you buy it.

However, what really surprised me was how incredibly fast the internet access was. Opening web pages in Mozilla on Linux happened in a flash, as fast as if the page was on my hard drive! I have fast broadband access, but still sometimes I have to wait while IE7 opens a page in Windows. Not enough to be a problem, but there is a slight delay. With Mozilla/Linux though it’s instant.

So this brings me to my question: Will Linux push Windows out of the framework? After all, the fact that it’s free has to be a huge selling point (not that it has to be sold, of course). I understand that in developing markets (China, India, etc.), Linux is very popular. These are massive markets, which will undoubtedly influence the IT industry in many ways. The more people use something, the more popular it becomes, which causes even more people to use it – the snowball effect.

I guess the question is, if I had a blank machine with nothing on it, would I install Linux or would I play it safe and install Windows? If it was a machine that only I was going to use, yes, I think I would switch to Linux. However, if it was a machine my wife and kids were going to use, I’d probably stick with Windows. After all, my wife just wants the easiest solution available, and that’s Windows.

I think the lack of hardware support is still the big sticking point for mass adoption of Linux. However, if this changes, I think a few years from now we could see Linux become more mainstream when it comes to home and business use.