Borst Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Hope this is ok to post here since its from a 'rival' newsletter. Anyway, this is from Mike Elgan's newsletter. Microsoft Linux?LINUX IS GAINING MOMENTUM in the Intel server world. One by one, major markets are dumping Windows and embracing Linux. The higher education market -- at least on the research side -- is thoroughly penetrated by Linux. Suddenly, Microsoft's grip on the international government market is starting to weaken. Munich, Germany's third largest city, announced this week that the it would reformat 14,000 Windows servers and install Linux (courtesy of IBM). Other local governments and agencies in Germany and elsewhere have made similar moves. On Wednesday, the president of India, A P J Abdul Kalam, urged Indian IT professionals to drop Windows and use Linux. More than two dozen nations are reportedly thinking about banning Windows and requiring Linux on government-run computer systems. Why the government exodus? Three reasons. First, Linux is cheaper than Windows -- it's cheaper to buy, and customers feel unpressured to upgrade to the next version. In an age of recession and fiscal austerity, cheap is good. Second, Linux is considered by many to be more secure than Windows. And, finally, Linux has a populist, warm-and-fuzzy feel to it. Much of the code is written by freedom-loving volunteer developers, and not by faceless, money-grubbing capitalists in Redmond bunkers. At least that's the perception in some quarters. With anti-globalization and anti-Americanism rampant, governments score points with some citizens by thumbing their noses at Microsoft. When the corporate market falls, the game of dominance is over for the Redmond behemoth. No, I'm not arguing that Microsoft's server OSs will go away or even lose majority market share. I'm saying there's a real risk -- even a probability -- that market share numbers will decline radically as Linux numbers rise. (By the way, these trends prove what I've been saying for years: Microsoft never had a monopoly on OS software. It's always been too easy to switch.)So what's a software giant to do? Microsoft will cope with the problem the same way it always does: It will "embrace and replace." The company will come out with its own distribution of Linux within the next three years. (This prediction is not to be confused with the hoax web site http://www.mslinux.org/ , by the way.)Microsoft Linux will feature proprietary "enhancements" that make it better than other versions of Linux. This incompatibility on the one hand and feature superiority on the other will reproduce the current difficult choice between Linux and Windows Server. Microsoft Linux will either support Microsoft's line of server applications, or the company will come out with Back Office for Linux type products. Why will Microsoft do this? Unlike it's most hard-core competitors (Sun, Apple, etc.), Microsoft is not an ego-driven company. It's motivated purely by the making of money. Microsoft currently does not support Linux because its executives believe they'll make more money by not supporting it. Once they come to the inevitable conclusion that they'll maximize revenue and profit by supporting Linux, they'll do it. I'll bet they're already working on it. READ THIS ISSUE ON THE WEB : http://www.mikeslist.com/65.htm:End Mike's article:I find this idea interesting. It goes along the lines of "if you can't beat them, join them." The question is how will/would the Linux community embrace MS (or not embrace). The reason many seek out alternative to Windows is due to either a hatred or mistrust of MS (or** if you will). I am not very experienced in Linux yet but for those of you who are, would you trust MS with Linux? Another thought/question: IF MS entered the Linux arena and increased awareness of Linux to the general public, would that be good or bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 The longest journey, begins with a single step... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Isn't this what APPLE is? (Sarcasm) but "Microsoft Linux will feature proprietary "enhancements" that make it better than other versions of Linux" would that not be the same as Darwin w/ enhancements..Not really the same.. but you get the idea. But MSlinux would make a good business decision..feelings about MS aside, But the thought is scary.....what is the out-come of mixing butterflies and Penguins..the logo would be a nightmare..Worse (or Better) what would the product be like I don't know...does give interesting food for thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 But the thought is scary.....what is the out-come of mixing butterflies and Penguins..the logo would be a nightmare.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 LOL...Good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 But MSlinux would make a good business decision..feelings about MS aside, But the thought is scary.....what is the out-come of mixing butterflies and Penguins..the logo would be a nightmare..A bird that migrates from Antarctica to Mexico! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prelude76 Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 With anti-globalization and anti-Americanism rampant, governments score points with some citizens by thumbing their noses at Microsoft.good article, Borst. it raises very good and interesting points. but the point about anti-americanism, i disagree with the author on that. these days, whenever any non-american country shows support for their own nation, its called anti-americanism and anti-globalization. when americans do it, you hear RAH-RAH and hundreds of folks waving US flag. True, a BIG part of the 14,000 seat buy from Munich gov't was due to the fact it helps out SuSE, a german company. and there is nothing anti-american with that, it is german patriotism & makes plenty of economic sense. why send your money to another nation when you can give it to your people and they in turn will help revive your economy. living in Canada, i see many examples how US tries to manipulate every trade contract to suit themselves only, yet nobody hear calls them "anti-Canadian".so folks, the next you hear the words "anti-americanism", just keep in mind its probably just an american journalist / politician / talk show host making it all up. blaming economic failures on "the world hates us" is just a bunch of rubbish.thank you, and good night.*trips off soap box* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike180 Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Wouldn´t MSLinux be open source? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 PreludeGreat insight! I agree, there is way to much confusion on what is anti-americanism and what isn't. I've been to far to many places that were thought to be anti-american only to find out they only wanted their own economies to thrive, and not be owned by a US company. Nothing wrong with that at all. Wasn't that after all, was part of the reason the US came into being..Then there's just plain common sense..if I can do the same thing, much cheaper...and employ my own people..raise my standard living..the choice is really apparent.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greengeek Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 MS Linux? What next! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Well, I did not want to interfere the fun you all were having, but to my best knowledge this was all a April fools joke at the moment that the whole MS-Linux idea was lauched. :DB) Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlinecomputers Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Microsoft had a unix based os called Xenix many years ago. I think they sold some the license code so I don't know that they could restructure it. Microsoft would unlikely be willing to produce an OS on the GPL license that using Linux would require. There is nothing stoping them from adopting BSD. BSD is open source but you can take it closed source as long as you credit the orginal source. This is EXACTLY how Apple made darwin. Which they released the code to but they put the Auga GUI on top of that and that is 100% proprietary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest genaldar Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 ms linux wouldn't have to be open source. The kernel and any other open source parts ms uses would continue to be open source, but ms could write new code (desktop environment, drivers, display system, browser, office, etc.) and use whatever liscense they want. They could even implement proprietary installers so that source isn't needed for install.I'd like to add that the proposel that munich agreed too with ibm had a higher price tag than ms' proposel. IBM/Suse came in at 30 million euros (or maybe dollars, it was a us sight I saw the numbers on) and ms had 27 million then lowered it to 20.I'd also like to add that there is a difference between patriotism ("as a frenchman I support france's stand against the us in the un") and anti-americanism ("myself and a couple hundred fellow frenchmen went to that new mcdonalds that was going to open and vandalized it because we hate america"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jong357 Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Yea, I agree.... Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 It is just another prank made to Microsoft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest genaldar Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 The box shown is from a prank site. But the article is for real. I get the elgen report and its pretty informative, but this was just mike theorizing. It could happen though, and in fact I think it will as soon as ms thinks its the best way to make money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent007 Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 I would'nt be suprised if M$ were to give away their products for free...just to try and prove that their products are better.007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prelude76 Posted June 1, 2003 Share Posted June 1, 2003 I'd like to add that the proposel that munich agreed too with ibm had a higher price tag than ms' proposel. IBM/Suse came in at 30 million euros (or maybe dollars, it was a us sight I saw the numbers on) and ms had 27 million then lowered it to 20.good point. i didnt hear the exact figures, but the European Union is going after microsoft for this reason. I for one am glad the German government held to their principle and didnt get bought out by microsoft. i'm actually shocked microsoft didnt just throw it in for free just to teach linux a lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbredmound Posted June 1, 2003 Share Posted June 1, 2003 It is just another prank made to Microsoft.Perhaps, but an excellent point was made earlier; M$ is not ego-driven, but profit-driven. If they could soak a little money out of the linux movement, I think they might do it. Lot's of upside, very little downside.A prank, perhaps, but also an interesting business plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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