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The Linux server market is poised to reach $50 billion dollars in three years. The embedded, mobile and netbook markets have exploded recently, resulting in rapid expansion of Linux use in companies previously who used proprietary offerings. When a market grows this quickly, the need for well trained developer talent rises just as precipitously.
IDC is reporting that Windows server growth hit 6.9 percent in Q4 2007, bringing it to 36.6 percent market share. Linux trounced Windows' growth at 11.6 percent to hit 12.7 percent market share. Microsoft owns the market, but Linux owns the future.
We're told Linux is the only OS with a growing market share: Windows and Mac OS X actually shrank. The Net Applications report also shows Windows 7 already dwarfing all versions of Mac OS combined.
Will Firefox have double-digit market share in 3 to 5 years? Straightforward enough. Yes, says (outgoing) Mozilla CEO John Lilly. No, says Firefox co-founder Blake Ross.
It has been six weeks since Firefox 3 has been released and if we believe market share numbers provided by an ongoing survey of NetApplications, then it appears that Mozilla has had a successful launch with market share gains, especially at the expense of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.
NetApplications is out with a couple of new metrics of market share for operating systems and browsers, and the news is good for open source. Topping their findings, Microsoft Windows' market share has dropped below 90 percent for the first time in its measurements. The share erosion is largely attributed to increased interest in the Mac platform, but Linux is cited as on the rise as well.
"Apr 30, 2009. It's not the first time Microsoft has tried to wrestle away market share from free software using shady tactics. Suddenly, Microsoft seems to have discovered that education is strategic for their enterprise and they are pouring resources into cornering the market... at least in areas where GNU/Linux has the lead..."