Somehow, some way, the year 2010 may have finally been the year of the Linux desktop — but no one noticed. Maybe no one needed to. In 2010, smartphones got hot, and Android OS smartphones collectively overtook the iPhone in units sold. At the same time, Android tablets gained traction as popular alternatives to the iPad. A subtle shift in the notion of what defines “desktop,” and suddenly Linux emerges in anonymous glory — leaving Microsoft playing the silly (but familiar and perhaps a bit dangerous) role of catch-up.
