A Forbes article notes that competition from Linux has spurred Microsoft on to improve its product, lower prices, and spend more attention looking at its sales process. All that effort has resulted in healthy sales for Microsoft’s products. It seems that, without a rival, Microsoft gets lazy.
“Semantics aside, you’re paying for Linux.”
I stopped reading there, since he didn’t bother to read what you gain by buying RHEL/RHES/RHAS.
You’re paying for a service agreement, not semantics. If you don’t want it, run someone elses distribution of GPL software.
Nonsense!!, the misleading title and extract not withstanding, this is an unadulterated commercial for Microsoft. This is the usual microsoft-advocacy spin from the bottom-line corporate press. But hey, its good news anyhow. First they ridicule you; then they vehemently attack you; and hen you win. Now, if only linux will showing up on the desktops …
You can see that with Internet Explorer for instance. I mean, think about the difference between IE2 and IE3, and then again between IE3 and IE4. They started to get lazy around IE5 because Netscape was basically dead, and IE has pretty much stagnated since then, and thus has been leapfrogged by alternative browsers
About Linux – if anyone ever wants to bitch about the Linux and/or the open source movement hurting commercial software efforts, I think the appropriate people to thank would be the governments which allowed Microsoft to operate in a manner that the only possible way to compete with them would be via a ‘grassroots’ effort.
ms bought many companies,
got the bsd tcpip stack and fixed that onto windows.
increased their marketing army.
yes those are improvements indeed.
this article was printed on this site the other day.
<a href=”http://osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=8171“>
what the story with that ?
was it because there was not much of an argument that it had to be posted again……
granted, different source, but same article.
I’ve seen this before.
Well, I see your point, raver31, that the subject matter of this article is similar. But they’re not the same article, and it’s an important fact (that competition with Linux is making Microsoft better). Eugenia posted that other article, and I didn’t remember reading it myself, and I posted this one. No big deal, no conspiracy.
Ehm, does this mean we zealots can stop advocating GNU/Linux now?
Obviously there are positive effects for Microsoft Windows ™ users. That wasn’t planned, wasn’t it?
hahaha like today, just installed latest .net patch and half of my dlls just started to bjork and refused to recompile..(btw 10mb ouchh! !thats just more than half of mono’s size)
and dont start to talk about sp2
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242
many are refussing to install sp2, sysadmins @companies, homeusers, schools, public institutions whatsoever. but that its a 2 edge sword, cause if you dont install it you will not get the latest security patches, and that means you will be vulnerable to future and already existing (some fixed) treats
windows is getting more and more an opensource software, and i mean “open” literally And For that we must thank linux!
…well basically that is my understanding of forbes article =D
The author of this article (Daniel Lyons) has written quite a few openly critical articles about Linux.
This guy is a Microsoft zealot, with obviously no experience using the system. His comments about having to pay separately for web servers on Linux (apache!!! duh!), and the inability to run Linux on tablet PC’s (Lycoris in Nov 2003) underscore the man’s ignorance of his subject matter, and inability of basic research.
Mr. Lyons is right that Microsoft is fat and lazy, and it finally getting off its monopolistic behind to improve its products. That is a good thing.
Anytime you see a Rob Enderle quote, you just know how the story is being torqued. Enderle is a long-time known MS shill, as is Forbes, so this article is no surprise.
The following link has some interesting information on Robert Enderle and the Enderle group– represented in this article as a ‘market research group.’
http://enderle.iwethey.org/
They have an interesting history and business relationship with Microsoft. Apparently, Mr. Enderle’s is an old hand at making dire and grossly inaccurate predictions about Microsoft’s competitors.
Although this article is negligible in terms of the facts presented, it’s interesting if only in terms of the “fear uncertainty doubt” campaign being waged against Linux. The appeal is, as always, focused on so-called business decision makers with little technical knowledge.
yep, I know the two articles are VERY similar…..
and yes indeed, all Windows fanboys should be immensely overjoyed that Linux actually exists.
Microsoft always plays down the in-roads Linux is making into their profit margins, and without Linux, Microsoft would have no reason not to stagnate.
So all you guys out there who slag off Linux at every chance they can, remember, without Linux, would your computer be as good as it is today ?
Why do people always attack the authors of articles instead of tackling the article’s content?
Mmmm maybe because the authors are right…?
raver31
and yes indeed, all Windows fanboys should be immensely overjoyed that Linux actually exists.
We are … and the best part is it is forcing MS to play a little nicer, and the fact that it exists is no skin off our back since we don’t have to use it
Thom Holwerda
Why do people always attack the authors of articles instead of tackling the article’s content?
Good question.
“Torvalds’ Linux kernel (the core of the operating system) is 13 years old. Other parts of the operating system are even older.”
Now theres a misleading statement if I ever saw one. Would they be implying that Linux hasn’t progressed at all since the first version? Or that the gnu utils are somehow dated? Thats like saying Windows is 30, because of DOS and VMS.
“Microsofties say they were more worried about Linux a few years ago, when it was a truly free program, spreading on its own, from user to user, like a virus.”
I fail to see how the situation has changed (or how the way linux spreads is virus like), you can get Linux without a company contract and spending hundreds of dollars. How is linux less a threat to Microsoft now than it was 5 years ago? Especially seeing as how the software is far more mature now. It should be noted, that Windows spreads exactly the same ways that Linux does, its just not legal.
“Think how Microsoft must love this. Rivals like IBM (nyse: IBM – news – people ) and Novell (nasdaq: NOVL – news – people ) are pumping millions of dollars and mountains of brainpower into development of a commodity operating system–they are re-inventing the wheel.”
How are they re-inventing the wheel? There wasn’t a really a common commodity operating system before Linux. They seem to be implying that IBM and Novell are wasting money by developing linux instead of using older Unicies, or Windows.
The whole premise of the article is somewhat silly. And breaks down to: “Because Linux exists Windows is better off, because Linux being good forces Windows to be better, but Windows is better than Linux because Linux sucks, so buy Windows”
“How could “free” Linux cost more than Windows? First of all, Red Hat (nasdaq: RHAT – news – people ), the leading Linux distributor, now charges $799 to $2,499 for each server running Linux. That’s not for the software, mind you, but for “maintenance.” Semantics aside, you’re paying for Linux. ”
CRAP! if I run Slack on my box noone comes to charge me 2499$. Noone. Another Microsoft-sponsored review… just as crappy as the others.
1) Ballmer himself came over to Munich when they decided to dump Windows and go for Linux. Guess that did sting !!
2) You have to rewrite your software when you want to run it on Linux. You have to rewrite too if Microsoft changes versions … Every version of Visual Basic made you rewrite parts of the application.
3) .Net: asks the integrators how many consultants they have on it. (I’m speaking for Belgium now) They will all tell you that the demand is not big at all. .Net adoption is slow.
4) Longhorn promises to be the next Microsoft joke. It will eventually take 5 years (XP: 2001, LH: 2006) to come up with a new version, that will only be the same as the version before because they already threw out all the innovative stuff because otherwise LH would be released in 2010 or something
5) Thanks to Microsoft, everybody who uses Windows in Dutch (that’s the Netherlands, Belgium, … 25 million inhabitants) sit with their OS wide open because SP2 is not yet available in Dutch (don’t know for French, German, …) What if a new exploit is thrown on the internet targeting machines that have not been updated yet because it’s not even possible yet.
6) Signing contracts for 10 (TEN !!) years in ICT ?? That’s eternity in ICT terms. You must be out of your mind to do that !! 10 years ago, we were still using Windows 3.11 and i386 machines. 10 years !! We don’t even know what this computer world will look like in 3 years !!
7) Red Hat is not the only Linux distributor. I too run Slackware and my system is up to date all the time for 49$. (Yes, I do buy each new version on CD, even if I can upgrade it for free with Swaret)
8) Security and Windows. Sorry, no further comment on this.
Linux is a kernel. That is its direction. Hard to swallow huh! Now tell me Windows’ direction.
@ cheering Windows zealots:
What the article essentially says is that Linux has become a serious competitor to Windows and it has made MS developers try harder than ever to improve MS products. It doesn’t exactly say there that Windows would be so much better that Linux doesn’t even have a chance, does it? In that case, where would the hard competition mentioned be then?
Besides, of course, the whole article is also just MS marketing too. Already the title “Thanks Linux” says it all… According to serious, official MS statements by Ballmer et al. MS takes Linux as a threat very seriously.
“Microsoft does not move well unless there is a competitor to focus on,” says Robert Enderle, president of the Enderle Group, a market research firm. “Linux is making Microsoft vastly more capable.”
Good, so, everybody seems to win because of Linux, even MS… Everybody’s happy and friends with with each other now, right? No need for FUD campaigns against competing products anymore, right?
Says Enderle: “Linus Torvalds has probably been a bigger asset to Microsoft than Bill Gates, and I doubt he’ll even get the opportunity to spend the night in Bill’s house.” Fair enough. Maybe a nice card at Christmas would do.
Objective journalism? Are you kidding? The article is mostly just marketing propaganda. M$ sure seems to have tons of money to spend to such marketing crap. However, at least personally I would rather see MS spend all that money in RD and making better and more secure software…
Why do people always attack the authors of articles instead of tackling the article’s content?
I agree that personal attacks should be avoided. But in order to understand someone’s, like Enderle’s opinions better, it is even essential (especially on the net) to know a bit more about his background and previous statements and doings. You cannot be Internet literate without that sort of critical ability to read online articles.
To get an idea of this guy’s perspective, it’s probably better if you read:
http://www.sco.com/2004forum/agenda/Enderle_keynote_SCO-Forum2004.h…
It’s pretty evident the guy is in no position to be “authoratative” on anything other than incohrent ramblings and foolish thoughts.
The truth does hurt and sometimes it stings!
You’re right, that is the truth, and it does sting.
it was so funny.
I read the article with a certain amount of skepticism duly suspended, until I got to the point where Daniel Lyons (nice name that! At what zoo does he den out? Does he only have three friends as well?) says, and I quote:
“Microsofties say they were more worried about Linux a few years ago, when it was a truly free program, spreading on its own, from user to user, like a virus. Now that Linux costs real money, and is sold by buttoned-down blue suits from IBM and Novell, Microsoft feels more confident. Microsoft has beaten these guys, badly, in operating system wars before.”
At that point, to continue reading with my skepticism duly suspended, would also mean I would need to draw and quarter it as well a la Braveheart – so I burst into laughter.
You see, neither IBM nor Novell happen to own Linux. They are merely using it. This is something I’ve discussed with the appropriate local IBM personnel – they contribute, but they don’t own Linux. Microsoft Central doesn’t understand such a process, while both IBM and Novell do, so Microsoft and the ‘softy Boys like Lyons here, are going to be out-thought yet again.
So Linux isn’t dependent on either IBM or Novell. Debian’s hardly likely to give up their independence to any company. Ditto Rock Linux, Slackware, etc.
Whereas MS Windows is heavily dependent on Microsoft – and because of Microsoft’s previous anti-competitive behaviour, all the companies that depend exclusively on Microsoft Windows, are at the top, the broadest level of an inverted pyramid – the least stable position in an ecosystem. If Microsoft goes down, they all go down with it. And I thought that the bad old days of sacrificing captives with your chief when he dies, had ceased!!!
So I laughed to keep from crying at the sheer waste of human potential caused by uncritical rectal hygiene of the current alpha primates committed by journalists exercising their tongues inappropriately.
“…the ‘socialist community’ aka Free Software…”
That’s the “crack” Lyons is attempting to exploit – and that’s why is he wrong.
I quote from Lyons: “…they were more worried about Linux a few years ago, when it was a truly free program, spreading on its own, from user to user, like a virus. Now that Linux costs real money, and is sold by buttoned-down blue suits from IBM and Novell…”
He seems to assume that the base of Free Software is aimed to any economic model of production. Not at all. There may be socialist people – but there have been hardcore capitalist people too from the beginning. “Freedom” means “Free to do as you will” no matter if you’re the model american entrepreneur or a “run the world with pretty flowers” hippy. Who cares if the socialist approach fails. There are all kinds of people in this business, from hobbists, students, startups all the way up to IBM and HP. Free Software motivates real competition, and that’s the base of a capitalist free market, and more than that, that’s what Microsoft is really afraid of.
While I’ll admit it’s an impressive achievement and all that, Linux isn’t really that far behind in terms of functionality. Yes, if you just need to run some specific piece of software, continue to use Windows. There’s no real point to rewriting a program if the only gain is to run it on Linux. If there’s another reason to put it there, go for it…
My experience with Linux is one of frustration, yes. I’ve had lots of problens, but mostly due to me attempting to obsessively upgrade something, and I’ve solved nearly all of them. I’ve never had something go so wrong just in normal use I had to reboot the machine due to sluggishness or large numbers of failures.
On Windows, I run into sluggishness and situations where I have to reboot frequently. Linux, I can use fine, and once in a while when I try to upgrade something it breaks and I fix it.
In short, I don’t see any problems with functionality. It works fine, and if it breaks it’s always been my fault when trying to upgrade some key system component without being careful.
As for your numbers, while I’m not sure they’re accurate, I’d chalk it up to the average person not being interested in what system they run, and most systems are sold with Windows. All things being equal I’d expect a large portion of people would use Macs, but all things are not equal.
Competition is a good thing, making life better overall.
competition makes firms work harder. well gee that sounds an awful lot like economics 101. I am sure that adam smith sits easy in his grave now that fortune figured out competitive markets are better for the consumer then non-competitive markets.
Please forgive my sarcasm but is anyone surprised that competition is forcing MS to work harder?
I love how Microsoft loves to quote pricing for Red Hat AS ($2499), but they always fail to give their pricing for Windows Server 2003 Enterprise, which is starts around $1499 with *only* a 25-user license. The price skyrockets from there when you approach 100+ users. In an enterprise environment, paying for Win2K3 CALs drives the price up well over $2499. And after all that, you need to pay additionally for technical support.
And you *still* can’t run Win2K3 in 64-bit mode on Opterons.
-G
lower prices……………maybe,
improve quality and security……………not if it comes from msft
The only thing improving over at Microsoft is their deceptive tactics and funding to their marketing department to spread more FUD against Linux and Open Source Software.
Why would Microsoft thank Linux for competing with them? Microsoft’s response (cutting prices and improving their product) is good for MS’s customers, but bad for MS and their investors. Cutting prices = cutting profits, improving their product = spending money – two things any business would prefer not to do. MS doesn’t get “sluggish” without competition. They rationally choose not to waste money improving a product which would sell just as well in its current pathetic state to a locked-in market (why should they?). They’re not about to thank anyone who ruins that sweet deal for them.
Why does Daniel Lyons have a job that would seem to require rational thought? Why do people buy a magazine that features articles that leave you dumber for having read them?
Well think about it.
They are saying That Linux is forcing them to compete, but that Linux is crap and Windows is much better.
But if Linux is forcing them to compete then it must be good.
but this article should be dissected anyway
“Is Linus Torvalds secretly working for Microsoft? … Linux, has been helping Microsoft close deals.
Deals that would have been Microsofts anyway If Linux did not exist. So this is a null point.
“Consider the deal that Microsoft.. snagged with the London borough of Newham, announced in early August. ”
A deal that would have been Microsoft’s no questions, if it had not been for Linux, instead Microsoft had to really throw in everything to get the deal thanks to Linux.
“But when they commissioned a study to evaluate costs, they found it would be cheaper to stick with Windows. So they signed on for a 10-year deal. “
Right from http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/16/msoft_newham_10yr_deal/
One of the deciding factors for Newham in appointing Microsoft as its strategic partner was an IT audit and analysis carried out by CapGemini. Although CapGemini makes a big noise about being independent from Microsoft, the study was indeed funded by the software firm . One of the main conclusions of its research was that as well as being cheaper than OSS, Microsoft is more secure than the open source alternative.
It takes a lot to raise a laugh at an IT press gig, but this news tickled the spot for the journalists at today’s press conference in London.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/linuxunix/0,39020390,39163383,00.h…
Adds another angle.
http://www.infomaticsonline.co.uk/news/1157384
And this is another confirmation:
Capgemini’s Microsoft-funded survey used nine different elements to calculate total cost of ownership, including transition costs, risk and security.
They Commisioned a study done by CapGemini that was funded by Microsoft, No wonder Microsofts offerings were cheaper.
the loads of rubbish after that fact. In fact I cant be bothered to go on so much drivel its making me feel
nauseous.
For so many flamewars, bitching and whining everywhere. If it were not for you, we would have way more of these “BeOS roxxors my boxxors” flames or “IBM’s Java implementation is sooooooooo much better than Sun’s, and you suck” whiners or even the usual “Netcraft confirms: BSD is dying”, just more frequent, as it would be more in the spotlight.
Also, if Linux did not exist, then what would all those payed astroturfers and shills have to do? Nothing. They would still sit in their cardboxes and look outside, waiting for a lawyer that can help them sue the pants off somebody, because they cannot achieve anything on their own. So, Linux has created many jobs and brought food on the table for countless would-be trolls. It deserves more thanks for that. Especially Forbes and my evil twin (Enderle) should thank it more, for it should make them ~ 50% of their income to troll about it.
My final word: Thanks to my extended research und second-to-non insider knowledge of the market, I can safely say that things would be the same way, just different.
— Prof. Dr. Roman Pretenderle, Expert of Everything
Just the other day Microsoft submitted a report to the SEC claiming that Microsoft would be cutting back budgets and service fees. Hmmm sounds like a PR redaction to me.
This guy isn’t really on the ball, is he?
“the cost of paying separately for programs like application servers, Web servers and directories (which come bundled with Windows)”
Not that they come bundled with all versions of Windows. You show me the web server in XP Home, and I’ll show you Apache in practically every Linux distro. And it’s FREE fer chrissakes! On planet Earth this means there is NO cost of paying seperately.
Oh, and what are these directories you have to pay extra for? Las time I checked a directory was something to put files in, and a pretty common beast on every file system.
I disagree with the basic premise anyway. Microsoft haven’t innovated at all in the last three years – they’re still on XP and IE6. Nothing has changed at all. Where are all the big strides Linux has forced them to make?
“…what are these directories you have to pay extra for?”
Probably meant something like “Directory Services”. Since that kind of beast doesn’t roam in this hills I don’t know if they have to be paid for extra or not in Linux.
“Why do people always attack the authors of articles instead of tackling the article’s content?”
Erm… maybe because they’re the ones who wrote it? I don’t think personal attacks are O.K., but on the other hand it is surprising to see how easily these authors can ‘get away’ when writing rubbish.
Linux is expanding the market of IT users, and it is making software a commodity, which means that opportunities for profit are shifting to new markets, although there has not been a full scale paradigm shift yet. The only thing that Microsoft can do is try to contain Linux, because it can’t stop it.
…and the way to contain Linux, is to moderate it by making it part of the Windows product line.
…also strengthening a competitor goes both ways, and if Linux were to take it’s true path, than Microsoft would not be able to follow and that would be a very terrible thing. Luckily I barely can see any entities out there, leading Linux in this direction, and that’s why Microsoft must contain Linux now.
“Think how Microsoft must love this. Rivals like IBM (nyse: IBM – news – people ) and Novell (nasdaq: NOVL – news – people ) are pumping millions of dollars and mountains of brainpower into development of a commodity operating system–they are re-inventing the wheel.”
Is there a version of Windows for POWER processors?
Maybe if MS supplied a version of Windows that IBM could run on ALL their computers, they wouldn’t have to “re-inventing the wheel”.
Or, maybe if MS supplied a version of Windows that IBM could “pump millions of dollars and mountains of brainpower” into making it run on ALL their computers, they wouldn’t have to “re-inventing the wheel”.
IBM alone is actually pumping BILLIONS of dollars into software that directly competes with MS. If MS supported IBM’s needs, they could be receiving a huge chunk of those billions of dollars. How many other companies out there are doing the same?
Linux Loyalists Leery
Daniel Lyons, 03.31.04, 1:49 PM ET
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2004/03/31/cz_dl_0331linux.html
>>”Most open source is imitation,” Carey says. “Linux is an imitation of an operating system. If these [Linux] companies are going to create a price point that is significant enough that they are approaching the same pricing model as the innovation premium, why pay a premium for imitation when I can pay a premium and get innovation?”<<
—————
Linux Scare Tactics
Daniel Lyons, 08.02.04, 12:01 AM ET
http://www.forbes.com/enterprisetech/2004/08/02/cz_dl_0802linux.htm…
>>”First the Linux folks say there is no risk to using Linux, and now they say there is a lot of risk and you need insurance? And by the way, they’re making money selling the insurance? This smells to high heaven,” says Robert Enderle, president of the Enderle Group, a market research firm in San Jose, Calif., that tracks the Linux market. <<
—————————-
Linux’s Hit Men
Daniel Lyons, 10.14.03, 7:00 AM ET
http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/14/cz_dl_1014linksys.html
>>In some ways, these Free Software Foundation “enforcement actions” can be more dangerous than a typical copyright spat, because usually copyright holders seek money–say, royalties on the product that infringing companies are selling. But the Free Software Foundation doesn’t want royalties–it wants you to burn down your house, or at the very least share it with cloners. <<
———————–
Just one more. In this one Daniel gets very nasty and very personal. One of the people he attacks “br3n” is a grandmother with cancer – he upset her to the point of tears. He also bashes a decorated USA vet called Korbomite. He also bashes slashdot.org and groklaw.net; even hints that groklaw.net is part of an IBM conspiracy. Groklaw which mainly posts legal records, is accused of sreading “rumors and paranoia.” Better be careful, or Forbes/Lyons will be attacking this site next. By the way, I have followed br3n’s post for over a year, and I have never noticed anything “smash-mouth” about them – which is more than I can say for likes of Lyons or Enderle.
>>
Revenge Of The Nerds
Daniel Lyons, 12.16.03, 12:30 PM ET
NEW YORK – In the real world, Brenda Banks is a 54-year-old grandmother in Greer, S.C., a former warehouse supervisor who teaches rubber-stamping arts and crafts classes. But online she transforms into “br3n,” a passionate user of Linux software who cruises Web sites posting smash-mouth messages about
<<
>>
From Groklaw the rumor of SCO’s fake hacker rocketed to Slashdot.org., another site popular among techies. Readers on both sites post responses to stories and share links to other Web sites, which is how rumors and paranoia keep spreading, unchecked. One recent theme is that some people posting rabid anti-SCO messages are actually SCO “operatives” posing as pro-Linux zealots in order to make the Linux camp look like mean-spirited fruitcakes. Ahem.
Who runs this noisy echo chamber? Slashdot.org is owned by VA Software (nasdaq: LNUX – news – people ), a Linux vendor. Groklaw is hosted, free, by a non-profit outfit called iBiblio, which runs on $250,000 worth of Linux-based computers donated by IBM and a $2 million donation from a foundation set up by Robert Young, founder of Red Hat. Of course none of these sponsors has anything to do with the content of these sites. Then again, they don’t seem too upset about it, either.
<<
and the cost of paying separately for programs like application servers, Web servers and directories (which come bundled with Windows).
Which version of MSWindows is this guy using???
i think he meant IIS. the real question is how he could say that without laughing….
i have a proposal for osnews. every time an article comes up with quotes from rob enderle that are actually being taken seriously, i would like some kind of warning. maybe colorcoding, or a picture or something.
anyone who listens to that man is an idiot, and desires to be ignored too.
and to anyone who wants rhel without the service contracts, pick up whitebox. the insinuation in the article is that your paying for more then certification and support, which is a load of bull.
//i think he meant IIS. the real question is how he could say that without laughing….//
Probably the same way ebay says it without laughing … seeing as how they host their site on IIS …
But what do they know?
U just have to laugh at how desperate they are becoming its quite hilarious. Lets spread our message from the highest mountains, some gullable idiots are likely to believe it.
Lets be honest how many day to day people visit here or slashdot or groklaw only geeks do sad but true and thats why idiots will believe all of their nonsense. They have enough contacts and influence with in the media to get themselves heard. So they can pump any message they want, its only after they pump out their message that the truth can be revealed.
like the uk authorities asking Microsoft to stop spreading that IBM mainframes running Linux cost more than an Intel server running Windows 2003 server
(No shit sherlock, ibm mainframe running nothing would cost more than an intel server with Microsoft streaming Media server. You could set up 8x amd opterons and it would still be cheaper. Thats not even mentioning the fact that windows cant even run on a ibm mainframe)
Only problem is its after the fact. Theres no point telling microsoft to stop advertising something they already have. Its even worse trying to get the media to right fact rather than fiction. The truth is its never an out and out lie its a spinned truth. Much like what politicians do.
Thanks for the links – Iposted the following on two of them:
Please decide if you want your publication to be a professional one or a tabloid. When you decide for the former then reeducate this writer about what it means to be professional or hire someone else.
Finally, the point about imitation is moot. We could go into a whole philosophical argument about “there is no such thing as an invention, just iterations and variations…” but I will just cut it short with this:
OS X Panther (released 2003): at least 50% of promised functionality of yet to be released Windows Longhorn.
OS X Tiger (early to mid 2005): 100%+ of features of “originally planned” Longhorn featureset which has been scaled down by at least a third. So by the time MS does finally ship the full/originally planned featureset of Longhorn/Blackcomb in 2007/8, OS X will be at least 2 versions beyond Tiger.
And BTW: Apple WILL beat MS on any TCO study. The only way to do that would be to claim Apple has 10,000% higher retraining costs. Remember, before Virginia Tech. bought 1100 Servers from Apple for 5M they had been quoted 9M by Dell – with “special” discounts factored in on both sides.
——–
See my other comments on your so-called professional, super objective, journalist.
Many people around have taken advantage of the fact when you post on certain topics you will get a large response but do not be surprised if this actually discredits your publication in the long run.
Mr Lyons here is on the verge of aquiring the same status as Mr Robert Enderle. In all the tech forums I hang out all some one has to do is mention Enderle is involved in a particular aricle and nobody will bother reading it.
Think about it – are short term spurts in your rating at Google worth your credibility.
Even better idea: every time there is such an article, I get to make a counterclaim that’s just as ridiculous as his (and they all are).
Are people actually paid to write crap like this? After reading this article I am wondering if this guy has any education in business or economics at all. And yet the guy writes on the subject on Forbes!
I think he may have been canned. He is not listed there anymore.
exactly…
I know you don’t want to use linux
I know you prefer Windows
but if there was no linux, then Microsoft would have no push to try and improve windows.
so for all the advances linux makes, microsoft has to keep up, (and they are trying to keep up, remember they have not had a major os release in 3 years), but all of this is of benefit to Microsoft Users.
I totally agree with the article (every word).
This is a devastating article if you’re pro-Linux…
Enderle destroyed Linux, and now everyone is breaking out their wallets instead of using a free system because it’s cheaper to pay in the long run. And that just makes sense.
It’s better to learn how to use a system and not be allowed to have any control over it because we can trust Microsoft since they are such good people. Why would I want to learn anything, it’s a waste of time!
Thanks R. Enderle, you and the British are really smart.
It’s truth that’s in the future Linux( kernel will have a price, at the time IBM spend 43% in kernel). meanwhile in that future, other free aplication will overlap a comercial Linux.
This comment don’t say a truth, Microsoft copies all the good stuff of Linux, and it’s a shame, Microsoft is so big, but they don’t have their self ideas!
Note Microsoft didn’t invented nothing, maybe that king of laptop that was an instant flop!
Actually, people writing this crap are paid much more then others.