"With giants such as Home Depot and Musicland already planning to roll out Linux on some 25,000 terminals between them in 2001, we can expect Linux shipments to rise some 300-400% this year," says Greg Buzek, President, IHL Consulting Group.

"Linux companies are, or ought to be, fast and agile. They can stop chasing and start leading. Microsoft is coming after Linux -- let's make 'em chase us all over the place. If Linux is any good -- and it is -- then Microsoft will lose market share at every stop."

"Linux has been struggling to get off the ground as a desktop, competing with the likes of Windows. The world of Linux has changed by season. Currently in the season of Linux weakness, the servers have come under attack when everyone thought it was safe. What is the next season going to be, a serious bug?"

Now the Internet -- and virtual private networks (VPNs) that exploit its ubiquity -- give companies like Infocrossing a new way to bring their services to customers. At the same time, ASPs are creating new opportunities for mainframe systems, especially now that Linux is a reality at the high end.

"Thanks to the GNU GPL, I always knew that I could stay competitive in my business, because I would always be able to learn easily about new innovations as soon as they were made. I could innovate quickly, and impress my employers. I even was able to start my own consulting business. My own business! The pinnacle of the American Dream!"

"Every time I see the Linux and open/free source supporters getting all huffed up about Microsoft's ongoing FUD war against Linux, I have to laugh. Not because it's just so much silliness from Microsoft (which it is), but because it doesn't even scratch the surface of what they're capable of and routinely do."

Will opens the door to success.

- Louis Pasteur

What according to you would be the best way to fortify your machine from the anarchy of the Internet? Let's look at a few options.

IBM is extending its educational and certification programs to include Linux at its IBM PartnerWorld 2001 conference this week. The company's partners are just beginning to move into the open source operating system and want to learn more about it.

A satirical take on the future, based on recent Microsoft FUD. Brings up some interesting ideas on the future of Open Source, as well.

"Who's looking after the needs of small to medium-sized businesses? Folks seem to forget that this is how Unix got its foothold in the days when VAX/VMS was king, maturing within the small and mid-sized business market while preparing to take on the enterprise."