Linux application prospect

Linux will not replace Windows as the mainstream desktop operating environment, but it is likely to dominate the world in the field of information access devices. Why can't Linux replace Windows? The main reason is that most end users cannot choose the operating system. Research shows that when purchasing software, users should first consider their own computing needs, and then the computer running these software. At present, most of the software is developed for PC and Mac machines, and the operating systems of these machines are mostly Windows or Mac OS, and few application software can run on Linux platform. But this situation is changing. Supporters of Linux are trying to make Windows applications run on Linux. For example, Corel, a well-known desktop software developer, has made most of its products run on Linux, including CorelDraw and WordPerfect, which have a long reputation.

Another reason why Linux can't dominate the desktop operating system field is that its interface is not friendly enough. Today, although people have greatly improved the user interface of Linux, compared with Windows or Mac OS, Linux is still slightly inferior. Corel, Caldera and other companies have improved the user interface in their Linux distributions, provided relatively simple installation process and special technical support, and provided some Linux desktop software with the distribution, but users still need to type commands sometimes. For most users, the interface provided by Windows and Mac OS to operate the machine completely by clicking the mouse is the most ideal.

Efforts to simplify the Linux interface continue. Some companies have provided a fully graphical Linux user interface, and users can operate the computer by clicking the mouse without typing any commands. With the improvement of Linux interface, more PCs will be pre-installed with Linux operating system.

However, it is the booming information access equipment market that really uses Linux. These emerging devices have limited memory and cost only a few hundred dollars, so developers need a new operating system to replace the expensive and bloated operating system like Windows. Linux is the best choice in this field, because it is short, customizable, extremely compatible with the Internet and cheap. It is for this reason that software developers have introduced a version of Linux that can run on mobile phones, handheld devices and even cars.

In addition, Linux is also very suitable for all kinds of special computers, such as cash registers and other special terminals. In these application fields, Linux is a cheap and good network performance, which can replace common operating systems such as Windows.

In short, although we will mainly use Windows or Mac OS computers for a long time, our mobile phones, PDA's and various network devices will soon have Linux interfaces.