Novell: Linux development on Apple iPad

Today, the battle for operating systems is becoming increasingly complex. Apple's widely anticipated and widely publicized Apple iPad explains what conditions are really needed to win the operating system war.

Applications and availability drive the choice of the operating system, as does the iPad. This is Apple's clearest principle. Obviously, with the success of the iPhone and iTouch, the iPad hopes to become the next computing device that people must possess. It has a superior user experience and provides every application that people may want, even if you don't need it. To assess whether Apple has achieved another success, we have to wait (maybe not too long ). At the same time, if the operating system success principle is so simple: Availability + application = a truly successful operating system, why not more vendors use it, more specifically, what does it mean for the future of Linux, especially for desktops. The answer to the first part of this question is "because it is not easy". I am more optimistic about the second part of the answer.

After Apple released its iPad, IDC research analyst Brett Waldman posted an interesting comment entitled "Can the success of Apple iPad ultimately lead to the development of Linux on the desktop ?". Brett suggested: "to gain market share in the recently revived WordPad market, Linux needs to learn Apple's experience and use mobile UI to break into the market, as you can see in Google's Android or Moblin projects." He also suggested that Linux overcome another obstacle: applications. In my opinion, with the help of many vendors and open-source contributors, Linux is making great progress in both aspects. The problem is whether or not Linux can move forward quickly enough and get broad enough market support and adoption, so as to have the influence it can and should have. For some people, time is being lost.

In the past 12 months alone, the user interface has been greatly improved (see Android and Moblin ). Novell must continue to win the hearts and minds of developers and independent software vendors, so that Linux has an equally appealing application legend. Novell SUSE Studio and the recently released SUSE Appliance Toolkit are designed to help solve this application problem.

Novell believes that Linux is the ideal operating system for creating and delivering "User Experience for specific platforms. However, the market is moving forward quickly. If we want to connect reality with our dreams, we must follow this magic success principle.