The Linux promotion group’s desktop initiative reported that technical achievements in drivers, printing, graphics, wireless, sound and media, and BIOS compatibility, among other things, leave Linux poised for desktop growth this year.
While some analysts reported a slowing of Linux penetration on the desktop in 2006, a number of significant milestones were reached that promise to continue to move the Linux desktop ahead in 2007, the report stated.
As well as functional breakthroughs, the report also noted the importance of new desktop applications such as the Firefox browser, Beagle search tool and Lotus Notes, as well as standards efforts such as the Portland common interfaces project and OpenDocument Format.
The review also reported significant activity by the key desktop Linux distributors that leaves the market poised for growth. Novell, Mandriva, Xandros and Ubuntu all released new versions last year, while Linspire delivered its Freespire project, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop is due for a refresh next month.
While driver and application improvements were seen in 2006, the Desktop Linux Working Group also published the results of its 2006 survey, which indicates there is more work to be done.
The survey, conducted in November, received over 2,500 responses and indicated that the top barrier to adoption remains application availability, which was cited as a major obstacle by 56% of respondents. Peripheral support also scored highly with 49% citing it as a major obstacle.
It is not that applications don’t exist for the Linux desktop, but users grow accustomed to certain applications that they just can’t live without, the reported noted, citing Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop and CAD/CAM applications as the most requested.
While the number and quality of peripherals for desktop Linux was seen to have improved, devices for which support is required to meet business needs included printers, personal storage devices, scanners, and cameras.
Of the 2,500 respondents, 53% had already deployed Linux on the desktop, 11% were planning a pilot, 11% planned a limited roll-out and 9% were already in the pilot stage. However, 17% were not planning to deploy Linux on the desktop, and 10% had put deployment on hold until required capabilities were delivered.
Ubuntu was the most used desktop Linux, with 49%, followed by Novell’s openSUSE/SUSE Linux professional with 24% and Red Hat’s Fedora with 23%. Red Hat and Novell’s commercial desktop Linux offerings, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, both scored 16%.
The OSDL last week agreed to merge with the Free Standards Group to form The Linux Foundation and will continue to operate the Desktop Linux working group alongside the Data Center Linux, and Carrier Grade Linux, workgroups, as well as the Mobile Linux Initiative as well as the FSG’s internationalization and accessibility projects.
