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Tomw Communications Pty Ltd - Media Release

Microsoft Windows to disappear within two years - Says Cyber Sooth Sayer

Monday, 15 May 2000, Melbourne - Tom Worthington, Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University and IT author, says Microsoft Windows is likely disappear within two years, killed off by the Linux operating system. Worthington was giving a presentation at the IIM 2000 Global Informa>tion in the 21st Century Conference in Melbourne, 15th May.

Worthington said:

"We are about to see the Linux hype reach the financial and business community. Just as the Internet went from being an academic toy to a hot commercial property, so is Linux. This will be partly fueled by the idea that Linux is "free", which is appealing to the public (who like to get things for free) and to commerce (who like to sell things they get for free). The reality is that Linux is now ready for use by large organisations who have staff to install and support it. Linux isn't quite ready for the small business or home user. In 1996 I believed that Linux would coexist with Microsoft Windows and IBM OS/2. Since then OS/2 has disappeared. If the easy to install Linuxes come out this year and actually work, then Microsoft Windows is likely disappear within two years.The Australian National University has built a Linux supercomputer from 192 PCs, which out performs commercial units."

In "Electronic Futures in the 21st Century: An Unreliable Guide" Tom Worthington took the delegates on a ten year journey from 1996 to the present to look at what has been achieved with the Internet and then to 2005, to see what is possible. Presenting a sceptical view of claims for e-commerce, the former Defence Department IT adviser argues that on-line sales represent only one small aspect of commerce and other aspects of on-line business need to be addressed for the digital economy of the 21st century. Worthington used examples from his book "Net Traveller", published in 1999 and available on the Internet.

You can read the presentation on the web at: http://www.tomw.net.au/2000/iim2000.html

Actually an IT expert, rather than an industry sooth sayer, Worthington presented some of the latest work from the university and research sector on IT and Internet. He is a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the Australian National University. Tom is an electronic business consultant, author and information technology professional, with 17 years experience in information technology, including nine years on high level IT policy and five in Internet applications. He was the first Web Master for the Australian Department of Defence. In 1999 he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society for his contribution to the development of public Internet policy.

ENDS

Tom Worthington will be the guest speaker at the free Victorian eCommerce Network meeting on Wednesday 17th May 5.30pm -7pm at the Mercure Hotel, 13 Spring St Melbourne. on his work as a consultant to the Australian government's Internet Payments Panel: http://about.business.gov.au/ipp/ipga.html
For details e-mail: mail@vecn.org

This media release is available on the web at: http://www.tomw.net.au/media/20000515.html

Media Enquires:

Tom Worthington FACS, Email: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Tel: 0419 496 150

TomW Communications Pty Ltd, PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia
E-mail: tomw.communications@tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150 A.C.N. 088 714 309

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