Re: Brazil Switches from Microsoft to 'Open Source' Software
From: BAR (BAR_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 02/01/05
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Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 07:25:03 -0800
Just remember that NOTHING is free, except the air we breath.
The Open source forum has been gathering momentum for some years. Larger
manufacturers such as IBM have large capital investment in manpower and
resources on Open Source development [read Linux of one version or another].
The common drawback is lack of support: such that when you go to a newsagent
and buy a Linux magazine with a 'free' operating system CD on the cover, you
have no one to fall back on if you have problems; after all the publisher of
the magazine wants to sell the magazine and doesn't have a support team on
hand to answer your calls: heck they most likely use Windows or OS X.
So without support, a company needs to develop their inhouse expertise and
do their own support and maintenance.
Along with this comes the lack of off the shelf stuff such as driver files
for plug in components [video adapters, sound cards etc] and other
peripherals [Hard Drives, CD ROM, Printers, Modems etc].
I'm not say that there are NO drivers at all, just that they may not be
available for every item that one wants to use.
The next problem comes when wanting to use applications: yep off the shelf
stuff again helps Windows win the desktop argument.
As for servers, this is where most corporation use or build Linux Servers.
IBM, Dell, HP all of them can provide servers with or without XP or a version
of Linux. It saves lots of bucks if one doesn't pay for each user who needs
to access a server.
Now look at what SUn is doing in order to boost flagging sales of their
servers. They've taken a battering from the Windows / Intel army and IBM's
RISC with Linux so they will provide their new Operating System free of
charge - yep, you just need to buy a Sun Server [nothing is free].
So the reality is that too many smaller companies just cannot afford to use
free software as they don't have staff numbers or capital to train existing
staff on Linux to the extent that they could be self sufficient to the extent
that one can with Windows.
A recent study that I conducted for a small firm of Accountants identified
that for them to switch from a Netware Server to New Intel box, would cost
$10,000 for Hardware, $1,500 for Windows SBS 2003, plus $ 15,000 for
application migration from Novell to Windows. To go to Linux would see
hardware costs of the same amount, then save most of the $1,500 required for
SBS 2003 and then ADD a further $ 6-8,000 for application migration from the
Application provider [a global firm whose hourly charge rate for technical
support is not less than $ 200!]. What savings in that - none of course!
"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:
> Tony;
> Certainly not the beginning.
> Just another in along list switching from Microsoft to open source as well
> there is another long list of those switching back.
> What the end result will be only time will tell.
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>
>
> "Tony" <absolutefire@ispwest.com> wrote in message
> news:ctn9i6030ta@enews1.newsguy.com...
> >
> > This is probably the beginning with more to follow a major switch from
> > Microsoft Software
> >
> > Read on....click on link....
> > http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3919175
> >
>
>
>
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