[Fsf-friends] Microsoft will offer Linux software, predicts META
Soundara Rajan N.S.
searchlight@sancharnet.in
Tue, 10 Dec 2002 23:22:59 -0800
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Microsoft will offer Linux software, predicts META
REUTERS[ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2002 10:01:45 AM ]
SEATTLE: In a major strategy shift, Microsoft 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 per cent, 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 its (to-date) proprietary application enablers (eg, .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 favourably 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, 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.
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 organisations must evaluate platform costs from a total-cost-of-ownership perspective," META Group's report said.
Source: "Economic Times" dt 10th Dec '02
=================================================================
N.S. Soundara Rajan, freelance IT journalist and Knowledge networker, based at Mysore, India
...connecting people to people, and people to knowledge
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG><FONT size=6><SPAN class=mainHead>Microsoft
will offer Linux software, predicts META</SPAN><BR></FONT></STRONG><SPAN
class=author><STRONG><FONT size=6><IMG height=5
src="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/images/spacer.gif"
width=370><BR></FONT></STRONG><FONT color=#676767>REUTERS<IMG height=1
src="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/images/spacer.gif"
width=2></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=Topdate><FONT color=#888888 size=1>[ TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 10, 2002 10:01:45 AM ]</FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=text>
<DIV align=justify>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">SEATTLE</SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">: In a major strategy shift, Microsoft 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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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 per cent, making it difficult for Microsoft to ignore Linux as a
platform for its database, Web hosting and e-mail server
applications.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">"We believe that, beginning in
late 2004, Microsoft (and its partners) will begin moving some of its (to-date)
proprietary application enablers (eg, .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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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 favourably compared against 'free' Linux."</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">"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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">"We have made a bet on Windows,
and we believe that customers are getting value from the bet we made," said
</SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Houston</SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black">,
"and we're going to continue doing what we've been doing for
customers."</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Cost A Non-Issue</SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Microsoft faced a similar
situation a decade ago when its nascent server software was competing
head-to-head with market leader Sun Microsystems, but Microsoft did not choose
at the time to write software for Sun's proprietary version of Unix.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Now Linux, essentially a free
version of Unix, is eating away at Sun's share of the business server
market.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Sun, a hardware and software
maker, is now selling computers running Linux, a strategy that was also embraced
by International Business Machines. </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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."</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Instead, Microsoft has stressed
that its software is more affordable when considering the total cost of using
Linux, including ongoing personnel and administration costs.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">"The IDC study shows that the
upfront cost is a small part of the total cost to the customer," said
Microsoft's </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Houston</SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">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.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">"IT organisations must evaluate
platform costs from a total-cost-of-ownership perspective," META Group's report
said.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Source: "Economic Times" dt 10th
Dec '02</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">=================================================================</SPAN></P><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">
<DIV>N.S. Soundara Rajan, freelance IT journalist a<FONT face=Arial size=2>nd
</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Knowledge networker, based at Mysore,
India</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face="Monotype Corsiva" color=#0000ff size=4>...connecting
people to people, and people to
knowledge</FONT></DIV></SPAN></DIV></DIV></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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