| Sumario: | For years, many have hoped that Linux, a freely available computer operating system, would become a viable alternative to Microsoft's Windows, which at present is practically the universal standard for personal computers (PCs). After much disappointment, the tide seems to have turned, in that in early 2004, some of the world's most powerful technology firms promised considerable support for the Linux system on desktop computers. Nevertheless, Linux's main appeal is likely to be to companies rather than to home PC users; and companies are unlikely to ditch their Windows systems for their “information workers,” that is lawyers, consultans, accountants, and so on, who use presentation applications, spreadsheets, fancy graphics and the like. However, Linux would be ideal for the type of work that requires employees to use only the same one or two PC functions, such as in call centers, banks, and customer-support departments.
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