[ILUG] FW: Letter from Jack Messman from Novell

[Michele Neylon :: Blacknight Solutions]

I don't know if this was posted already, but I came across it on another
list this morning:

> Dear Valued Partner,
> 
> You may have seen a letter from Steve Ballmer, CEO of
> Microsoft, which was sent to all Windows customers in an
> attempt to slow the flood of migration to Linux. Novell would
> like to make you aware that the points made by Mr. Ballmer in
> that letter include only those statements in its paid studies
> that reflect most positively on Microsoft when comparing
> their products to Linux.
> 
> We'd like to share some additional facts with you that will
> shed some light on the bigger picture.
> 
> Total Cost of Ownership
> 
> Mr. Ballmer quotes selectively from Windows-favorable comments in a
> Yankee Group report ("Linux, UNIX and Windows TCO
> Comparison"). However
> that's not the whole story. That same report also states the
>       following: * "...corporate customers report Linux provides
>         businesses with excellent performance, reliability, ease of
>         use and security. Yes, Linux is a viable alternative to UNIX
>         and Windows. In addition, Linux is the most serious
>         competition to Microsoft's dominance in the server operating
>       system market to date." * "The ability to modify and customize
>         the Linux source code affords customers the most intriguing
>         possibilities for custom application development. This
>         ability stands in stark contrast to the closed or proprietary
>       nature of the Windows operating         system. * "In summary,
> the Yankee Group's TCO survey found that 
> Linux does
>         offer compelling cost savings, economies of scale and
>         technical advantages, as many a satisfied user will attest."
> Security
> 
> Mr. Ballmer brings up the issue of security, which
> understandably is much on his mind. He cites Microsoft's
> recent investments in security research, process
> improvements, and customer education, and boasts of
> Microsoft's structured software engineering process that is
> designed to make software more secure.
> 
> The truth is, Open Source uses a structured process, but it
> is definitely different from the one Microsoft utilizes. And
> to tell the truth, it seems to be working much better.
> 
> Evans Data Corporation, in their Linux Development Survey
> dated Summer,
> 2004 shows:
>       * Ninety two percent of survey respondents indicated that their
>         Linux systems have never been infected with a virus Fewer than
>         7% said that they'd been the victims of three of more hacker 
>       intrusions. * On the other hand, the process Microsoft utilizes
>         clearly has been inadequate at protecting its customers from
> costly         malicious attacks. For example, two weeks ago
> Microsoft released a mammoth patch 
> pack to address more than 20 vulnerabilities, most of them
> critical. Several of them, in Excel, Internet Explorer, and
> Exchange, could enable mass automated worm attacks.
> 
> In a story that appeared in Computer Business Review Online,
> Drew Copley, senior research engineer at eEye Digital
> Security Inc, said that it took Microsoft 71 days to patch
> the Zip problem after being notified, but another
> vulnerability, a less-severe privilege escalation problem in
> Windows, took the firm 408 days to issue a patch for, though
> it was "stealth-patched" in XP SP2.
> 
> "They can do better than that in my opinion. Even when they
> are fast there are often variants out by the time the patch
> comes out," he said.
> "I think that's a very important criticism to make."
> 
> Indemnification
> 
> Mr. Ballmer claims that it is rare for open source software
> to provide customers with any indemnification at all. The
> NovellR Linux Indemnification Program has been in place for
> quite some time. It offers indemnification for copyright
> infringement claims made by third parties against registered
> Novell customers. Novell has also placed its considerable
> patent portfolio squarely behind its customers, to defend
> against those who might assert patents against open source
> products marketed, sold or supported by Novell.
> 
> For more information on the indemnification program, see
> http://www.novell.com/licensing/indemnity/ Read Novell's patent policy
> here: http://www.novell.com/company/policies/patent/
> 
> Bottom Line
> 
> Linux can deliver a lower TCO, it is arguably more secure
> than Windows, and the combination of Novell's patent policies
> and the indemnification program offers for its open source
> products provides protection for customers who wish to make
> the leap to Linux. We invite you to read the full reports for
> yourself, and see why Linux is gaining more and more fans every day.
> 
> Linux is the fastest growing operating system, used from
> desktops to the most demanding data centers. According to IDC
> reports, Linux enjoyed year-to-year growth of nearly 50% in
> 2003. By 2007, they estimate that 30% of all servers will run
> Linux, and they project a 44% compound annual growth rate in
> Linux desktops.
> 
> According to an Information Week survey, Linux is now the
> dominant manifestation of open source. Nearly 70 percent of
> 420 business-technology professionals surveyed already use
> the operating system. Three-quarters of those using Linux on
> some of their companies'
> servers chose it for its performance capabilities and reliability.
> 
> If the world were as Microsoft states, Linux would not be the
> world's fastest growing operating system, ISVs would not be
> writing to it in ever increasing numbers, partners would not
> be looking to sell it, and Microsoft would not have put a
> revenue caution related to Linux in their latest SEC filing.
> These, however, are the true facts.
> 
> This information and much more is available on our website at
> http://www.novell.com/linux/truth. We encourage you to
> examine the facts in their entirety and see if Linux is right
> for you and your customer's business.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Jack Messman



Mr Michele Neylon
Blacknight Internet Solutions Ltd
Hosting, co-location & domains
http://www.blacknight.ie/
Tel. +353 59 9137101
Proud sponsors of MM04 {http://www.mm04.net}


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