In the early 1970’s a group at Bell Laboratories began developing a new operating system. Their goal was to create an operating system(OS) that was more flexible than the ones currently in use. One of the most important objectives was to use a high-level language instead of assembly or machine language. Low-level languages use the raw machine instructions or binary code to run the computer. These can be complex, hard to read, and difficult to troubleshoot. Making changes to the OS design meant re-writing and re-loading the entire OS. UNIX used a high-level language, C, which used more intuitive instruction and function names. Using C also meant that the OS could be modified much easier and various instructions could be used over and over by drawing pre-written code from libraries of C code. UNIX was also designed to be “open source” meaning that end users of the product could modify and improve the current set up or add new utilities of custom design. The user interface was more straight-forward than contemporary systems and had powerful networking capabilities. All of these factors made UNIX ideal for use on university campuses.
UNIX was typically run on a mainframe in a client-server environment. This meant that the UNIX host could only be accessed using dumb terminals or PC telnet programs. Dumb terminals are not computers, when disconnected from they host they have not functions except to reconnect to the host. Most UNIX users never saw the host computers and no idea where there were. Most users were in different buildings and even different countries and nowhere near the host. This made it difficult for many programmers to get access to the operating system to study it and make changes. Only universities and big companies had the money and space to run a mainframe environment.
It was for these reasons that a professor in the Netherlands developed MINIX in 1987. MINIX was not a copy of UNIX, it was an operating system written from scratch, based on the UNIX model and source code specifically for use on microcomputers. Professor Andrew Tanenbaum developed MINIX specifically to be used as a learning environment for working on the Kernel. The Kernel is the center of the UNIX operating system and controls the basic computer functions and manages access to the system resources for the other parts of the operating system. With MINIX students could work on the Kernel without damaging a campus-wide host. Using the MINIX environment a Finish student named Linus Torvalds developed a version of UNIX in 1991 specifically for personal computers. By 1991 the first versions of Torvalds free operating system, Linux, became available. This was all happening in the shadows of Microsoft’s rapid domination of the personal computer market. The goal of Linux was a system that ran like MSWindows, but ran better; used a graphic user interface that was friendly and manageable; and above all, remained an open source system that could be obtained for free or at a low-cost.
UNIX is powerful and flexible system but it can be cumbersome for the everyday user. UNIX has an overwhelming number of functions and utilities, for the serious developer, that are lost on typical computer users. Linux has a graphic user interface that if familiar to Windows or Mac users and can be installed easily by people who have installed other types of operating systems.
The story of the growth of the PC/Windows PC model is similar to the early stages of the Linux history. When Microsoft’s windows was first being developed in the 1980’s, most microcomputer companies had a similar structure. Companies sold computers with operating systems preinstalled. The OS was developed by the same companies that built the hardware and the OS was specifically mapped to the computer. Companies that sold mainframe solutions also issued equipment in this fashion. There was an alternative in Apple products, but these were also machines specifically built with the operating system preinstalled. The concept of buying “blank” computers and installing an operating system later was not yet a reality. The release of DOS/Windows was a dream-come-true for many users and smaller computer companies. Use of DOS/Windows meant that consumers were not tied to a particular company for hardware and software. DOS/Windows could be loaded onto many types of systems. Computer enthusiasts could build custom systems at home using DOS/Windows. Small computer companies could license Microsoft software and sell it on their own hardware. This challenged the dominance of a few large computer companies and altered the business world dramatically.
Microsoft already had a large share of the computer market with Windows 3.1 but toped all expectations with the release of Windows95. Microsoft waged an unprecedented marketing and advertising campaign for Windows95 that made it the most anticipated software release of all time. Within a few years Microsoft would come to dominate the computer market making millions for their employees and stockholders.
Microsoft succeeded in many other areas as well. Software development had been compartmented. One company made games, but not databases. Another company made databases but not word processing software. This situation made product integration a challenge. Microsoft offered to develop and sell everything personal and business consumers needed. Through the Office package Microsoft offered email, word processing, spreadsheets, web browsing, a database application and various other programs. Microsoft also offered an enterprise-wide database application, networking management software, a web publishing platform and a host of other integrated and customizable packages. Because many consumers were able all their applications from one source, they stopped looking for alternatives. Market competition waned.
However, many consumers started to notice the lack of flexibility in Microsoft products. If someone was not able to perform a certain task in a Microsoft product, they had basically hit a dead end since the Windows source code was closed and could only be modified by patches and upgrades issued by Microsoft. Users would often have to build a custom process to work around Windows limitations. Some users of Windows 95 complained that software developed by companies other than Microsoft would not run properly on Windows 95. Some speculated that this was done on purpose to discourage users from using other products. This was the beginning a more sour view of Microsoft and accusations of monopoly.
The Internet exploded in the 1990’s. What was once a loosely connected college, government and business networks turned into a global phenomena that is still constantly evolving. As the Internet is accessed from more private homes around the world, the opportunities for communication and marketing seem boundless. Throughout this rapid growth Microsoft realized that while Windows dominated the operating system market, Netscape dominated the Internet browser market. In a tactic that would result in lawsuits, federal and state legal action, and general consumer revolt, Microsoft made Internet Explorer and integrated part of the Windows operation system that could not be removed. In essence Microsoft used to OS domination to push Netscape out of the Internet browser market.
Microsoft also attacked Java, a Sun Microsystems language, buy eliminating support for the language on Windows products and replacing it with a watered-down version called J++. Java was developed to run on small machines like refrigerators and robots. Some believe that Microsoft felt threatened by a potential loss of market share in the areas of small machines like the PalmPilots and other types of Personal Digital devices. Sun Microsystems filed a lawsuit over this issue in 1997.
Microsoft has also made various market ploys against competitors like Apple Computers, but Apple has managed to maintain loyal customers and branch into new areas like music file sharing. While Microsoft’s Vice President recently characterized the Linux world as “socialism” it is rumored that Microsoft’s offices run on UNIX mainframes and not their own NT platform.
Aside from various legal and credibility problems, Microsoft has problems with large-scale users of their products. While private users may be annoyed at having to pay several hundred dollars for Windows and Office packages for their home computers, business users pay thousands, even millions, of dollars to Microsoft on a regular basis. Licensing is a time consuming issue for may companies and considerable part of the budget. Linux is immensely less expensive and some claim, it works better than Windows. When tight economic times hit, and they have in the last 5 years, businesses look at bottom line and try to cut costs. Eliminating the fees for licensing would free up lots of money for other areas of information systems and company-wide.
In this environment of tighter budgets and fast moving technology, Linux is the new frontier. Linux is in the fledging stages of true market share, but some recent events will speed its acceptance and growth.
In July of 2000, IBM announced that it would begin looking to Linux to replace the outdated operating systems on their mainframes as well as using it in future development. This is a huge endorsement. However, the biggest endorsement is Microsoft’s own reaction to the influence of Linux. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a personal visit to Munich, Germany after it was reported that the government there was dumping Windows and moving to Linux. Ballmer was unable to change their minds. Microsoft has also been unable to change the minds of small business that simply cannot afford the licensing.
Unlike the situations with Netscape and Sun, with Linux Microsoft is facing dozens of competitors. RedHat, Mandrake, Corel, and SUSE are just a few of the commercial versions of Linux that are available for a fraction of the cost of Windows. Even if Microsoft was able to crush these companies, others are waiting to fill the vacated market space.
Earlier versions of Linux often could not be upgraded. Replacing an obsolete Linux OS often meant a complete erase of a hard drive and then a fresh installation of Linux. Improved upgrades from companies like RedHat allow users to install new OS versions over their current Linux versions without file loss.Not only is the operating system available for free or low cost, software packages comparable to MSOffice are available for free or low cost. These packages may also customized because, like Linux, they are open source applications.
A big appeal of Windows95 was the user-friendly graphic interface and mouse driven environment. The first Linux versions were like UNIX terminals with command-line interfaces or unfamiliar X-Windows environments. The latest versions of Linux have GUIs that are as easy to use as Windows or Macintosh. For the developer or business user, Linux has much a more powerful & flexible set command line options. Windows underlying command-line structure, DOS lacks the power of a real programming language. Linux utilizes the programming shells that are common to UNIX which allow users to create their own custom commands and instructions.Linux is also favored over Windows in its enterprise-wide application. Windows machines are either client machines or servers, each requires different software at different pricing levels. A Linux box can be almost anything if configured properly, web-server, file-server, print-server, firewall, database server, or client machine; all for the same price.
Because of Microsoft’s closed source, the operation of Windows was a mystery to most people. This allowed for overcharging of customers for years. This made them millions, but it may also be their undoing as people look cheaper and more flexible solutions. Linux use and administration require more training and dedication than the Windows environment, but this training is still far cheaper than Microsoft licensing. The irony is the Microsoft now finds itself in the same position as microcomputer companies, like Wang and Digital, were in when Microsoft began its meteoric rise.