Linux will inspire us to greater things – Microsoft
Linux will inspire us to greater things – Microsoft
The growing popularity of Linux on the desktop is not so much a threat to Microsoft, but more of an inspiration to create better products.
So said Microsoft engineer Bradley Tipp, in an address to the Linux User & Developer Expo in London.
Tipp's comments echoed those of Matt Asay, of Linux advocate Novell, who earlier in the week told the same audience that the increasing prominence of Linux could be the catalyst for innovation from Microsoft, which he said had little incentive to improve its software markedly in recent years, owing to the lack of any competition in the market.
"As things stand, creativity has gone, and that's one reason that Linux on the desktop makes sense. It'll be good for Microsoft too. They won't like it, but it will force them to innovate," said Asay.
Tipp's comments suggest that Microsoft is up for the fight ahead, or at least this is the message it wants to demonstrate.
"The thing I like is that Microsoft does its best work and is most innovative when it has competition, so bring it on."
Open source software on the desktop, like it has done in the server environment, is expected to generate real competition in the market in the next year or two, and present a significant challenge to Microsoft's dominance in the desktop software arena. Watch this space.
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