Ever since the invention of Linux and the appearance of open
source, potential uses for the software have fallen into three
broad categories: server, embedded, and desktop. With the
widespread success of Linux in both the server room and on
devices such as the Nokia 770, Zaurus, and Motorola phones, the
desktop is the last remaining battlefield. Though many deem its
success as inevitable, what is the Linux desktop, why should we
use it, and why on earth should you care? The story of the Linux
desktop began many moons before Linux itself was invented. Back
in the early '80s, the efforts by Richard Stallman to create
free implementations of Unix applications under his GNU project
were largely intended for rather mundane but important tools
such as compilers, editors, and languages. At the time, most
people did not use a graphical interface; they were simply too
expensive. In 1984, boffins at MIT invented the X Window System,
a framework for drawing graphics on different types of computer.
Released later in 1987