Linkage: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/techn...oft-linux.html
META Predicts Microsoft Will Offer Linux Software
By REUTERS
SEATTLE (Reuters) - In a major strategy shift, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) will introduce software based on the Linux open source operating system in 2004 for Web services and server software, market researcher META Group predicted on Monday.
Microsoft, which denied that it had any plans to develop software for Linux, is facing a growing threat from the open source software standard as it gains share in the corporate server market used to manage networks and data.
META Group predicted that Linux will be used on nearly half of new servers by 2007, up from its current share of 15 to 20 percent, making it difficult for Microsoft to ignore Linux as a platform for its database, Web hosting and e-mail server applications.
``We believe that, beginning in late 2004, Microsoft (and its partners) will begin moving some of itsproprietary application enablers (e.g., .Net components) to the Linux environment; this will gradually include the major Microsoft back-office products, such as SQL Server, IIS, and Exchange,'' META Group said.
In a further shift, META Group said that Microsoft will also re-price or separate its Windows server operating system ``so that it can be favorably compared against 'free' Linux.''
``I'm unaware of any efforts at this time to move any products onto Linux,'' said Peter Houston, senior director at Microsoft's server group, adding that there were no plans to detach or re-price its Windows server operating system.
``We have made a bet on Windows, and we believe that customers are getting value from the bet we made,'' said Houston, ``and we're going to continue doing what we've been doing for customers.''
Linux advocates argue that Linux offers better security, flexibility and innovation because its underlying code, or blueprint, for programs remains open to evaluation and scrutiny.
Microsoft, which has grown into the world's largest software maker by selling proprietary software that cannot be copied or modified freely, said it is not opposed to open-source software, and points out that its source code is available to approved partners and educational institutions on a limited basis.
COST A NON-ISSUE
Microsoft faced a similar situation a decade ago when its nascent server software was competing head-to-head with market leader Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUWON), but Microsoft did not choose at the time to write software for Sun's proprietary version of Unix.
Now Linux, essentially a free version of Unix, is eating away at Sun's share of the business server market.
Sun, a hardware and software maker, is now selling computers running Linux, a strategy that was also embraced by International Business Machines Corp.Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft has toned down its criticism of Linux recently, after an internal strategy document said that some of its arguments against open source software has ``backfired.''
Instead, Microsoft has stressed that its software is more affordable when considering the total cost of using Linux, including ongoing personnel and administration costs.
A recent Microsoft-sponsored study by researcher IDC concluded that servers based on Microsoft's Windows 2000 were cheaper to own and operate when used for networking, storing and sharing files, printing and security, while Linux servers were cheaper to operate when used for Web hosting.
``The IDC study shows that the upfront cost is a small part of the total cost to the customer,'' said Microsoft's Houston.
META Group's report also came to the same conclusion, saying that Linux's total costs of ownership were likely to be higher for mainstream server applications.
``IT organizations must evaluate platform costs from a total-cost-of-ownership perspective,'' META Group's report said.
OMG i dont mind some MS software ported to Linux, but Server software is where most of the security problems are affecting Windows and you know that lots of companies are going to buy that products and install it on linux, and then when the servers falls down they arent going to blame the MS product , they are going to blame Linux..
Linux system admins should be smart enough not to use it.
yup
[quote author=ASCI_Blue link=board=13;threadid=5825;start=0#55552 date=1039541887]
Linux system admins should be smart enough not to use it.
[/quote]
I better just add that this is only a prediction by the META Group. Somehow this headline morphed into "Research Firm: Microsoft Will Use Linux by 2004 " on Newsfactor. I would think that they use Gnu/Linux already
[quote author=ASCI_Blue link=board=13;threadid=5825;start=0#55552 date=1039541887]
Linux system admins should be smart enough not to use it.
[/quote]
Exactly! Why would anyone put IIS instead of Apache on Linux, or go with M$ SQL over Oracle in terms of a commercial database for a *nix OS. M$ can make all the Linux based products they want. With the exception of user-end apps like M$ office, I don't think many of these products will have a large install base. If M$ wants to make money off the Linux phenomonom, they need to port office to it. However, the second they do so, they will also begin to lose ground in the desktop space as well.
[quote author=tolstoy link=board=13;threadid=5825;start=0#55587 date=1039610203]
[quote author=ASCI_Blue link=board=13;threadid=5825;start=0#55552 date=1039541887]
Linux system admins should be smart enough not to use it.
[/quote]
Exactly! Why would anyone put IIS instead of Apache on Linux, or go with M$ SQL over Oracle in terms of a commercial database for a *nix OS. M$ can make all the Linux based products they want. With the exception of user-end apps like M$ office, I don't think many of these products will have a large install base. If M$ wants to make money off the Linux phenomonom, they need to port office to it. However, the second they do so, they will also begin to lose ground in the desktop space as well.
[/quote]
Honestly, I view the porting of any and all of M$ software to be a potential double-edged sword. Sure, having Office available for Linux would help in the adoption of Linux on the desktop, but, for which de/wm? It will narrow the number of options available. Plus, the code will still be very buggy and closed-source. So, when enough people complain about Office crashing left and right, the CIO or CEO will say that it must be Linux's fault, not Office. So he/she will order the IT department to purchase Windows. Of course, that will get the IT guys fired, since the cost overruns in that department will be outrageous. Which must be IT's fault, not M$. This is universal, meaning that it doesn't matter if it is server side or client-side. I see this happening in the server room and the board room.
I say, crap on M$. Let's use real software to get real results. Period.
Yep i know that Linux IT are smart, but when MS make their Server software for linux lots of the companies that are working with MS server, have all their structure on MS and want to try Linux are going to install the MS server software on linux and as soon as the server fails thy arent going to blame the server software, they are going to blame Linux, thats what im talking about.
[quote author=tolstoy link=board=13;threadid=5825;start=0#55587 date=1039610203]
If M$ wants to make money off the Linux phenomonom, they need to port office to it. However, the second they do so, they will also begin to lose ground in the desktop space as well.
[/quote]
That is precisely the reason why they will never do so, until their Windows division fails or begins to fail to Linux/MacOS. They want Windows to succed first, then Office and the XBox. When Windows is a minor OS instead of a major player (like it is), then you can see Office on Linux OSes.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks