Desktop platforms Toolkit

Story: Why Vista may be delayed until Easter

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Although it is unlikely that Windows will be challenged as the de-facto desktop, Microsoft is going to find that the open-source offerings (Red Hat and SuSE are still perceived as in the open-source camp) will begin to make some small in-roads into that sector.

At the back-end, the rot has already begun. SuSE and Red Hat are taking market share and as techies are prepared to look more open-mindedly at Linux, we will see a gradual change in the enterprise server rooms.

At the Web back end, not much will change. Windows has never been popular as a web server outside of the intranet. It is barely discernable as a web server on the Internet.

Messaging is 'seeing' new Linux hosted servers coming along, that offer the same collaboration technologies as Exchange, without the high licensing overheads.

Serious database installations will continue to be hosted on UNIX. Microsoft's SQL appeals to the less demanding requirements and where there is a WinTel comfort zone environment.

While I agree with most of the previous writer's arguements/comments, I think that Vista will be very popular on the enterprise and home desktops. It wil be the natural upgrade to XP Pro.

Microsoft still has a long future as the number one software company. But, the times they are a-changing.

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