In your opinion is Ubuntu a serious rival for OSX and the upcoming Windows Vista?

[ThirdWorld]

Most Mac OSX and Windows XP users that i know dismiss Ubuntu as a "nice little distro" not a serious contender for windows.
What do you think? Can it compete with these operating systems?

[etc]

Right now I can't say. For most users the Vista GUI will win them over with the eyecandy (worked with me with WinXP ). The fact all of their windows apps will work with the new windows and not with Ubuntu is a huge factor.
The only people who will actually think of switching are the ones who are already wary of their current windows systems, or the techy people who think that Vista will be a bust, or are looking for a change.

[quietglow]

I maintain a whole slew of OSX laptops and desktops at work, have the last TP G4 desktops in my office, and have been a macolyte for years. I prefer Ubuntu myself and recently sold all my mac hardware. I suppose the "why" of it all ought to be another thread, but lets just say I still use a Newton and the guy who axed the program is still in charge and doin' stuff that gets on my nerves. Course he is the CEO and all...

[xequence]

OSX will be good as always, and so will ubuntu.

Vista will be the same old thing, with a changed taskbar colour, and a load of DRM. Simply put, when people find they wont be able to do alot of things because of DRM theyll look around at OSX. Theyll google for "free OSX" and forget the X, and linux will come up. They'll go to a linux forum and see someone say ubuntu is good, download it, try it, like it, and live a DRM free life. The end.

[BWF89]

Ubuntu is a rival for Windows Vista but I don't see it as directly competeing with Apple's OS10.

The people that use Macintosh computers are the people that want to have something easy to use and productive. They like the idea that the programs are specially designed to run on 1 type of hardware. So while I see as it competeing with Windows Vista I dont see it in the same market as Mac.

[endersshadow]

With the continued and growing support of Breezy for everything, and Automatix by arnieboy, which, in my opinion, should be loaded by default in Ubuntu because it is an amazing little script for so many people, Ubuntu is a serious contender. The fact that it just works "out of the box" is great for many users. However, people are afraid of Linux, and it still has a "geek" reputation, so it won't have any real dent in the market in the foreseeable future. But, is it as good or better of an OS for an average user than Mac OSX and Windows Vista? I'd say yes.

[az]

Out of those three, Ubuntu is the only non-proprietary one.

[jessecurry]

I don't think that Ubuntu is a serious competitor with Mac OS, nor do I think that it will be for quite some time.
I do, however, think that Ubuntu is a better distribution that Windows Vista, or at least what I've seen of it. I think that Windows is hopelessly behind, in order for MS to catch up they'd have to start right now with a totally new OS and not use any old code... at least none of their old code, their software development practices have crippled their OS until they totally start fresh.

[xequence]

Out of those three, Ubuntu is the only non-proprietary one.

But that doesent matter to most people. To most people, if it comes with their computer and lets them go on the internet and use IM its fine for them.

Yes, open source makes for much more efficient developing, though it really doesent matter to windows users.

[qalimas]

I answer with a new question. Do you think OSX and the upcoming windows Vista are good enough to compete with Ubuntu?