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If Google’s new browser isn’t even available on Linux, why is this great news for Linux?

By Jim Zemlin | Tue, Sept. 2 - 7:44 PM

From Jim Zemlin »

First let me state the obvious. If Google’s new browser is successful then the desktop operating system just became a lot less important. This is great news for Linux.

That begs the question: If Google’s new browser isn’t even available on Linux, why is this great news for Linux? Because in a world where most people access their applications through a browser it makes little sense to have PC’s that are loaded with a heavy and bloated operating system. In particular in makes a LOT less sense for people to PAY for a heavy and bloated operating system. Count on seeing a Linux version of the Google browser very soon.

Michael Arrington over at Techcrunch said it best.

“When combined with Gears, which allows for offline access (see what MySpace did with Gears to understand how powerful it is), Chrome is nothing less than a full ...

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This is the Year of the Linux Desktop Breakout

By Jim Zemlin | Wed, Aug. 27 - 3:13 AM

From Jim Zemlin »

Declaring victory for the Linux desktop at the end of the day will based upon looking at market penetration of Linux based clients vs. Windows and other operating systems. I believe this is still the best measure but we may finally be able to declare this year the breakout of the Linux desktop.

When looking at operating system software adoption it is important to look at trends and not a single break through event that will signal that “we have made it.” It is kind of like economic forecasting – you look at a lot of leading indicators to decide whether we are heading towards an expansion or a recession; inflation, interest rates, productivity, employment rates, etc. It is worth applying this logic when looking at the Linux desktop. Based on just a cursory glance of news this week it is clear that all leading indicators suggest a significant expansion on ...

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Posted under: apple , asus , dell , desktop , hp , ibm , lenovo , limo , linux , microsoft , mobile , nokia , ubuntu , zemlin | Comments »

iPhone – the Device I love to hate

By Jim Zemlin | Tue, Aug. 26 - 11:09 AM

From Jim Zemlin »

When Apple launched the 3G iPhone, I must confess, I went out and purchased one. I need a smart phone for work, I need one that works both in the United States and Japan, and the consumer electronic design from Apple floored me. The screen is exquisite. The video playback is outstanding. The mobile web experience is second to none. I realize I am in a walled garden, but what a pretty walled garden it is.

Now, you needn’t remind me that I purchased my iPhone as a personal accoutrement. But as a business person, I use it for more than just personal calls and entertainment. In fact, I’ve come to rely on its excellent web access and very usable email capabilities As a business person, however, I guess I defy the expectations of product marketing managers at Apple: I have over 2,000 contacts in my phonebook ...

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Posted under: apple , desktop , limo , linux , mobile , symbian , zemlin | Comments »

Why does Apple Always Seem to Get a Break???

By Jim Zemlin | Sun, Aug. 24 - 11:43 PM

From Jim Zemlin »

Walking around Linuxworld this year it was interesting to see the number of Apple notebooks in the halls and various sessions. It wasn’t necessarily that there were more Apple notebooks than Linux machines, but it was a good number and begs the question: why do open source people seem to cut Apple some slack when it comes to their very closed proprietary platform?

The question can be answered by thinking of operating systems like prison. For decades, operating systems have been trying to lock users into their platforms. Think of it like an operating system prison. But what if operating systems really were prisons? What kind of prisons might each of them be? Let’s look at each one:

Apple. This prison has the highest security of them all. It is a singular prison with extraordinarily high walls that govern almost every aspect of what you do. They decide ...

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Nokia Launches a Full Scale War for the Mobile OS

By Jim Zemlin | Tue, June 24 - 11:12 PM

From Jim Zemlin »

It has been years since we have seen a full scale operating system war. Today’s announcement by Nokia that they will be open sourcing Symbian and making it available royalty free is the opening of yet another front in the blossoming mobile OS conflagration.

Mobile computing is a complex market with intricate relationships between the mobile carriers, device manufacturers, regulators, and their various suppliers. The best way to think about this is to see its similarity to the early days of the personal computer. In fact, mobile devices are getting to look a lot more like personal computers every day as Moore’s law continues to drive down the size and price of mobile device components while increasing their power. Most of today’s low end smart phones are far more powerful than a laptop from even just a few years ago. Think about a device that is priced ...

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