Open source takes advantage of abandoned hardware

Of the popular desktop operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, and Linux), Windows has a commanding lead. Mac OS is a distant second, and Linux -- on the desktop -- is a far distant third. Yet Linux has one advantage over Windows and Mac OS.

This advantage was made real to me when I dusted off an old 2006-era MacBook. It is in good condition, and due to Apple's design, still serviceable. Yet it ran Mac OSX 10.4 "Tiger", an operating system that Apple abandoned several years ago. Not only has Apple abandoned the operating system, they have abandoned the hardware. (The good folks at Apple would much prefer that one purchase a new device with a new operating system. That makes sense, as Apple is the in the business of selling hardware.)

Microsoft is not in the business of selling hardware (keyboards and Surface tablets are a very small part of their business) yet they also abandon operating systems and hardware. An old Dell desktop PC, sitting in the corner, runs Windows XP and cannot upgrade to a later system. Microsoft has determined that the processor, memory, and disk combination is not worthy of a later version.

So I have an Apple MacBook that I cannot upgrade to a later version of Mac OS X and a desktop PC that I cannot upgrade to a later version of Windows. While the MacBook was able to run a later version of Mac OS X, those versions are not available. The current version ("Yosemite") won't run on it. The desktop PC is "maxed out" at Windows XP.

Here is where open source has a foothold. Apple will not supply an operating system for the MacBook -- not even the original version anymore. Microsoft
will not supply and operating system for the old Dell desktop PC -- not even the original version. Yet Linux can run on both machines.

I have, in fact, replaced Mac OS X on the MacBook with Ubuntu Linux. I'm using the new combination to type this post, and it works.

Many people may casually discard old computers. Other folks, though, may revive those computers with open source software. Over time, the market share of Linux will grow, if only because Apple and Microsoft have walked away from the old hardware.