But my feeling is, and has always been that Linux itself is a Killer App. Or, to be more exact, a Killer OS, in the sense that it offers so much flexibility to the end user. It gives the user full control over their computer. And depending on your skill level, that can be a good thing or a bad thing...

If you are on this website reading this article, you probably know enough to determine what you want to do with your computer without any outside help. But the average Joe Mousemover may not have that knowledge. He may need prompting.

With Linux, no one is there to prompt him, or to suggest what he might want to do with his computer. But with Windows, you start up IE for the first time, and you get directed to MSN. Hmmm, maybe he will subscribe... Start up Media Player, and you get ads from Microsoft partners. Hmmm, maybe he wants to buy a CD.

I don't want to start a flamewar, but I hope my point is being made... Windows will walk the semi- and non-skilled user through things, and prompt and suggest things for them to do, etc. Linux will not. In order to reach the desktop user, Linux must learn to do lots of handholding and suggesting. Once that happens, and it stays free and open, Linux will be the Killer OS.