The Linux desktop is experiencing its death toll because of its inability to provide open source drivers and applications that provide the performance of those that are available for both the PC and the Mac.

Even thought the newer Linux desktops like Ubuntu and Xandros provide excellent security and stability, they are woefully lacking in decent applications and the necessary drivers to provide the content that today’s users demand.

Linux has lost the opportunity to become a viable desktop operating system because of several serious problems such as:

• The very fragmented nature of open source development.
• The lack of compensation to developers to spend months, if not years, developing commercial quality applications.
• The lack of driver research and development platforms to provide existing applications with the advanced features that computer users expect.
• The almost religious ideology of the open source community.

Today’s desktop and laptop users expect their computers to:

• Effortlessly stream video and audio
• Provide excellent DVD playback
• Be able to connect to HD television sets and other media center hardware

Considering that our phones can do all of these things, these expectations are reasonable.

According to longtime Linux developer Jeff Whatcott, senior vice president of marketing for Brightcove, a company that specializes in online video streaming, “Despite the hard work of a team of engineers “that loved Linux,” the fragmentation of the Linux platform and the hurdles presented by only “alpha-quality” drivers for audio and video hardware have made success elusive for our Flash development team’s dream of bringing high quality video streaming to the Linux deszktop.”

So, Linux fan boys, go bury you’re your desktop aspirations because Tux just can’t cut it.