I remember when using a computer was something special. I remember when knowing Linux meant you had serious skillz. I remember way back when Linux users swore one day their favorite OS would enjoy world domination. I remember when computing was all about bottom line, TCO, and rollout. I remember when computing was fun.

I also recall the times when us proud Linux devotees had to fight, tooth and nail, for credibility over the Micro$oft dogma machine. Ah those were the days.

But now things are different. Now most everyone who knows their way around every bit and byte of the PC is quite aware of the BS pumped out by M$s PR. We know their OS will cost more than we want to spend. We know the hardware requirements will be higher than necessary. We know the MS/Intel cartel was created so that one company would benefit from the other’s gain. We know the next best Windows OS will be late, full of bugs, and cause most all IT pros one long headache.

We also know that M$ will fail at most every promise they offer. But then, that is business as usual. And all the while we know the Linux community will slowly churn out quality, secure, efficient code that fulfills most all promises M$ can’t seem to keep.

  • It’s on schedule.
  • It’s secure.
  • It’s cheap.
  • It’s reliable.
  • It’s proven.

Now I know there are more M$ zealots out there than you can shake a mouse at. And I know how the M$/Linux war goes – I’ve been fighting it for over a decade. I also know that the entire computing landscape has changed drastically over the last decade. Gone is the underdog feeling that Linux held so dearly. Gone is the near 100% marketshare that Internet Exploder had over the browser war. And Gone is the idea that Linux is just a drop in the bucket.

And now, with M$ Vista somewhere on the horizon (who knows exactly where that horizon is), I know that M$ is losing the war all on its own by putting off and putting off and, now, charging people to try out a beta version of software.

But I do miss the days (in a strange, strange way) where Linux had to scratch and fight for every toe-hold it had in the industry. I still think world domination is coming. The big difference is that I think M$ is now unwittingly fighting for the opposition.