But every time people in the Linux community receive a push for artwork of a better quality, along come people who simply think this way, that your desktop is "just a tool."

The GNU/Linux desktop can deliver a very mixed experience to the user: On one hand, you have very functional desktop environments, such as GNOME or KDE, with state-of-the-art features, capabilities, graphical effects, eye-candy and wizbang-ery (Compiz).

Desktop Linux has floundered for three main reasons: too few applications, limited desktop hardware compatibility, and too few tools (not to mention skilled people) to manage a boatload of Linux desktop systems.

Desktop Linux has floundered for three main reasons: too few applications, limited desktop hardware compatibility, and too few tools (not to mention skilled people) to manage a boatload of Linux desktop systems.

I've been hearing the phrase "This is the year of the Linux desktop" for 10 years. For me, it's been a true statement for each of those years, because GNU/Linux has been my primary desktop operating system since 1997. But for most people around the world, this is the year of the the Windows desktop, same as it was last year and the year before.

Asustek, the company behind the popular Xandros Linux-powered Asus Eee PC 4G ultramobile PC, knows it's got something good going on, and so it's going to push its Linux desktop PCs for all it's worth. In 2008, Asustek will be releasing an entire line of Linux-powered PCs: the E-DT (desktop PC), E-TV and E-Monitor.

Many Linux enthusiast are despairing of the low uptake of desktop Linux and its poor availability in high street shops. This is especially frustrating because most of the people using desktop Linux would consider it to be a superior solution to the Windows based machines on offer (and it probably is). I think I have fingered one of the causes for this problem though: desktop Linux needs salesmen!

When it comes to desktop publishing, a lot of people might think of big organizations producing newsletters, or your local boy scouts producing a fund raising flier. But the average person out there might not see where any kind of desktop publishing is really needed. Honestly, if you really look deeply, you might be surprised. There are a lot of great uses for desktop publishing.

Umm...I don't think the Linux desktop faces any real threat from a group of developers advocating for change. I'm not sure a group of Mac fans could possibly do the Linux desktop more harm than it has done to itself. The Linux desktop is already in serious jeopardy, and it has nothing to do with which developer kit people use to build it, or changes to Gtk+. Miguel de Icaza disagrees: