While open source business applications are gaining popularity, proprietary products are not yet being elbowed out the sales door. The reason, William Hurley, BMC Software's chief architect of open source strategy, believes is that many business people are more concerned with getting the job done than with who makes the tool.

Cristobal Palmer got very agitated when those "cannot read file" boxes popped up on his computer - until he found out they could make him thousands of dollars. The all-too-familiar messages helped spark Palmer's interest in open-source software, programs that are written to be shared with and modified by others.

I follow all three of the above mentioned analysts regularly as part of my news scouring for eHomeUpgrade. Unfortunately, I believe all three of them GET IT WRONG when it comes to Linux users and what THEY WANT from their PCs.

It's a question that most people wouldn't give a second thought to. And why should they? It's a completely different operating system that we see advertising for, that we see installed on every computer at major stores and that we find compatible software for in those same stores.

Many a times Windows users talk about what Windows can do but Linux can’t. To be fair, they need to know what Linux can do but Windows can’t.

It’s no secret that tech-savvy computer users typically become the go-to guy for all technical help in their circles. More specifically, Mom and Dad tend to always ask us for help with their computers.

New versions of Linux and Mac strengthen their reputations as less expensive, user-friendly office backbones

Welcome to the world of open source software, as opposed to the proprietary software that provides large and enduring revenue streams for Bill Gates and Larry Ellison.