Q: Are you happy that Linux is used commercially primarily on servers? Would you rather see it be more of a mainstream desktop phenomenon? Obviously the two aren't mutually exclusive, but I'm curious which future you'd rather see.

Linus: Oh, I'd obviously like to see Linux more on the desktop too, but I take the long view, and I don't think it has to happen tomorrow. The reason Linux is strong on servers is that it is a much easier market to get into, and I'm very happy with where Linux is today in that area.

And I absolutely do not see the server and desktop as mutually exclusive. In fact I personally think that a large measure of the technical "goodness" of an OS is how well it responds to different kinds of users, and I think specialised niche OSs are an evolutionary dead end.

I'm getting really tired of the "proprietary IP" thing. How many times do I have to repeat that the SCO case isn't about IP at all, and that SCO has just been spouting cr#p when they have brought up their FUD about IP issues. (Editors' note: FUD stands for fear, uncertainty and doubt.)