Microsoft-bullying once again

Mike · January 9th, 2002, 08:09 AM

That's horrible!! Especially since I am just starting to seriously use Linux and actually liking it.. (Well most of it at least.

) I was at first doubting the realism of this article but it was written by usatoday, and I haven't heard too many false reports from them.

Sohgin · January 9th, 2002, 09:08 AM

I'm not really seeing the problem here. It looks like just any other company trying to find out some bad points of one of it's competitors and tout them to their customers. A standard selling practice. Now if they were trying to force their customers to say that about Linux that would be a different story.

evebabyblue · January 9th, 2002, 09:51 AM

"...Linux is costly to maintain and service over the long term..."
and that is to assume that Microsoft is cheap to maintain - I think not.

EndobioticChaos · January 9th, 2002, 09:53 AM

If it were "any other company" doing this it would be alright... but considering everything else M$ has been doing to clobber people into buying their obviously inferior product, it's just another lie on top of an enormous and growing heap.

In most cases two opposing products each have their advantages and disadvantages, thus somewhat justifying a move like this. In this case? Not so at all, IMO. Linux has all the advantages when it comes to server OSes. Not only is it far less expensive, it's also better.

PonzSpyder · January 9th, 2002, 10:42 AM

I hate when companies use these tactics, it just makes it harder and harder to actually find the truth. I don't think that anyone concerned with the future of technology would act this way in thier right mind.

I think I just might try out Linux now, lol. Just have to find a box to load it on

newbie~wan · January 9th, 2002, 10:51 AM

I think the best move for the linux community right now is to focus on gaining market share in the server sector and to continue to increase hardware support. Then take aim at the big boys of home desktops.

Once hardware support is up, installation processes can be simplified and end user installation will be possible for even the layman. Not that I think the end user should be the target of the linux community. People could careless whether they use windows or linux. They'll use what comes loaded on the computer they buy. I think linux is going to have to be made to look EVEN MORE like windows graphically, at least for a while. So people will accept it.

We must realize that we (the computer savvy) are a very small percentage of the population. People are busy enough with their lives, they dont want to learn how to use a completely new GUI. However, give them windows appearance, and linux performance, and they will love you for it.

Any other business ideas?

lost · January 9th, 2002, 11:04 AM

MS cheaper than linux? Idon't think so my parent company "upgraded" their severs this last fall to win2k(well they are still trying) and it cost them 20k for <30 users and they had to ugrade all their hardware which is not part of that $20k. The last linux upgrade cost me $0.25 to upgrade - the cost of one CD and i did not have to upgrade my hardware and I have more than three times the users.

newbie~wan · January 9th, 2002, 11:39 AM

I have friends who are business majors (and that actually study hard and are ambitious - unlike most business majors in college who are people looking for a free ride for 4 years). I think I will run the linux, open source concept by them.

It seems linux has the tech to overtake MS, but somewhere the market for it lacks. What is standing in the way? I know end user MScentricity is what keeps it from home desktops, but what about servers. Why doesnt EVERYONE run a superior, and most of all FREE solution?

And how does anyone who markets linux make money off this free solution they offer. I guess I need to do more research on the open-source concept, but I dont understand where the money is to be made.

storm2k · January 9th, 2002, 12:05 PM

sorry, but as i stated when someone posted the original article about this, considering it came from the register, i am skeptical at best to believe it really happened. the register does not exactly like microsoft, and i would believe they would take a half-assed lead from someone and run with it. sadly, usa today followed.

and even if it is true, sohgin is right... microsoft is doing what any big company would do. identify who your strongest competitor is and do whatever you gotta do to beat the living poop out of them. sadly, since so many people here seem to be such linux fanatics, they miss the bigger picture: THIS IS GOOD BUISNESS. no business survives without doing this. i'm sorry to say this and i know i will be flamed from here to high hell for it, but it's a sad truth. it's how ms got to where it is, and it's how it will continue. it's smart.

EndobioticChaos · January 9th, 2002, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Why doesnt EVERYONE run a superior, and most of all FREE solution?

They're afraid to.
And like you said in your other post:

Quote:

We must realize that we (the computer savvy) are a very small percentage of the population.