Linux itself does not represent any great departures from previous technologies, but has led a technological revolution that is predicated on free software licensing.

"In high-technology markets, disruptive innovation is something to be taken as a given, like gravity. Businesspeople do their best to exploit it, avoid it or cope with it. Industry upstarts depend on it, while established companies fear it. But no one in the competitive world of high technology thinks they can stop disruptive innovation, any more than they can alter the laws of gravity. But what if you could? What if an industry could banish disruptive innovation, leaving only a "well-mannered marketplace" of incremental innovations that reinforced comfortable business models?

Open Source is still a disruptive idea. It has moved beyond that in server operating systems, of course, with Linux on 20% of servers shipped these days. That’s known as being “mainstream.” But the effects of open source development and business models continue to be heavily disruptive as they spread into new technology markets. Disruption often benefits consumers directly.

Microsoft's Hyper-V virtualisation technology is becoming less virtual by the moment - in the sense that its delivery is approaching. But as it comes into focus, its Linux support is coming in for criticism.

"...The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was awarded patents relating to several widely-used IEEE wireless standards (such as 802.11 which is used in wireless networking) back in 1996, after which it began to negotiate royalties with companies that had embraced the new technology..." via http://w

What's the most exciting technology of the next few years for the enterprise? Forget folding displays and virtual worlds: Think open source ERP, say some pioneering information technology leaders.

What's the most exciting technology of the next few years for the enterprise? Forget folding displays and virtual worlds: Think open source ERP, say some pioneering information technology leaders.

Do you, by any chance, remember the name Victor Raisys? He was a technology analyst at Soundview Technology Group, who predicted difficulties for Linux when the SCO litigation began in 2003.

Some of you out there can pat yourselves on the back. You've been shouting for years on Web sites, message boards, and blogs that the music industry would one day bow to technology.