Desktop Linux: is it really dead?

Few weeks ago a well titled opinion from Robert Strohmeyer became an instant click magnet. That was rather a obituary by the grave of GNU/Linux desktop in my eyes. By having a look on the same industry trends, I concluded a completely opposite future for “regular user facing”(1) operating systems. In the last few years with the advent of

Cloud computing

and the increased dominance of portable devices, one thing became less and less important for the average user: operating systems. People are managing their emails via cloud based free services (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail etc…), consuming content online, via a web browser that includes hypertext and rich media content, keeping in touch with the help of social applications. Documents that are created locally are no longer bound to a single office application thanks to open standards.

Our digital life spread across various gadgets, computers, tablets and mobile devices. They all work together seamlessly with the glue of cloud based services. Is there any roadblock to use those devices and moving content between them? Are there any major disadvantage to browse the internet on a tablet, PC or an iPhone? While there are slight differences between those equipments, the average user happily using all of them. The operating system that operates the devices are not important. In the content industry the old rule says: content is king. In the new era of computing there is an other one to bear in mind:

Usability is king

The meaning of usability changed over the last years as well. It is mix of ease of use of a device/software and the available services that are building the ecosystem around the hardware and software. Witnessing the struggle of Nokia to keep the crown as a number one player of the mobile devices is a prime example. Their devices from a technical point of view really not different what the competition is offering. The biggest difference is the underpinning ecosystem. Apple and other manufacturers of Android based devices are offering a much better overall user experience if we factor in the services as well.

The extended meaning of usability applies for the more regular segments as well. If I look on, how the focus was changed by Mark Shuttleworth of Ubuntu few years ago to provide a superior user experience, there is no question that the strategy works. Thanks to Ubuntu the perception of GNU/Linux operating systems transformed from a geeky toy, to an alternative free operating system for everyone with simplicity in mind.

Of course Microsoft tries to maintain it’s position on the desktop operating system arena by pouring profit out of window, their efforts are not successful. The pace of adoption alternative OS-es are relatively slow compare to the entire market, but that just the very beginning of an exponentially increasing curve. Microsoft failed to deliver promises with Vista and Windows 7 as well, they have lost the trendsetter status, they are not having an image of innovative company anymore. The reasons behind that are not only technical, but also management related as well. I think Steve Ballmer lacks the vision that Bill Gates once had. The new contenders Steve Jobs and Mark Shuttlewoth are doing much better work to have a vision, strategy and execution.

The game just begins

I consider that the past decade of GNU/Linux systems were the years of laying the technical groundwork for a superior user experience. Today if anybody (apart of hardcore gamers) is changing from Windows to other operating system, they are in a one way street to never change back. Apple and GNU/Linux systems are competing and it’s interesting to see how the competition sparks innovation and revolution. Microsoft is a survival mode already, with ever shrinking dominance. The pace of the the advancement of Apple and GNU/Linux are a good base for a debate, but the direction can not be argued.

Desktop Linux: is the dream really dead? Considering everything, the answer for this question is a clear NO.

(1) regular user facing operating systems includes now desktops, netbooks, tablets and even high-end smart phones