Don Marti

Sun 17 Apr 2005 08:33:52 PM PDT

(late) predictions for 2004

At least one government free software mandate passes somewhere in the world, along with several preference bills. In an effort not to provoke any more, the Business Software Alliance does no high-profile audits all year.

An election-year anti-spam frenzy results in the arrests of several "Joe Job" victims, along with at least one high-volume US-based spammer.

Linux desktop TCO is impressive because sysadmins use the change of OS as cover for rolling out stricter policies on unauthorized user-installed software. Users, bored by lack of games, covert music trading, and instant messenger chatter, start going home at a sensible time, reducing help desk calls.

The Linux community, posting as 9indaddy43 on finance.yahoo.com, forever destroys the prospects of Linux as an enterprise OS when it refers to flackalyst Rob Enderle and forbes.com staffer Daniel Lyons as "a couple of ass clowns."

GNOME further simplfies the user interface and outscores all alternatives in a highly scientific study. However, the "enterprise" distributions of Linux give up most of the productivity gains by renaming the "Click Here, Asshole" default in dialog boxes.

Michael Robertson triumphs in his legal battle over the LindowsOS name, and invalidates Microsoft's "Windows" trademark. As soon as the publicity dies down he promptly changes the name to "Micki Mäus OS".