Could a wily little penguin disrupt Microsoft's desktop empire?
The Linux operating system, symbolized by a penguin, is making impressive inroads outside the United States. Government agencies in Europe, China, India and South America have started to encourage Linux over proprietary software because it provides cost savings, freedom from reliance on a single vendor and flexibility.
Overseas, systems installed with Linux are selling. Hewlett-Packard offers PCs bundled with Turbolinux at stores in China. It also sells PCs installed with Linux in stores in German-speaking parts of Europe.
Also in China, Sun Microsystems' StarOffice Office Suite, which runs on Windows and Linux, is gaining in popularity.