There is so much confusion about Linux on the Business Desktop that I feel like writing a paper that explores a holistic approach to integrating Linux workstations into a Windows environment.
It's a systems administrator's responsibility to make sure their users are comfortable on the desktop. If you haven't read the recent article on DesktopLinux.org about the TrustCommerce scenario, you know what I'm talking about. Setting mime-types for your clients and setting up the email client and coming up with a one page spec doc on Ho To Use Your Machine is all that's necessary.
Let's get real here, kids. Microsoft Windows is just an operating system - badly designed at that. Why should I click the Start button to shutdown my machine? Software? Sure all us techie geeks need every piece of software in the world so that we can run our popcorn machine from our computer, but let's really think about the end user. They want to use a chat client,e-mail client, and web browser. If they want multimedia, they need a media player, and a video player.
I truely believe that Flash is going to change things also. With the availability of Flash for linux, kids can go to disney.com and play web-based computer games on the computer - fit with sound and everything. I think it's ridiculous for Linux to be considered by large organizations (10,000+ terminals) but that's only because chances are you're going to see more complex uses of Windows as a server OS. Exchange won't just be handling e-mail. The PDC will do much more than machine authentication. It makes much more sense for small businesses to figure out how to get their secretaries to use Linux to take phone calls and save precious money on those Windows and Office licenses. It's a long shot, but let's be practical. No, being practical (and fallatic) would be to say "Hey, the world's using Microsoft. I will too." So, instead, let's look at the core prerequisites of the public, and see if we can fit their needs.
All we really need to see is an impetus as big as Best Buy or Circuit City selling machines with Linux pre-installed. Do you know how many eyeballs that would catch? Dell doesn't count because you can't see Linux working right in front of your eyes. You have to buy the machine from their website. I think dell *can* offer linux on their machines because of precisely that. One tactic I can see is Alienware offering up Linux-preinstalled machines and selling them through Best Buy outlets. They've got a relationship with Best Buy from what I understand. They may not want to since it would seem a little risque and business-threatening. But who knows? As passive as Linux has been in "dominating the OS market" (relatively speaking to you know who), we can't see it going so far. It's sort of like salmon jumping and fighting upstream.
-S