Introduction to Linux

Class 3 : Who uses Linux, really?

by Scott Morris
Last time, we discussed many of the major reasons that people enjoy Linux. It is truly a solid
operating system with a lot to offer. That's great, but who are the people using it? Is it just a
bunch of geeky tech types playing around with it as a hobby? r are there real companies in
the real world that use it in production en!ironments?
Who on Earth is using Linux?
The explosi!e growth of the Linux operating system has literally taken the world by storm and
by surprise. "ith the many migrations to Linux, my interest was pi#ued. I wanted to del!e into
the details of who was actually switching. Is all of the excitement just from the no!elty of a few
groups switching o!er? r is all the excitement coming from migration after migration of many
different organi$ations? %re that many people really making the switch?
&o I hit the trail, hoping to create some kind of order out of the chaos. 'or se!eral months, I
searched out rele!ant articles outlining migrations to Linux. "hen it was finally finished, I
compiled it all here.
%fter some extensi!e research, I unco!ered some fascinating trends in Linux migration. (heck
out this impressi!e list of companies, organi$ations, and other entities who ha!e switched o!er
to Linux)
U.S. Military orces
*.&. %rmy
"ind +i!er wins ,oeing deal with %rmy
Linux headed into ,oeing antisub aircraft
-ew ,attlefield +obots .Listen. for /nemy 'ire *se Linux
%rmy leans toward Linux for '(&
Linux helps +T& !endor win major defense contract
Linux in (amouflage
Lynux"orks) % case study in combat0ready Linux
*.&. -a!y
Linux in 1o!ernment) && in the *& -a!y?
2owerful Linux &0based &1I system to ser!e as *.&. military computing
prototype
*.&. %ir 'orce and 3arine (orps
Linux getting widespread support from go!ernment
The 2enguin (ontinues Its 3arch
*.&. %ir 'orce and %rmy 0 Linux clusters gear up for simulated combat
*.&. 4epartment of 4efense 0 I,3 To ,uild &upercomputer for *& 3ilitary
2entagon 5 4epartment of 4efense 0 ' %+3& %-4 LI-*6
%rmy -ational 1uard 0 %rmy -ational 1uard *sing Linux
%utonomous 3ilitary 1round 7ehicle
Linux powers autonomous military ground !ehicle
(ommercial Linux to power military drone
*.&. 3ilitary 0 *& 3ilitary Testing I,3 &peech Translation Technology
!o"ern#ents World$ide Using Linux
*.&. 1o!ernment 0 &1I and 'ed (entric &ecure *.&. 1o!ernment rder for 3assi!e,
(ost0/fficient /nterprise (omputing &ystem
*nited 8ingdom
*8 go!ernment report gi!es nod to open source
*.8. looking to Linux with help from I,3
*8 eyes Linux desktop for go!ernment agencies with I,3 pilot program
pen &ource ready for prime time in *8.go!, says 1(
&wit$erland 0 &wiss go!ernment switches 9,::: systems to Linux
;apan 0 ;apan 3o!es to %dopt Linux for 1o!ernment
-orway
-orway reports additional benefits from mo!e to Linux
Linux ensnares another /uropean city
Israel
Israel &uspends %c#uisitions f 3icrosoft &oftware
Israeli 1o!ernment &nubs 3icrosoft
(hina
(hinese Linux 4e!eloper ;oins pen0&ource 1roup
%sian Linux companies join forces to ad!ance 4ebian Linux
+ed 'lag joins &4L's dri!e for Linux in (hina
&pain
Linux brings hope to &pain's poorest region
Linux in &pain
/urope's 3icrosoft %lternati!e
%ustralia
Labor backs open source software for e0go!ernment projects
7ictoria 2artnership for %cademic (omputing chooses Linux
&outh 8orean 1o!ernment
8orea launches a switch to open source
&outh 8orean go!t goes open source
8oreans plan giant open0source project
Linux gets a lo!e letter from &outh 8orea
&outh 8orea mo!es <,=:: public desktops to Linux
,ra$ilian 1o!ernment
,ra$il lo!es Linux 0 true
pen source) ,ra$il shies away from +edmond
,ra$il to go open source
I,3 takes Linux consulting to ,ra$il
,ra$il 1i!es -od to pen &ource
,ra$il .just says '-o>'. to 3icrosoft
,ra$il trains go!ernment sector on Linux
7ene$uelan 1o!ernment
7ene$uela's 1o!ernment &hifts to pen &ource &oftware
2ublic administration will use free software
7ene$uela /mbraces Linux and pen &ource &oftware, but 'aces (hallenges
Italy
Italians re!olt against 3icrosoft supremacy
Italy and pen &ource &oftware
Indonesia 0 Indonesia adopts ;4& on Linux as a national desktop
4utch 1o!ernment
4utch go!t ends exclusi!e 3& upgrade talks
Large 4anish public sector IT pro!ider supports open standards
India
India leader ad!ocates open source
%cer launches Linux desktop
Linux 'inishes &econd %mong racle 4e!elopers
Linux makes inroads into India
,anking n Linux, Literally) I4,I ,ank
Taiwan
Taiwan opens door to open source
Taiwan promotes open0source software
+ussian 1o!ernment
I,3 ?elps the *8 and +ussian 1o!ernments %dopt Linux
I,3 %nd +ussian 3inistry To 2romote Linux %doption
To +ussia, with Linux
3exico (ity
3exico (ity &ays ?ola to Linux
In 3exico, -et -ot a 2riority
2eru!ian (ongressman 0 /nding 3icrosoft '*4) %n Inter!iew with 2eru!ian
(ongressman 7illanue!a
&ingapore
Linux sa!es &ingapore's national library 9:@ o!er "indows A::9
&ingapore housing sa!es money with Linux
(alifornia 0 (alifornia considers open0source shift
3ississippi 0 3ississippi deal a landmark for Linux in go!ernment
(hicago, IL 0 (ity f (hicago 3igrates To +ed ?at /nterprise Linux
%ustin, T6 0 %ustin tests desktop Linux waters
,oston, 3% 0 2roprietary software00banned in ,oston?
1arden 1ro!e, (% 0 Linux 3eans ,usiness to the (ity of 1arden 1ro!e
Largo, 'L
Largo lo!es Linux more than e!er
(ity sa!es with Linux, thin clients
3inister of &cience and Technology in (osta +ica 0 /xcerpt from 3eeting with (osta
+ica's 3inister of &cience and Technology
London borough of -ewham, ,irmingham 0 ,irmingham (ity (ouncil claims open0source
success
'rench 2arliament 0 %u +e!oir) 'rench 2arliament 4rops 3icrosoft
7ienna, %ustria
7ienna to softly embrace Linux
7ienna to offer employees Linux desktops
3unich, 1ermany
Li3ux The 2enguin) 4eep into 3unich's Linux 'B&& migration
3unich breaks with "indows for Linux
3unich to stick with open source
1ermany0funded Linux software arri!ing
3unich expected to make mo!e to Linux official
-o!ell, ?2 team on Linux initiati!e for 1erman municipalities
%msterdam 0 %msterdam "ill 1i!e pen &ource a Try
8ardjali, ,ulgaria 0 ,ulgaria also goes 'ree and pen &ource in the city of 8ardjali
2ro!ince of 1enoa, Italy 0 1enoa launches pen &ource platform
2aris, 'rance
2aris eyes open0source switch
2aris may fa!our gradual switch from 3& to open source
&e!eral ther "orld 1o!ernments
1o!ernments push open0source software
1o!ernments !ote against 3icrosoft
The go!ernment open source dynamic
Linux 3aking 1ains In 1o!ernment 3arket C,oston 1lobeD
inancial Institutions Using Linux
Industrial and (ommercial ,ank of (hina
(hina's biggest bank makes switch to Linux
Turbolinux adopted by (hina's largest bank
(hina's ,iggest ,ank 3akes &witch to Linux
(hina's biggest bank makes switch to Linux
Linux in (hina) Turbolinux -ails ,ig (hinese ,ank
(hina's largest bank switches to Linux
(hina's biggest bank makes switch to Linux
Largest ,ank in (hina &witches 'rom &( *nix to Linux
(hina's biggest bank makes switch to Linux
T&, ,ank E-ew FealandG, ,anca (ommerciale Italiana EItalyG 0 3ore foreign banks
switching to Linux
Indian ,anks
,anking on Linux
,anking n Linux, Literally) I4,I ,ank
Linux a ,I1 hit in India
,anrisul ,ank E,ra$ilG 0 Linux nline Inter!iews
'rench bank &ociete 1enerale 0 &ociete 1enerale boosts risk management with Linux
switch
%llied Irish ,anks 0 Linux finds Irish banking champion
+oyal ,ank of &cotland 0 +oyal ,ank of &cotland opts for open source intranet
Co#%anies and Cor%orations
%ma$on.com 0 %ma$on sa!es millions with Linux switch
2ixar switches from &un to Intel
*.&. 2ostal &er!ice 0 Linux deli!ers for *.&. 2ostal &er!ice
+edmayne0,entley, *8 stock brokerage firm 0 *nisys pen &ource 3igration ?elps *8
,rokerage &treamline perations
Telstra, telecommunications giant in %ustralia 0 Telstra eyes Linux CiT-ews %ustraliaD
(ompanies in the 3iddle /ast 0 Linux operating system secures place on 3iddle /ast's
technology agenda
-TT 4o(o3o, ;apan's largest cellular carrier 0 ;apan's HI cellular carrier adopts Linux
for 91 phones
Lawson 0 I,3 sells IJ,::: Linux ser!ers to ;apanese chain
Tommy ?ilfiger 0 Tommy ?ilfiger (hooses I,3 and Linux for /0,usiness Infrastructure
Tra!elocity 0 Tra!elocity's flight to open systems
,&-L &elects Linux %s The 'oundation 'or Its 4istributed %rchitecture
,&-L &elects Linux %s The 'oundation 'or Its 4istributed %rchitecture
,&-L broadband using Linux
Indian +ailway (atering and Tourism 0 Indian +ailway (atering and Tourism (orporation
pts 'or racle /0,usiness &uite
,ritannia ,uilding &ociety E*8 3ortgate 'irmG 0 Linux migration sa!es money
1lobal clients of &un 3icrosystems 0 1lobal &un clients choose Linux
ther (ompanies "orldwide 0 Linux in emerging markets
Educational Institutions
*nited 'ederation of Teachers in -ew Kork 0 Teachers *nion Turns to pen &ource
Indiana 4epartment of /ducation 0 ?oosier 4addy? In Indiana &chools, It's Linux
(hinese &chools 0 (hina to install I<A,::: Linux 2(s in classrooms
&chools in the *.8.
pen &ource worthy of .serious consideration. by schools, *8 agency ad!ises
*8 tech specialist school pioneers open source switch
&outh %frican &chools
,ringing open source software to schools
Ten schools in (ape Town outfitted with A:: Linux0based 2(s
(hilean &chools
Linux gets warm reception in (hile
(hilean go!ernment mo!es to Linux in high schools
Italian &chools 0 Linux displaces A,<L: "indows 62 desktops in rural Italian schools
3acedonian &chools 0 3acedonia installs J,::: Linux 2(s in schools
3exican &chools 0 3exican &chools /mbrace Linux
&ther Migrations to Linux
-%&% 3icrogra!ity /xperiment 0 Linux ut of the +eal "orld
-%&% supercomputer 0 -%&%'s (olumbia &upercomputer Is "orld's 'astest
Library 0 Library system migrates from Linux 00 to more Linux
-ew &outh "ales 0 Linux powers nation's largest satellite network
/rnie ,all, the world's leading maker of premium guitar strings 0 +ockin' on without
3icrosoft
%rgentina
%rgentina cries out for Linux
%rgentina /mbraces the 2enguin
3alaysia 0 3alaysia) n the !erge of an open source re!olution?
1eneral %sian Interest 0 A::9) the year of %sian Linux
hio /n!ironmental 2rotection %gency 0 *nix maintenance costs spur hio /2%'s Linux
adoption
&outh %frican +e!enue &er!ice 0 &% tax man eyes desktop Linux
(apital (ardiology %ssociates' E((%G 0 4octor prescribes Linux for more reliable
networks, lower cost
2olish Linux 4istribution 0 2olish Linux
%frican (ontinent 0 %frica) The Linux (ontinent?
%frican 3edical 'ield 0 *sing *buntu Linux to sol!e &outh %frica's 3edical Issues
Conclusion
&ummarily, a great many are switching to Linux. +emember that the list of migrations pro!ided
abo!e is not comprehensi!e. %s a matter of fact, it would be #uite impossible to include them
all. /!en with this limited amount of research, it is ob!ious that there are some major players
making the mo!e. %nd it's not just a couple of small0time organi$ations, unless you consider the
*.&. 3ilitary small0time.
/!idently, se!eral banks ha!e switched to Linux, also. "hy would they make the switch to
Linux? They must trust in its security. % bank has a great deal to lose if its security is breached.
(ould it be that Linux is a great option? /!idence makes it sure appear to be, doesn't it?
Linux has a great deal to offer. It is a robust operating system used by major military and
go!ernmental organi$ations throughout the world. %t the same time, it is easy enough that my
grandmother could use it. %nd it is free. %nd it is rock0solid secure. Incredible, to say the least.
That about wraps it up for today's class. -ext time, we are going to look at how to try things out
a bit at a time. %nd you can do it without e!en ha!ing to install Linux. &ee you next class.
8ind +egards,
&cott 3orris
2.&. If you ha!en't already, take a look at my free ebook called .The /asiest Linux 1uide Kou'll
/!er +ead.. This book is a!ailable to you absolutely free from this page.
(opyright M A::= 3orris 2artners, LL( 0 %ll rights reser!ed.