The Linux Desktop team explained:
The company’s desktop software unit on Wednesday released an update on its plans, saying it will focus its efforts on specific markets but not face off against Microsoft in the consumer market.
An explanation: as a public, for-profit company, Red Hat must create products and technologies with an eye on the bottom line, and with desktops, this is much harder to do than with servers. The desktop market suffers from having one dominant vendor, and some people still perceive that today’s Linux desktops simply don’t provide a practical alternative.
A product called Red Hat Global Desktop that is targeted specifically at resellers, which focus on emerging markets, has been delayed for almost a year because of business issues. The company hopes to release it “soon,” according to its corporate blog.
Red Hat likes Linux on the desktop, but it also likes making money.
Instead, Red Hat is focusing on desktop software that works with its server products aimed at businesses and developers.