Despite its evangelists, Linux's progress toward becoming a viable consumer OS has been slow. In contrast to the mature, powerful server-class variations, the Linux desktop platform hasn't found a foothold.

Yet significant advances have been made by the development community and organizations such as the GNOME Project ( and KDE (the K Desktop Environment, Vendors like, Xandros (, and Lycoris ( are pursuing an all-inclusive strategy—custom Linux distributions with one of these desktop environments. All three emphasize Windows compatibility and ease of use, with an eye toward mainstream adoption.

Desktop Linux faces challenges, however. Major roadblocks involve application availability, peripheral support, and standardized UIs. With no road map for the Linux community as a whole, realizing these goals will be tricky. What's worse, there's no apparent killer app for the Linux desktop.

Outfitted with plenty of small apps (most geared toward networking and software development), the mainstream distributions offer variety in the wrong place. The most significant productivity applications remain in Microsoft's court. Catching up is a monumental task, and developers and companies remain hesitant to develop for a platform with an uncertain adoption rate. It's a crippling chicken-or-egg problem.

A few ventures are taking a sensible approach to gaining access to Microsoft customers, however. CodeWeavers ( is one of the principal backers of the Wine project (an initiative to implement the Win32 API in Linux,; it also offers the CrossOver Office line of products, which let users run select Windows apps in Linux. and other open-source or Linux-based productivity suites can provide more refined filters for Microsoft Office products. This should accelerate the adoption and development of alternative apps.

The most significant problem, however, is peripheral driver support. Linux needs to emulate Windows XP's ability to allow peripheral attachment without quirky driver problems. Again, this is possible only if the software and peripheral developers support broad efforts for Linux and provide comprehensive hardware abstraction libraries.

None of these challenges are completely controlled by the community of Linux developers, but one important aspect is: a consistent user interface. This is one goal of the Linux Standard Base (LSB; LSB's mission is to promote standards to make Linux distributions more intercompatible and consistent, standardize application support, and make applications development more appealing for programmers.

Leading Linux player Sun Microsystems is also determined to close the gap between its loyal Solaris clientele and customers who are looking for an operating system that doesn't require the company's relatively expensive UltraSPARC hardware platform. Sun Java Desktop System, formerly known as Project Mad Hatter, is the answer—a Linux-based desktop that will incorporate familiar applications such as Ximian Evolution and a Mozilla-powered Web browser. Strategic relationships with Red Hat and SuSE will also broaden the Sun ONE product family, offering one-stop support and positioning Sun as a leading integrator in the server and desktop markets.