Use of Linux operating systems will not be widespread within firms in the near future, but the move from Unix to Linux applications is gathering pace, according to Dell chief executive Michael Dell, who delivered a keynote address at the recent Gartner symposium.

"We offer Linux on a narrow slice (of products) based on customer demand," said Dell. But he added that there was a wider move within organisations from Unix-based applications to Linux.

"We see a lot of customers who have developed Unix applications moving to Linux," he said. "Chief information officers have said that they knew Linux would cost less, but were surprised that it performed better."

Dell emphasised the importance of open systems and the need for standards to drive costs down and improve support. "I think it's important that firms take very seriously opportunities to move to standards-based computing within the enterprise," he said. "Seventy percent of IT managers worldwide suggest that will happen in the next 12 months."

Following the recent raft of Tablet PC launches, Dell said he doubted that the new devices would ever account for one quarter of the mobile PC market as some vendors have predicted.

"We are doing a pilot with a Tablet PC for customers in the health sector and we will see what the demand is," he said.

Dell suggested that his company would increase the number of managed services it offers, particularly to enterprises struggling to manage the costs of complex infrastructures following mergers and acquisitions. "We are able to drive costs down significantly by using our scale," he argued.

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