ttellefsen Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 An interesting story from the Poughkeepsie Journal: Sunday, January 25, 2004 Microsoft, IBM lock horns over software systems Gannett News Service Microsoft and IBM have squared off in dueling ad campaigns that underscore the rising threat Linux poses to Microsoft, the No. 1 software maker. Microsoft recently launched its first paid ad lambasting Linux, the computer operating system Microsoft executives have long derided. Such barbs have done little to slow Linux's swelling popularity. So Microsoft has begun enticing tech managers to visit a Web site brimming with surveys and testimonials illustrating how its Windows operating systems cost less to own over time than Linux. ''We think it is super important to clarify the facts with that audience,'' said Martin Taylor, Microsoft's head of platform strategies. Meanwhile, IBM, long a big Linux backer, is trying to captivate corporate chiefs with a campaign portraying Linux as the future. This month, it will spend 50 cents of every ad dollar on artsy TV spots, print ads and online ads to reinforce that message. While Microsoft woos tech managers reading trade publications, IBM will pitch high-concept messages to executives using venues such as the pro football playoffs and major business publications. ''IBM is saying to CEOs, 'Buy Linux and save your company,' '' said Linux consultant Bruce Perens. ''Microsoft is saying to technical users, 'Buy Windows and save your job.' '' Practicing what it preaches, IBM says it is studying the feasibility of widely distributing Linux desktop PC programs to its own employees. It is vital for Microsoft to keep Linux in check. Its future hinges on expanding sales of cutting-edge Windows server software designed to drive richer corporate networks accessed by Windows desktop PCs. But Linux, little more than a hobbyist pastime a decade ago, increasingly stands in Microsoft's way. Based on open source code that is continually improved by volunteer programmers worldwide, Linux has emerged the past two years as the fastest-growing server software. It has won converts among government and education users reluctant to rely on a single software supplier. Linux's momentum has spiked: - In Asia: Database supplier Oracle recently helped broker a joint venture between China's Red Flag Software and Japan's Miracle Linux to co-market a Linux server operating system, dubbed Asianux, for sale in Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan. - On the desktop: Sun Microsystems and Novell are ramping up Linux-based desktop PCs and basic programs to offer as an alternative to Microsoft's Windows desktop PC and Office suite. - With cost-conscious customers: The Israeli government recently suspended Microsoft license upgrades, and it is reviewing Linux proposals from IBM and Sun. The city of Austin, Texas, and Massachusetts likewise are reviewing Linux as a cheaper, more flexible alternative to upgrading their Microsoft software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdemers883 Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 I am a fan of this :D Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixthusdan Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 Competition is good for business! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarissi Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 The more money MSFT spends to deride linux, the more it is hurting their OS sales. For an analogy, everyone knows how difficult it is to get rid of a cockroach infestation. (GRIN) This is exactly the problem Microsoft faces now. They don't have any way of exterminating Linux, since their Modus Operandi cannot be used (no single company to squish). The GPL prevents them from stealing the source code (I think this is the REAL reason that the GPL exists - to prevent MSFT from doing a SQUISH). IBM does not readily gamble finances on something. IBM is conversant on many Operating Systems, with long experience. I am certain that IBM took a long, hard, look at Linux before they decided to make that $1,000,000,000 investment in Linux. They found it WORTHY of their support. It had to be equal to or better than what they were using (AIX), or nearly so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopDog Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 ''IBM is saying to CEOs, 'Buy Linux and save your company,' '' said Linux consultant Bruce Perens. ''Microsoft is saying to technical users, 'Buy Windows and save your job.' '' Well I think every IT-professional should get to know Linux, espesially us that work in large corporations/goverment/etc... Because there is one thing I'm sure about, if Linux is to be implemented in your organisation in a big way, the organisation is going to need a lot of IT-professionals... This was the main reason I started looking at Linux 6 months ago, I wanted to know Linux (at least the basics) if one day, my organisation would change from MS based IS to Linux. Little did I know I would learn to love it as my main desktop OS at home :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarissi Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 I am no professional, yet I got curious about Linux when I first saw Redhat boxed sets in Software Boutique, in Columbus, Ohio, back in 1998. When I finally got on the Internet, I did some research on Linux, found it wasn't ready enough for me, and I bided my time. When Mandrake supported nearly all of my hardware, I decided to give it a try (7.1 or 7.2) and bought the Powerpack Edition. Despite some annoying bugs, I was hooked (and remain hooked). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeeDubb Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 It's great to see things getting interesting. The whole MS game plan revolves around the fact that nearly everyone uses Windows. We have all known for some time now that the goal of MS is the death of the PC and the rise of the NC (If you don't know what an 'NC' is, it's a network computer. Or more acccuritely, a network terminal. A computer with a small HDD, or none at all that runs all of it's software except it's embeded OS remotely). NC's have allready reared their heads in a few places. The community college I started at has them in all of the counseling and administrative offices. This will give MS almost unlimited controll of what people have on their PC's. Instead of buying a program, you will subscribe to a program which is allready installed on a remote server and you would use it remotely. The problem is that this depends on a couple of things. 1. MS MUST maintain total/near total market control. This is a sucky system, and people will only use it if EVERYONE uses it. So growth of the linux market share will make this impossible. 2. They need time. The tech and broadband network infrastructure this would require simply doesn't exist. So every year that goes by with MS moving towards this, the rest of the world is moving away from the monolithic MS platform. What scares them more is the speed with which they are doing it. When IBM was first sold on the idea of DOS, it was the only game in town, and even at that, i took many years to get to where it is now. Linux, which is many years younger, is equal to what windows could do 2 years ago in most areas and far excedes it in all the others. Even though it's some 10 years younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarissi Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 Good points, VeeDubb. Microsoft's Grandiose scheming for Global Absolute Power is greatly threatened by Linux. This makes me wonder about the MyDoom and its variant(s). IFF Linux users can be blamed (perception), then MS has a better chance of having Linux outlawed in the USA. Remember that in politics, Perception is everything! Facts get in the way. hehehe Anyone who has kept an eye on Microsoft, knows that when they start sweet talking something: Watch Out! I hope we will see this scheming fall apart at an accelerating rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 This whole thread just made me think of this statement by Linus Torvalds: " Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they say if they had. -- Linus Torvalds " LMAO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linux_learner Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 with M$ pushin a negative campain against linux, its free publicity. i dont see this as "bad" publicity per se'. i see this as just exposure. since M$ is bashing a little known OS, those who dont know about it will start asking questions. what is linux? why is M$ saying its bad? whats so bad about linux? and so on. ofcourse the only way to resolve these questions, is to simply try linux. this is where M$ will get hurt. and it will be done out of their campain, with their money. thank you M$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarissi Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 Yup. There was an old hard rule in advertising: NEVER EVER mention the competition!!!! (Don't give free advertising to your enemies) Burger King's blatant anti Mcdonalds Ad campaign of years ago, turned me away from Burger King, until BK stopped the Ad campaign. In fact this Ad campaign had a negative impact on BK's sales. (No surprise to me) Negative advertising generally has the opposite effect of what is intended by the advertiser, particularly when the competition is mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamCat Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 hehe, one of these days I'll have to take a peek at that site. Looks very... amusing! Of course, the stories to the countrary are mounting daily. "On a slightly grander scale, Amazon.com switched much of its massive internal network to Linux in 2000. By the third quarter of 2001, the company reported saving $17 million, slashing nearly a quarter of its tech expenses." That is from: http://www.willametteweek.com/story.php?story=4764 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitor Posted February 2, 2004 Report Share Posted February 2, 2004 I think (hope) that one day Linux will be at least be an equal OS to M$ Windoze. However there is still so much reluctance. I'm looking to create an HTPC for my brother with Linux, but it is still almost impossible to buy a PC here in Belgium without being forced to have Windoze with it, let alone that you could choose to have a Linux distro pre-installed. As long as that is the case, Linux will stay for the motivated, not for the big public. The power might be in the fact that M$ also tries to control the content. If you are limited in the use of the content you bought on M$ and not on Linux, that might be a strong motivator to choose for Linux, also for those who do not care at all about Open or proprietary. Just some thoughts. Sitor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted February 2, 2004 Report Share Posted February 2, 2004 (edited) I'm looking to create an HTPC for my brother with Linux, but it is still almost impossible to buy a PC here in Belgium without being forced to have Windoze with it, let alone that you could choose to have a Linux distro pre-installed. Sitor, you could have a look here: Linux Belgium Shop Darkelve Edited to include image of a sample system Edited February 2, 2004 by Darkelve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde-head Posted February 2, 2004 Report Share Posted February 2, 2004 but it is still almost impossible to buy a PC here in Belgium without being forced to have Windoze with it go here Watford Electronic SavaStore Click on "Configure Your Dream PC NOW" You'll end up in a popup that will allow you to build your machine from component parts - and you can decide NOT to ship it with Windoze. You can literally build your own box online with this tool. Ok,it's based in the UK, but it's quite handy - i've used it a lot to avoid the Microsoft tax. Bought 2 boxes so far, and memory upgrades - no problems at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.