Johannesburg — EFFORTS to boost the popularity of open source software with the average computer user saw the Shuttleworth Foundation hosting Install-Fests in Cape Town last weekend.

The events were run in partnership with the Cape Linux Users' Group and Schools Linux Users' Group, which exist to promote the most popular open source program, the Linux operating system.

Installation events were held at the University of Cape Town and the MTN Science Centre at Canal Walk. People were invited to take their computers along and have Linux installed with the help of a professional, so they could test the software without worrying about installation procedures.

"Many people have heard of open source software and are really eager to try it, but are intimidated by the installation procedure and threat of data loss," said Thomas Black, the Shuttleworth Foundation's open source program manager.

"By hosting events like these we want to provide an opportunity for people to have open source software safely installed on their computers, allowing them to witness the power and freedom associated with it."

Meanwhile, Gartner analysts have come out with research saying that Linux on the desktop is not a costeffective alternative for most companies expecting to save money by switching from brand-name software.

Linux has been shown to save money when used to run servers, but it may not achieve savings when used on the desktop instead of the Windows operating system, Gartner says.

Many servers are dedicated to running a single application, and it has been relatively easy to introduce Linux there, says Gartner vice-president David Smith. Desktop PCs are significantly different as people use them to run many applications. That made the migration costs very high if several applications had to be replaced.

He says firms thinking of switching should assess the current cost of ownership and compare it with Linux's expected total cost of ownership.