[H-GEN] Re: [SLUG] Linux Questions

[Andrae Muys]

On Wed, 8 Jul 1998, Craige McWhirter wrote:

> Hi - my name is Mandy Bryan and I write for ComputerWorld Australia. I am
> interested in two things: do you know how many users (approx) there are in
> Australia of Linux?

Well as other people have already mentioned, the only figures we have
indicate 2.5-3% of the world's linux users.  The standard estimate of
linux users worldwide is between 6 and 10 million.  I have heard 8 million
mentioned as the NT installed base, but I'm not sure if that's worldwide,
or local to the US.  Linux has also maintained a steady growth rate of
approximately 100% / year for the last few years. 

> Secondly, I am looking for comment from Australian Linux users,
> distributors etc on the fact that Oracle, Sybase, IBM and Informix have no
> intentions of releasing versions of their databases on Linux.

Well actually I feel that this is reading a little too much into their
statements.  The feeling I get from the reports is that the statement is
for the short-term.  In my opinion they are simply waiting to see if linux
really is a market worth bothering about (and being conservative about
it). 

For the last 9-12months rumours have been going around that Oracle had a
linux port of their database engine but was sitting on it.  One important
thing about linux is that it is basically Unix without the branding.  If
you have developed a Unix application, porting it to linux is normally
trivial.  In fact it isn't uncommon for Unix developers to develop
applications on linux, and then port them to the other platforms (the
linux version is often not released).

A year ago everyone `knew' linux was nothing but a "toy" OS, it'd never
amount to anything, useful only for helping prospective unix admin's cut
their teeth.  You wouldn't actually _use_ it for anything, after all it
was free!  Today linux is king of the small-scale internet server (hey I'm
allowed a little hyperbole).  Linux has one of the largest market shares
of any Unix variant (the URL for this passed through slashdot about a week
ago).  Linux has proven its unparalleled ability to operate in a
hetrogeneous environment, even to the point of beingused connect otherwise
disparate systems.  Of course now linux "may be superior technically, but
too hard for your `average' user", convieniently forgetting that your
average user dosn't administer your average network.  I'm not overly
worried about anything Oracle does.  Sure it would be nice to have Oracle
available for linux, but the key thing is this. 

People install linux because they need to solve a problem, and they need
something that's going to work.  Naturally hese problems often involve
storing some kind of data, Oracle would help people solve these problems
however without Oracle avaliable for linux they will find another way.
They might move to Oracle on Solaris, or Digital Unix.  Or they may simply
decide that they can use MySQL, or Postgres95, or one of the other
databases that _are_ available for linux.  It dosn't really matter because
linux will continue to grow, continue to improve, and most importantly
continue to help people solve problems.

Andrae Muys

P.S. Of course I've ignored the hobbist user here, but as they aren't
about to buy Oracle they aren't relevant to the current discussion.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Andrae Muys              "I have no wish to recite ... stratagems, for they
andrae at humbug.org.au     have all the same end in view, which is, to oblige
My stuff, Linux stuff        the enemy to make unnecessary marches in favor 
http://www.uq.edu.au/~cmamuys/   of our own designs." - Fredrick the Great.