Gates Taking 'Pervasive' Linux Seriously (eWeek)

Gates Taking 'Pervasive' Linux Seriously (eWeek)

It's interesting to see Mr. Gates taking such an interest in Linux. It's gone from a "cancer" and a toy operating system to a competitive threat.

Comparing linux to OS/2 is silly. OS/2 was never truly a threat to Windows; it was simply a different, incompatible version of Windows (originally developed by Microsoft and IBM) based on closed source. For a brief time, OS/2 was the superior multitasking environment, and then NT came along and blew it out of the water.

Now something has arrived that challenges Windows not only in the techie/hobbyist's world but also in server rooms, ISPs, manufacturing plants, third world countries, schools, you name it. The only place Windows is safe for the moment is the end user desktop. Windows XP is stable, slick, runs millions of apps, and comes on every I86 computer that's made whether you want it or not.

No wonder Mr. Gates is scared enough to talk tough to his "MVPs".