Japan and Linux
 

How is Linux considered in the Japanese public?

I'm hearing a growing number of criticisms against Microsoft Windows all around the world.

Japan is probably the future hotspot of Linux adoption, methinks.

What do you guys think? Japan and Linux mix together in harmony?

Every time I encountered a computer in Japan it was a Mac... but that could of just been a coincidence.

my very personal opinion in the matter is that linux is not as common as in especially europe. if u for instance take the lately introduced netbooks, where many have linux as OS in europe, very few have linux as OS here in japan. i am actually myself looking for a cheap linux netbook.

why? good question, perhaps open source or similar products are not that common here in japan, for instance FF or open office. microsoft is unfortunately big here. then again, perhaps someone else thinks differently.

I don't think Linux will ever take over Windows. The majority of home users simply want something VERY easy to use. And linux, no matter how easy they keep making it for the users, it's still not as user friendly as windows.

For businesses, it depends. I seem to notice that the only people that use linux are developers and researchers. For anything design, it's obviously Mac. And everything else it's Windows.

So, I think in Japan, the only places you'll probably find linux being used on a regular places is researchers (university mainly) and some programmers or developers. I doubt it'll be that popular among home users (there is no need for it to be, windows does everything an average home users needs it to do)!

In general, it`s viewed as a server OS, and not really for home users...

Mac doesn`t have that large of a market share, really - I doubt it`s any different than the share outside Japan.

Being user friendly isn't a problem for some linux based operating systems.
It's more like Microsoft is one great empire while Linux is a country where neighbouring tribes fight with each other. Therefore developing one OS that could be commonly used is a hassle.

As much as I love your metaphor, lol, I don't agree with your user friendliness thing. As soon as it gets to anything that isn't included in the overall linux package, it becomes a huge hassle. For someone (this is the majority of people) that is used to putting a CD into his machine and then pressing Next, Next and Install, Linux is a nightmare.

I have to use linux because of uni. But, if I never had to use it, I know I wouldn't be touching linux even though all my brothers always go on about it.

And some Japanese company is one of the biggest contributors of Linux. Access Co. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

China has the Loongson processors (based originally on MIPS) that uses Linux, notably Red Flag Linux.

Seems to me that Asia will have a Linux boom in this economically-constrained future.