After a two-year reign as the power behind the throne, Linux finds that its place on the royal family's Web site has been usurped by Microsoft software.
The queen--or at least her new Web hosting company--has dumped GNU/Linux in favor of Microsoft IIS Web servers, ending the royal family's two-year flirtation with the open-source operating system.
In 1999, the administrator hosting the official site for the British royal family switched from Sun Microsystems' Solaris operating system to Dell Computer servers running Linux and Apache server software, citing better performance. But last Thursday, Linux's reign ended when the site relaunched with its new service provider, CCG.XM, a division of the Cordiant Communications Group.
CCG.XM "works with Microsoft Internet Information Server as standard," a palace representative said.
Linux is considered one of the few challengers to Microsoft's operating system crown and has shown particular strength in the server market.
The royal site was obliged to switch to a new service provider after the former host, a government communications agency, ended its hosting operations.
Staff writer Matthew Broersma reported from London.
