IBM and Hewlett-Packard garnered billions of dollars in revenue from Linux-related products in 2002, the companies said this week. HP said Tuesday that it had $2 billion in Linux-related revenue in 2002. Wednesday, the opening day of the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in New York, IBM said it had raked in $1.5 billion in Linux-related revenue.

The figures highlight the fact that although Linux can be obtained for free, there is money to be made from the operating system. IBM and HP both sell servers running Linux as well as software and services.

Read more: CNet News.

I think the claims that Linux will become the number 2 user OS, overtaking Mac OS in the comming year will be true.

I concur.

Mac OS will remain its portion, but unlikely to expand. due to its limitations and costs of the Apple computers.

Linux is more flexible than Mac OS.

HP and IBM using Linux cut costs in their servers. and server admins aren't point-n-click desktop users.

on desktop, it is getting better. but over taking windows or not, you have to think what a newbie home user wants.

Oh I doubt that Linux is going to undertake Windows any time soon.