The Fall Of The House Of Gates

As Zandar posted this morning, Microsoft is not pleased about open source Kinect drivers. And while they arguably have the right to stomp this down like they have other open source attempts in the past, I think we are about to see an enormous shift in the computer industry. One that will define the future of software. I'm talking about the day of the penguin.

Ten years ago, the very mention of Linux caused people to shudder and flinch. Once upon a time, you had to have a degree and a lot of caffeine to get the most modest programs to run. But in a movement to bring software to the masses, Linux has improved enough that it works right out of the box, and the community has grown and continues to support newbies who take that first teetering step from Windows domination.

And did I mention it's free?

Gates has his fortune because he created a brilliant product, and then used his domination of a new market as a weight that crushed opposition. You must pay per computer for Microsoft products, and with Linux there is no cost. Open Office has MS Office feeling the crunch, and Dell has been installing Ubuntu Linux (the most user-friendly of the bunch) on computers for some time now. Even my husband, who isn't still quite sure how his email winds up on our computer, can use Ubuntu with ease.

The brilliance that has brought the home computer into existence has fed the greed that will ultimately drive people to the free alternative. Folks who have never heard of Linux can download Ubuntu and start clicking and working right away. Geeks like me contribute to write help files and answer questions in forums. Groups and enthusiasts are hosting events, and they're not all nerds. This is the beginning of the time when Microsoft slides and the new generation of open source software emerges.