LinuxInsider Talkback

Re: Skills Shortage Could Mean Growing Pains for Open Source
Posted by: John P. Mello Jr. 2004-12-08 09:24:35

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Industry analysts say the fastest growing operating system in the world -- Linux -- could be experiencing growing pains as growth outpaces the supply of IT professionals with expertise in this area. "Linux is increasing its market share so rapidly that, in consequence, some companies find it difficult to secure the resources to handle Linux development and installation," Bob McDowall, a practice leader at Bloor Research in the United Kingdom, wrote this week at IT-analysis.com.

Re: Skills Shortage Could Mean Growing Pains for Open Source
Posted by: alnguyen 2004-12-08 10:29:51 In reply to: John P. Mello Jr.

Linux is a member of the unix family. If you're grounded in unix than it comes naturally. The location and names of some files and utilities maybe different but the philosophy and fundamental architecture is the same across unix systems. I started out as a Windows network administrator. I've worked in shops where there were both Windows and unix-type servers. Now I develop applications that run on openbsd. The real problem is that there's a big divide between the unix world and the Windows world. It's not just command line vs. GUI. "Unix guys" and "Windows guys" have a philosophy, tradition, and mentality that's very different. Unix guys pooh pooh Windows while Windows guys see anything unix as some foreign thing to be avoided. There's a new generation of unix people that learned the ways of unix through Linux on the PC. But what about the old guard MCSEs? These guys resist anything unix and will do their best to keep their shops Linux free. There's an unspoken war going on between Microsoft and the unix tradition. This war was avoided during the 80s and early 90s because unix systems were too big for the PC. But now Linux has caused those two forces to collide. If Microsoft wins they will truly achieve world domination. There's no other force with enough substance to oppose them.