The Linux Collaboration Summit, which is taking place this week in San Francisco, provides participants with an environment for discussion and education. The event, which is hosted by the Linux Foundation and is accessible by invitation only, consists of presentations and discussion panels about numerous social, technical, and economic issues that relate to Linux and open source software development. The first day of the event delivered an edifying experience and a unique window into the views of prominent members of the Linux community.
In a keynote on Wednesday morning, Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin discussed some opportunities for the Linux platform and some areas where the community can come together to overcome challenges and mitigate risks. He spoke about the implications of Linux's phenomenal growth rate and heightened potential for adoption in the current economic climate. He describes Linux as the "fastest growing platform in every aspect of computing," and asserts that the operating system's adoption rate is advancing two to three times faster than any other platform.
Zemlin says that the economic downturn is forcing companies to consolidate their technical infrastructure, and Linux—which works in a broader number of contexts than its competitors and can be adopted at potentially lower costs—is gaining ground as a consequence of this trend. This view seems to be supported by IDC analyst Al Gillen, who also spoke at the event. Gillen recently published a new study (PDF) which predicts that the Linux operating system will withstand the recession better than other platforms and emerge stronger than its commercial competitors, potentially positioning it better to become the long-term winner in the operating system market. (The study, which is funded by the Linux Foundation, includes some insightful analysis, but should—like any analyst report commissioned at the behest of a corporation—be read with its funding source in mind).