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128 Chapter 4 Hardware, Software, and Mobile Systems

Linux is a version of Unix that was developed by the open source community. This commu-
nity is a loosely coupled group of programmers who mostly volunteer their time to contribute
code to develop and maintain Linux. The open source community owns Linux, and there is no
fee to use it. Linux can run on client computers, but usually only when budget is of paramount
concern. By far, Linux is most popular as a server OS. According to DistroWatch.com the top
five most popular versions of Linux as of 2014 were Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Debian GNU/Linux,
Mageia, and Fedora. 21

Mobile Client Operating Systems

Figure 4-10 also lists the five principal mobile operating systems. Symbian is popular on
phones in Europe and the Far East, but less so in North America. BlackBerry OS was one of the
most successful early mobile operating systems and was used primarily by business users on
BlackBerry devices. It has lost market share to iOS, Android, and Windows 8.
iOS is the operating system used on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. When first released,
it broke new ground with its ease of use and compelling display, features that are now being
copied by the BlackBerry OS and Android. With the popularity of the iPhone and iPad, Apple
has been increasing its market share of iOS, and according to Net Applications, it is used on 59
22
percent of mobile devices. The current version of iOS is iOS 7.
Android is a mobile operating system licensed by Google. Android devices have a very loyal
following, especially among technical users. Net Applications estimates Android’s market share
to be nearly 25 percent.
Most industry observers would agree that Apple has led the way, both with the Mac OS and
the iOS, in creating easy-to-use interfaces. Certainly, many innovative ideas have first appeared
in a Macintosh or iSomething and then later were added, in one form or another, to Android
and Windows.
Windows RT is a version of Windows designed for use on ARM devices. ARM is a computer
architecture and instruction set that is designed for portable devices such as phones and tablets.
Windows RT is a version of Windows 8 that is specifically designed to provide a touch-based
interface for devices that use this architecture. As of August, 2014 Windows RT appears to be
a flop. Instead, users who wish to use Windows 8 on mobile devices seem to be choosing full
Windows 8 on a Surface Pro device. Windows 8 phone sales have a miniscule market share.
The smartphone market has always been huge, but recently, e-book readers and tablets
have substantially increased the market for mobile client operating systems. As of June 2013,
one in three Americans owned at least one of these devices. 23

Server Operating Systems

The last three rows of Figure 4-10 show the three most popular server operating systems. Windows
Server is a version of Windows that has been specially designed and configured for server use. It
has much more stringent and restrictive security features than other versions of Windows and is
popular on servers in organizations that have made a strong commitment to Microsoft.
Unix can also be used on servers, but it is gradually being replaced by Linux.
Linux is frequently used on servers by organizations that want, for whatever reason, to
avoid a server commitment to Microsoft. IBM is the primary proponent of Linux and in the past
has used it as a means to better compete against Microsoft. Although IBM does not own Linux,
IBM has developed many business systems solutions that use Linux. By using Linux, neither
IBM nor its customers have to pay a license fee to Microsoft.

21 DistroWatch.com, accessed May 15, 2014, www.distrowatch.com.
22 “Net Applications,” accessed July 15, 2013, www.netapplications.com.
23 Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, “A Third of American Adults Now Own Tablet Computers,” accessed August 2013,
www.zdnet.com/a-third-of-american-adults-now-own-tablet-computers-7000016867/.