Joe Panettieri_

Apple's Next Boost: Tech Data Corp Offering Macs Preloaded With Windows

I want to be clear here: Although I am on Mac OS full-time I do realize that 85 to 90 percent of the market or so will continue to prefer Windows. But that's ok. I'm just thrilled that there's a 10 to 15 percent alternative and there's real customer choice in the market for the first time in more than a decade. I addition to Mac OS, I plan to be running Ubuntu Linux on my Dell PCs at home sometime this summer. And, sometime after Vista Service Pack 1 arrives, I will give that a try.

But the key point here: Apple is no longer a tiny niche solution. It's at 5 percent market share and growing on the desktop. With a little luck -- and some help from Apple, Dell, HP, Tech Data, etc. -- we'll see Apple Mac OS and Linux combine for 15 percent desktop market share in the US within a year or two. Mark my words.