Informix chief blames Microsoft for the rise of Linux

NEWS The Linux revolution is being fuelled by delays and reliability problems plaguing Microsoft's Windows NT, according to a top Informix spokesman. In an exclusive interview with Silicon.com, David Applebaum, vice president of marketing gave a rare insight into how the industry perceives the operating system (OS) that has taken computing by storm. "Much of the reliability and scalability issues that NT has not, to this point, been able to address, can be addressed through Linux," said Applebaum. However, he is not under the impression that Linux will replace Windows NT altogether. "It's no longer a question of deciding between Linux and NT," he explained, "the challenge is to integrate the two together." Many analysts echo Applebaum's view. Rob Hailstone, Bloor Research's database expert, agreed that Linux's reputation for stability is growing but added that it is not yet replacing Windows. "Linux is increasingly being used as a platform for dedicated servers while NT is retained for general purpose," he said. But Hailstone warned that unless Microsoft gets its act together by the time it releases Windows 2000, then Linux will start to eat into the general purpose market as well. This is not to say, he clarified, that Linux will automatically be chosen as the complete alternative to Windows. Sun's Solaris OS and other alternatives could well be another choice.