The Reason Why Linux is Not Used in a Corporate Environment More Often

Although it is abundantly clear that Linux is a dominant force in the world of cloud and supercomputer markets, and is also a key player when it comes to servers too, it is also fair to say that it doesn’t fare so well when it comes to persuading users to adopt its corporate desktop operating system.

Linux is very much part of the corporate landscape, and if you search business IT solutions Miami, for instance, you will find a good level of professional support and knowledge that you can rely on. But what is behind the low level of adoption of its corporate desktop operating system compared to its biggest rival, Microsoft?

Several key factors

There is not one definitive reason why Linux is not used extensively as a viable alternative to Microsoft’s offering.

You could argue that Microsoft Windows is a firmly established operating system and that it is entrenched in the minds of users as well as the devices that run using it. This is more a matter of dependency and familiarity rather than Windows being a superior product to Linux.

There is also a valid cost argument to consider. The cost of using Linux is typically higher than its rival Microsoft offering. But that is purely a monetary argument as opposed to being a direct comparison and concluding that one is better than the other.

As you can see, there are several key factors in play that tend to explain why Microsoft is more extensively used in a corporate environment than Linux.

Business-critical applications rely on Windows

Another critical factor that impacts Linux use is the fact that popular software suites such as Excel, and Access, do not work natively on Linux. There are alternative software versions available that help bridge the gap, such as LibreOffice, in particular, but they do not offer the seamless transition and compatibility that you would want.

It is also the case that there are certain industries and niche businesses that are almost exclusively the domain of Windows. Quite simply, the cost and hassle of rewriting applications in order to use Linux is viewed as off-putting. 

Ongoing training and employee costs

If your business does make the commercial decision to switch to Linux from Windows, there will be initial and ongoing costs to take into account.

Retraining existing employees to use a new interface and learn new workflow protocols can be costly and disruptive, certainly in the short term, at least. There is also the issue that although Linux is often available for free, it does require more specialized talent and experience of the system. A quick glance at jobs boards will confirm that skilled Linux administrators tend to frequently claim a higher salary level than someone with Windows experience only.

Although many of these reasons would seem to suggest that Linux is not as popular as Windows, there are definitely extenuating circumstances, and it is definitely not because it is an inferior alternative to Microsoft.

It is fair to say that Linux is often the preferred choice for users in certain specific roles, such as a data scientist, for example, so it really is a case of establishing which option works best for your business requirements, rather than assuming one is better than the other.