Microsoft finally admits Linux is a threat!

Microsoft finally admits Linux is a threat!

Microsoft has till now never admitted Linux as a threat to their Windows business.

The company is now changing that stance now.

Microsoft has stated in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that Red Hat and Canonical (Ubuntu) are competitors to their Windows client business.

This is largely due to the growing popularity of netbooks in the market which are cheaper version of laptops.

Due to low cost, most of these models are also offered with Linux operating system instead of Windows.

Microsoft has taken several steps to ensure that they are not bypassed by manufacturers in the netbook market.

The company continues to provide Windows XP to these makers to keep the overall cost of the product low.

Rob Helm, director of research for Directions on Microsoft had this to say on the new developments: “Netbooks opened Microsoft to the possibility that some other OS could get its grip on the desktop, however briefly. Now it’s alert to that possibility going forward.”

Windows 7 too has been designed with netbooks in mind. The company claims that current generation netbooks would be capable enough to run some of the versions of their upcoming Windows 7 operating system. Same cannot be said about their existing Windows Vista operating system product.