Author | Wang RuipingLinux Desktop had a brief surge in popularity in the first half of the year, but the crisis outweighs the achievements. Not to mention, Microsoft’s persistent focus on the “Cloud Desktop Plan” has never waned, aiming to shift users from PC Windows to a cloud-based Desktop as a Service (DaaS) model. Recently, with the explosive growth of generative AI, the overall migration of Windows to the cloud has significantly increased; Apple is also following suit, attracting users to run macOS in the cloud. While competitors are racing ahead in the cloud, Linux remains stagnant on the server side, developing slowly, which is undoubtedly a warning sign. Let’s first take a look at Microsoft’s actions.
Why Microsoft Prefers Cloud Desktops
Cloud desktops represent a new model that replaces traditional computers, allowing users to forgo purchasing a physical computer. The components included in the host, such as CPU, memory, hard drive, are all virtualized on backend servers. It can not only replace traditional computers but also supports access from other smart devices like smartphones and tablets over the internet, making it the latest solution for mobile office, thus being applied across major operating systems. Recently, more evidence has surfaced, further confirming Microsoft’s grand cloud desktop plan. Currently, Microsoft has migrated Windows functionalities and components to the commercial cloud via Windows 365. Zac Bowden, a senior editor at Windows Central, discovered in an internal document regarding Microsoft’s attempted acquisition of Activision that “Microsoft discussed establishing Windows 365 to support the complete migration of the Windows operating system from the cloud to any device. The plan aims to leverage the powerful capabilities of cloud and client to enhance AI-based services, allowing users to achieve a fully roaming digital experience.” Currently, Microsoft offers two consumer-targeted versions of Windows DaaS: Business Edition and Enterprise Edition. You can run related functionalities on Windows PCs, Chromebooks, Linux PCs, and even iPads. With these two versions, you can use Windows on any platform, even on Android smartphones or iPhones. However, these two versions are not cheap, starting at $31 per user per month, providing 4GB Azure virtual machine, 128GB storage, as well as Microsoft 365 applications, Outlook, and OneDrive.
Linux Cloud Desktop: Security, Cost Reduction, and Efficiency Improvement The emergence of the Linux cloud desktop has significantly transformed enterprises, enabling rapid development, deployment, and management capabilities within IT departments. One of the advantages of the Linux cloud desktop is its security, significantly mitigating external attacks and malware. Additionally, the Linux cloud desktop can effectively prevent business interruptions caused by network outages, as it can automatically detect network issues, provide server or network fault tolerance, and set the load for restoring network operations on available servers. It employs innovative disk performance analysis technology, allowing easy storage of data, configuration files, and applications on disk drives, providing users with powerful file and resource management capabilities. Furthermore, the Linux cloud desktop offers various features and enhancements for a better user experience. Ultimately, the Linux desktop can significantly reduce the total cost of cloud technology; in many cases, its maintenance costs are lower than those of ordinary computers, greatly alleviating the workload of IT teams. In summary, the Linux cloud desktop provides enterprises with a way to eliminate redundant expenses, save time, and enhance productivity, allowing them to invest more energy in other more valuable areas.
The Linux Crisis Despite holding a 3% market share, Linux finds it challenging to take a proactive position in the future.
Firstly, Linux has never dominated the desktop operating system field. Most users are more concerned about applications, viewing the operating system merely as a “driver”. This serves as a wake-up call for Linux developers to strengthen application design rather than focusing solely on the operating system, as the operating system is just one of many choices for users’ desktops.
Secondly, the external environment is concerning; Windows still occupies an irreplaceable position in people’s minds, especially among enterprise users who remain loyal fans of Office, making a switch to Linux not on their radar, as evidenced by the 3% market share that shows they simply do not care! Moreover, Microsoft’s “cloud desktop plan” is consuming Linux’s market in the cloud.
From a user experience perspective, even if they have developed an inertia towards the operating system, many lack the motivation to switch systems, the technical knowledge required for Linux, and the awareness of the need to change systems! Furthermore, since Linux is not as intuitive as Windows, the final user base remains quite niche.
In conclusion, for those opposed to using Linux, whether from external competition or user experience, Linux still struggles to displace Windows, thus facing a crisis. However, for supporters of Linux, the situation is different, and I would like to briefly mention this!
Supporters argue: “You cannot avoid using Linux just because of a lack of knowledge about it; the actual experience is quite good, and we have been using it since 2012!” Objectively speaking, Windows provides a sense of “familiarity” and “friendliness”, which is why it is accepted by more users, while Linux can offer a fresh and stable experience, is open-source and free, and is gradually occupying a place in the hearts of developers. In summary, both have their pros and cons, and it’s about choosing what suits your needs!
Linux Doesn’t Need to Compete Head-On with Windows Perhaps, more users initially cannot truly recognize Linux, as Windows has already established a strong foothold; it is unlikely that they will spend time specifically converting their Windows systems to Linux. However, practice has proven that the Linux system is not only open-source and free but also less susceptible to security attacks; if hackers cannot see the code used to customize the Linux operating system, it becomes difficult for them to exploit it, which is crucial for users. Therefore, over the years, Linux has quietly become a dominant force in the server operating system field, widely used in server/cloud/IoT environments. In the future, Linux will not be limited to these environments; as the preferred operating system for developers, it is rapidly rising and is far from over. The increase in market share to 3% proves its resilience and adaptability in the desktop field. With the continuous progress of the open-source community and increasing support from enterprises, Linux is expected to become a more powerful participant in the operating system field. Moreover, not everyone or every enterprise will follow Microsoft or Apple into the cloud! Those concerned about privacy, wishing to control data on their machines, and PC super users will ultimately choose Linux. This is why Linux is likely to become the top PC operating system. In such a PC market, the desktop operating system they need is still Linux; in fact, it is almost their only choice!——Previous Recommendations——
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