Depending on the industry and where a business is in its growth, there is an increasing number of applications that are going the way of web-based access (which are generally not OS dependent). However, centralized administration and enterprise-level scalability with ease of administration are critically important aspects, all of in which Microsoft excels (and no one else compares. And, even when not considering these factors, some industries line of business applications only exist as Windows applications (in example, think dental software).

When it comes to these things, Microsoft wins. No one comes close to matching up. That is simply the fact. However, when it comes to deep back-end implementations (storage, databases, networking, SIEM, backup appliances, and other) Linux-based systems have significant enough advantages to win over a Windows-based system. This isn't always the case but from what I have seen this is applicable to most cases. Microsoft is trying to regain some territory in this area with the advent of Windows Server 2019 through new and some improved datacenter-centric features and functions.

If Linux wants to win the Desktop, Linux will have to win in business first. Linux already has a place in the server arena, but to win it all Linux will have to put on a marketing hat, improve its productizationability, and get vendors to support Linux (good luck with that - it isn't cost effective for all but for applications in the enterprise-class that are mission critical, and most businesses are nowhere near being 'enterprise-class'). In addition to vendors, Linux is going to have to step out of the primitive free-for-all anti-communism mentality and pick up game with lucrative, powerful, easy to administer and manage, centralized feature and functionality sets on a level high enough to give Active Directory & Gang a run for the money. This kind of thing is not going to be free (it is impossible to support these kind of feature sets for free without any form of continued active development and enterprise-level support). You're going to have to bring in these "big brother" features that all the fear mongerers in the Linux community despise.

This is an article I posted years ago but is still relevant (and I have taken liberty to link to the The Daily Beast article as well). Thought I would drop this here:

URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/...
Title: [AMA Request] Moderators of the Internet whose job is to filter out illicit image uploads such as pedophilia, pornography & grotesque images

Behind Facebook, Google, Flickr, ImageShack, Thumblr, Instagram and many other well known companies offering hosting for photos is someone who has the sole responsibility of going through and moderating image uploads to filter out pedophilia, [illegal] pornography, disturbing & grotesque images, sacrificing their physiological health for the sake of many. I am sure most people even here on the internet even at a place like reddit probably never know much more than the fact that there has got to be someone doing it as algorithms and computers do have their limits. Without a doubt, a job like this most certainly must have an emotional, mental, pyschological, and social cost. There are many possible questions to ask such a person about their own lives and their job.

Below are my questions. I will add more as people contribute questions.

1. [2013/11/24 @ 0139, -6 GMT] What is your official job title?

2. How many friends do you have? Do you find it difficult to be "normal" around them? Do they know what you do for your job? How do they support you (or not)?

3. Same questions as in #2, but in regards to your immediate family rather than your friends

4. Is your job temporary/part-time/consultant-type, or official employee working full time? What kind of benefits and perks do you receive?

5. Are there any rules or regulations that are in place by the company for the sake of people who take this job position due to the nature of the job?

6. How much time do you spend rejecting/approving images? Does the system you use for performing your job show you 'all images without bias' or only show you images that algorithms picked up as possibly illicit? How often do you take breaks (or are required to)?

7. Are you required to perform any other activities or job functions beyond this (perhaps as a way of therapy)?

8. How do you get paid? How much do they pay you? Do you think they pay enough? (especially due to possible long-term consequences)

9. Maybe I have already asked this, but how do you cope with the things you have seen to keep yourself sane, normal, and contained?

10. What does it feel like emotionally and mentally? What kinds of thoughts run through your head on the job, on break, outside of job at home, amongst friends and family, etcetera?

11. If you have already moved on to another job at a different company of different functions, is this something you put down on your resume or told them about that you did as your previous job?

12. Do you feel paranoid? Do you feel like someone is watching you / someone that might be trying to corner and flag you a pedophile/pervert/sick person?

13. How did you find this job?

14. [2013/11/25 @ 1234, -6 GMT] Why did you choose this job? Did you know fully well what you were going to be doing?

15. Are married and do you have children? How do you feel around your children? How does your job affect you in this part of your life?

16. How long have you been doing this job (or have you done this for in the past)?

17. [2013/11/29 @ 0006, -6 GMT] What would you say the character/personality traits/type a person would need to have and be to make them more qualified and capable for this job than other people (possibly applying for the same job, or just in general)?

Relevant links for curious minds to get some thoughts started while waiting for someone who has done this job or presently is performing this job to pick up this AMA Request:

* The Real Story Behind Facebook Moderation and Your Petty Reports

* The Worst Job In the Digital World

* The Worst Job At Google: a Year of Watching Terrible Things On the Internet

* Coping with the internet’s worst job

* Concern for Those Who Screen the Web for Barbarity

* 5/31/2016: Facebook Spares Humans By Fighting Offensive Photos With AI

* 6/22/2016: Jason Porath - The Rise (and Forward Thrust) of the Digital Vasectomy - Mindshare 50 (NSFW) (talks about subject around 11:40)

* 1/11/2017: Microsoft Anti-Porn Workers Sue Over PTSD

point it at the moon

Actually I would look at it from the other end of the spectrum. Real cash at stake? :D Sounds like "$$$ profit!" for some companies to me ;) By design? I don't know *tinfoilhat*

Been to Auch, FR, coffee there is exceptionally better than the coffee in the States.

plottwist: the man secretly works for the NSA and this is all really part of the plan as per psychological and historical applications of strategies to further come close in achieving primary objectives.

Please share more details. I am curious in knowing about this "freeze RAM sticks" -- the part about freezing. This is new to me, I want to know what it is and how it is done! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZtX32sKVE

Wait, hold on. While I agree with much of your post, I doubt janitors will need a PhD. After all, if you don't give me the job I'm not going to clean your building.

Where do public schools fit into this picture?

Does this finally mean that there will eventually be complete Active Directory integration or something similar of a sort? Having a centralized way to manage Firefox clients would be brilliant.