difficult to tell, since it's not a business in its own right.
The next key stage is to get Linux desktops running on people's machines in mid to large companies. When they see the "Linux inside" logo or whatever on startup instead of the "Windows NT" thing, it will filter through into their minds and when they go out to buy a new PC, they will look for one with linux preinstalled.
demand = supply so i'm told, (bullshit, but maybe it works in *some* countries if they're altruistic enough) so if people are looking for linux, it'll get sold. This will put linux in more prominent shop window positions.
The average plebs will start shelling out for tons of copies once they all know a mate who has linux installed, or they've used it at work and programs that are win* only now will be quickly ported to the more stable environment of linux. I think once the 3d gamer types get some hands on trying out time with linux, they will be very enthusiastic, and this will in turn, speed up the games-to-linux porting efforts.
Supply = demand remember so very quickly we'll begin to see macromedia ports, adobe, whatever, all the big software selling houses will port to linux, and when they do, that's when the snowball really gethers momentum, because all those "i can't run dreamweaver on this crap" types will have to rethink their attitude. The journey will be complete when we start seeing that M$ can no longer make money on its OS, and is "reduced" to bringing out software for linux...
now *those* will be the *real* 'glory days'.
