[ILUG] Linux in todays Sunday Business Post

[James McCarthy]

Linux is the main feature of the sunday business post magazine.

(each article is about 2 pages)
It features a recient history of linux and the curren condition of
linux, with a few words from our own AJ McKee, following with an article
by Michael Roberson(pretty good article i think) about adopting linux
from a business point of view.
There is also a small article(basicaly an info box) about MandrakeSoft
Ireland.

Following that is an article titled(in very big bold words)"why
microsoft wins", the article is written by MicroSoft's Maurice Martin.



This article has a number of key points in it, some accurate & some
missleading.

At the moment MicroSoft is pushing "Open Standards" as apposed to Open
Source 
(this is why the Irish government chose Microsoft over Open Source, this
whole open standards rubbish)
Microsoft being themselves have claimed all their products are open
standards and I quote:

"each and every MicroSoft product offers open standards based
capabilities- fully functioning, as standard, out of the box"

Is the office file formats open standard? nope, meaning this statementis
very missleading( I think).

Again they are pushing they're shared source initiative.

"MicroSoft's Shared Source licencing program, introduced in 2001, makes
windows source code available to specific catagorise of customers.
In January of this year, the program was exspanded through the
government security program, which makes 100 percent of the source code
available to governments. "



There is also the claim (or the implied claim) that linux is unfinished
and needs to be assembled by linux customers as opposed to out of the
box windows.

"A Linux distibution consists of the Linux Kernel along with hundreds of
add-on utilities such as web servers,installation aids and desktop
graphical interfaces. Hence it is up to the end customers to worry about
integration, testing,and security"



And theyre still ranting on about the TCO study by IDC.

I think that these comments can not be left unchecked,they are
missleading to say the least, or what they imply is missleading.

A letter outlining this should be sent to whoever prints the sunday
business post. highlighting the often shifty nature of microsoft
business practices & their truthfullness(or lack of it).

Microsoft wants to hold onto its monopoly, and will do anything to do
so.
In my opinion Microsoft is the largest barrier to the acceptance
worldwide of Desktop Linux.

For Linux to achieve a significant desktop pressence were going to have
to go through MicroSoft to get there.

Thanks for your attention.