Linux silently invades the technology world

Silently but speedily, Linux is rapidly spreading in more and more services and devices, from email to cars.

Source: BW Online

A revolution is quietly sweeping through the technology district and its name is Linux. This free operating system on the Internet is gradually infiltrating a range of different product strains and making Microsoft giants lose a significant amount of money right in the domain of personal computers.

Perhaps you have never once downloaded or tested Linux. Maybe you don't want to turn your back on Bill Gates and his firm. You probably don't even know what open source is. But dare you be part of this revolution, sooner or later.

Because Linux no longer exists in remote servers with your daily life. It and open source software control more and more familiar devices and technologies - from TiVo digital receivers to Motorola mobile phones. You surf the Web often? Firefox browser is attracting customers! In fact, the number of websites running on Linux and open source software such as Apache Web Server or MySQL is not small at all.

For consumer electronics firms, the attraction of open source is obvious. Unlike computers, the software that household electrical appliances use is not standard. When they only need a simple operating system, Linux is always at hand without waiting for a special-version Windows.

Similarly, with mobile phones, Linux can provide a powerful operating system, where the developer community is free to write games and applications for it.

One factor that cannot be mentioned is price. Although you still have to spend money when using Linux (for training, providing services and technical support), but certainly, it is still cheap compared to proprietary software.

The only problem: All of the above analysis belongs to technology experts. What about users? The vast majority remain shy and think about open source as unreliable, difficult to maintain and even destructive products.

Therefore, do not expect that mobile phone companies will soon promote "Linux Inside" products in the near future.

On the Web

The web is probably the place where users enjoy the full benefits of open source technology. Apache Web Server is running on more than 50 million sites. MySQL database has more than 8 million "live" databases, most of them belong to Internet firms. 3/4 of the total websites are using PHP open source programming language - replacing Java.

So it's no surprise that FireFox, the open source browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation, will take off. Despite facing Microsoft's IE, FireFox still has 140 million downloads (since November 2004 until now).

Mozilla is currently working on an email application called Thunderbird. Still in beta, Thunderbird has been downloaded a total of 21 million times.

TiVo

Source: BW Online

8 years ago, TiVo started bringing Linux into the first digital recording receiver. At that time, it was a very radical idea, to the point that TiVo did not even dare to publish. The vast majority of people who buy TiVo are unaware of Linux inside.

Using Linux has helped TiVo save a lot of time and money to take care of its products and services. Not to mention with TiVo, the company's engineers can fix errors and patch products immediately without having to resort to software vendors.

TiVo's model has been imitated by competitors. Sony and many other companies will introduce Linux digital receivers in the coming months.

Wireless Routers

Perhaps you don't have enough time to think what kind of software is in your wireless router. You just fight it, turn on your laptop and so . run. But like most devices, routers also have operating systems, and for companies like Linksys, using open source will help them focus their whole attention on their best advantages - marketing, setting design and performance.
Cellphone

Source: BW Online

Smartphone - high-end phones with retail prices must be over 300 USD, only a small part of the billions of phones sold this year. But it was a rare yard that Linux defeated Microsoft. Despite fierce competition from Symbian and Microsoft, Linux has been chosen by Motorola for the new generation Razr and Rokr.
A sweet victory, but the biggest challenge now is to make every other popular phone use Linux.

Nokia Tablet

Source: BW Online

For those who want strong wireless Internet access in their hands, Nokia has launched 770 Internet Tablet with Linux operating system installed inside. This is a remarkable event, not only because Nokia is the number one mobile phone maker in the world, but also because Nokia owns nearly 50% of Symbian, a company with an operating system that is fiercely aggressive with Linux. and currently dominates the mobile OS market.

Car

More and more models drive the operating system installation box. Many firms have chosen Linux to take on many important tasks, such as anti-lock braking. DaimlerChrysler's "diagnosis" system called "StarScan" is also based on Linux, although the more advanced Mercedes brand still uses proprietary technology from Microsoft.

Source: BW Online

Some open source sites also reported that BMW intends to replace Windows with Linux for iDrive, an information and entertainment system believed to have many shortcomings. BMW representatives declined to comment on this information, but if true, this would be a big win for penguins.

Mitsubishi Robot "Osin"

Finally, for those who are really obsessed with Linux: An operating system can embrace you lovingly, or at least can look after you when you're away. The Wakamaru is a type of Mitsubishi-made house-watch robot that can download information from the Web and forward it to family members. This robot can recognize 10,000 words and warn its owners when there are intruders.

Thien Y