Computers Today, October 1-15, 1999, Master File; pg 2

All is fine, but for lesser mortals who boot their PCs everyday, the fineries of corporates and their networks just don't apply. Their minimal knowledge of the innards of computing forces them to opt for something that is direct and simple. Has Linux made any impact on the scene? Atul Chitnis agrees that desktop has been one tough nut to crack for the Tux so far. "This is primarily because multimedia applications are still lagging behind on the Linux platform," he says. "However, this is beginning to change-many popular games are either becoming available under Linux or are under active porting consideration." Bestsellers like 'Quake III' and 'Civilization: Call to Power' are already available under Linux.

If MS Office is still a luring factor to carry forward the MS flag, then Linux too is not far behind. StarOffice 5.1 (now part of Sun Microsystems) is a true MS Office competitor, with complete file-level compatibility with MS Office. AbiWord is a MS Word clone that has been cited by Microsoft as being a worthy competitor to MS Office. Sun Microsystems might be able to topple the Microsoft cart if its ambitious plans for the StarOffice portal pull through.

Says Suman Saraf: "One year ago, I would not have recommended Linux for the desktops. But now, with a lot of application packages coming on, there is no reason why the SOHO (small office home office) segment should not opt for Linux." His opinion makes sense, considering that Linux' cost factor could have the maximum advantage in this segment. As of now, almost all the popular application packages for the Linux platform is available in India, distributed by Bangalore-based GT Enterprises. R.K. Singh, chief executive of Aditi Software, which is the Delhi franchisee of GT Enterprises, claims to have sold 30 CDs of popular ones like Caldera, Red Hat and SuSE in the last two months itself. That is a good response, considering that the CDs may have changed many hands. PC Quest magazine claims to have distributed some 3,00,000 Linux CDs so far while the Chip magazine has given out some 65,000 CDs.

Why the Penguin?

As the legend goes, Linuxers decided that their dear OS needed a logo. Linus Torvalds suggested that a Penguin might be appropriate; he had admired Penguins ever since once had the nerve to attack him and bite him on a visit to Antartica, where he was helping the research station to use Linux for data collection. A logo contest was held and Larry Erwings drawing "Tux" won the contest. And from that day onwards Linux came to identified by this one naughty Penguin.

The Indian Linux community has declared independence from the All-but-Microsoft shadow. Linux is now known for what it is and not what a good alternative it is. Suman Saraf feels this is a major step towards a real appraisal of the Linux claims. He opines that small businesses can cut their information management costs to a considerable levels using the Tux factor. The equation is simple, he says "Two Ethernet cards plus an old 386 PC gives a router." What about that?

Jai Menon, program director, Java Media Products, Internet Division, IBM USA, says he would like to see some of the popular presentation and rich media applications on Linux. Sun's coming adaptations of StarOffice suite might change the scene.

It's pertinent to remember that the freetool Linux had made its commercial distributor Red Hat stocks go up, up. It shows that more commercial distributions would be encouraged to tap the existing market potential as well as inventing new markets. All by keeping the open-source spirit intact.

To carry on the present wave, Linux has to come up with some major improvisations both in the kernel side and the application side. And on a parallel field, the awareness campaign by the user groups should also operate to more downstream areas. In India, this can be done extensively by lending the Linuxpertise of ILUG and such others for schools planning to get infotech-ed. If old 386 PCs can work in IIT labs without any reboot for more than one year, as many Linuxians had pointed out, then the same recipe should be applicable in the less privileged areas. If that happens, Linux would be the Windows of the underdeveloped India, a move that can boost Linux, the rural segment and the IT drive in general. Reports indicate that organisations like Centre for Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, are working on development of regional language applications for Linux.

Not surprising that the Andhra Pradesh government's yearly entrance test for the admissions to engineering, medical courses and its counselling was conducted with the help of Linux as the OS and Oracle as the RDBMS. This is the clear example of application server functions. Similarly, there is Hughes Software Systems, New Delhi, which has over 500 desktops running on Linux.

Another area, which has yet to catch up with the growth curve of Linux in India is the training segment. NIIT has started imparting Linux training as part of their career courses. Other private training institutes like Brainware and STG are also offering training on the OS. In most cases, Linux is simply replacing SCO Unix from their curriculum. In-depth, heavy-duty courses are not yet prevalent, definitely not any of the certification courses. Much of what is being taught as Linux is basic (from our point of view that is). Kernel and programing are basically heavy-duty subjects, which can't be taught as a general level course.

Jai Menon feels Linux has got a great future. "To date, Linux's principal impact with commercial enterprises has been on the server side, where Unix skills are fairly prevalent. If Linux continues to mature at the current rapid rate, it may have a similar impact in the consumer market eventually as well, but to do that it will need time and effort to become more user-friendly to non-Unix users."

Menon adds: "Linux continues to grow impressively and we don't see any reason why growth won't continue. For instance, Linux experienced record growth in 1998, leaping to a 17.2 percent market share-more than double of its marketshare in 1997. Menon concludes: "We are seeing this story unroll right in front our eyes."

And if that happens, Linux would be living up to the tradition of Finland's folklore epic Kalevala. Not just open-source, but written and compiled after centuries of oral tradition, involving thousands-heroes, villians and the lesser mortals:

That is where the way goes now
where a new track leads
for more versatile singers
more abundant bards
among the youngsters rising
among the people growing.
Kalevala 50:611-620

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