The glacial pace towards desktop Linux

The Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) at LinuxWorld unveiled the Portland project, a project that aims to create a single platform for software developers to create Linux applications.

As one of the great benefits (and curses) of the open source nature of the Linux operating system, the world has to face forks and different opinions from developers. That's why there are dozens of Linux distributions, and two desktop Linux environments.

The Linux Standard Base project is helping the world deal with the abundance of distributions by creating a standard "base" that all distributions build on top of. Now the Portland project takes away the barrier between the KDE and Gnome desktop environments.

The project takes away one hurdle, but there are plenty of hurdles left. Printing and multi media for instance require lots of attention, a panel discussion today here at LinuxWorld in Boston pointed out.

Windows Vista could help, because companies switching desktop operating systems might just as well switch to Linux instead of Windows. But then again, the same was said when Microsoft came out with Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Linux on the desktop has been successful in developing nations where cost is more of a factor. But in the US and Europe, enterprises and consumers aren't jumping on board.

Tags: linuxworld, linux, Gnome, KDE, desktop linux, Linux World, lwe