Open-Source Software Gets Vote of Confidence at OSCON - ' The Linux 2' (
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Also addressing the audience was Andrew Morton, the maintainer of the Linux 2.6 kernel, who talked about the commoditization of open-source software.
Free software brings enhanced transparency to both ISVs and end users, he said, stressing that it is not just Linus Torvalds, who started the Linux kernel, and Morton making all the decisions around the kernel.
Many of the different groups working on various components all have a say, and decisions are mostly the result of consensus among them all, he said.
While there is a tension between simplicity and enterprise-rich functionality needed, this is largely a technical issue that is being worked through, he said.
Turning to the Linux desktop, Morton said for some six years now people had been saying the next year would be the year of the desktop.
"But we are not quite there yet … Linux is not ready for those information workers who are known as power users. I think free software on the desktop will grow from the bottom up," he said.
"Eventually companies will find it makes sense to address the most sophisticated power users and we will see the commoditization of the desktop.
"Please dont take this to mean our desktop software will be junk and we will expect big companies to fix it for us. That is not the case. We have made great strides on that front, but we are not there for the power user as yet," he said.
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