Linux infiltrates boardrooms, on schedule

Developments at this year's LinuxWorld should remove any doubt that this open-source operating system is becoming a mainstream product.

"LinuxWorld is no longer just the preserve of enthusiasts," said Nick Collins, a manager in Hewlett-Packard's Linux division.

For instance, SAP announced that it counts more than 2,000 instances of its applications running on Linux. HP said it generated more than $2.5 billion in Linux-related revenue—from hardware, software, and services—in 2003. Meanwhile, IBM was promoting its incentive program for companies willing to migrate from Window NT to Linux-based IBM servers.

Yet open-source enthusiasts are still smiling. Eric S. Raymond, a long-time open-source evangelist, told one editor, "The sinister master plan for world domination is on schedule."