how has microsoft dealt with Linux as a competitor?

6 Comments

1. tj_guy says:

   21. July 2011 at 14:48

   This from Forbes.com
   Microsoft executive Martin Taylor’s schedule is packed with meetings like the one in June when he met with representatives from French drugmaker Aventis in his Redmond, Wash. office. Aventis has tied together groups of computers running not Microsoft’s operating system but the freely available Linux.

   Entrepreneurs in the industry smile at the mention of his name because they know, for one thing, that Taylor is a straight-up, nice guy, but also that his real job is to better understand Linux so Microsoft can do a better job of crushing it. In 2001 Microsoft Chief Steve Ballmer likened Linux to "cancer." Now, says Taylor, "Linux is going to be around forever. We’ve got to understand it."

   And this from eWeek:
   Microsoft confirmed to eWEEK.com that an upgrade to Virtual PC—software it purchased from Connectix Corp. in February that lets enables users to run multiple PC-based operating systems simultaneously on one workstation—is close to being released to manufacturing. However, the new version will no longer offer official support for BSD Unix, Linux, NetWare or Solaris on Intel.

   And from IDG News Service:
   Users and resellers of RAV AntiVirus, especially popular on Linux platforms, are in limbo after Microsoft’s decision to buy the RAV technology from Romania’s GeCAD Software Srl.
   Microsoft plans to discontinue the RAV product line after completing its acquisition. GeCAD, which claims that its products protect more than 10 million users worldwide, will support current customers through the end of their contracts.
   The move has observers speculating about Microsoft’s ultimate intentions. They wonder why Microsoft wants technology that powers leading virus scanning tools for e-mail servers on Linux platforms, which are rivals to Windows and Exchange.

   And there are many more.
2. monkeymorebiz says:

   21. July 2011 at 14:48

   Microsoft has already found its competitor as a looser. They’ve colloberated with Macintosh, the second in the competition. Apple is supporting microsoft products!

   Linux is free open source. So it has the chance of surviving this attack. But its based on the programmers! if they are interested in further coding good applications then their is the ability of survival.

   Best fact of it is, windows and macintosh cost, but linux they are free! They have a really succesful customer base. Even Canadian government moved into Linux due to the rising cost in maintaining Windows based systems.
3. Halle says:

   21. July 2011 at 14:48

   Dunno.
4. The don says:

   21. July 2011 at 14:48

   Blown it out if the water!!
5. Digish says:

   21. July 2011 at 14:48

   microsoft is looking linux and google as big competetors.

   the main advantage that microsoft is having is:

   microsoft is older and hance many people own microsoft things, as well as other third party products that works with microsoft OS.

   to be ahead in competition, microsoft is launching vista and longhorn(may be) that is having very good gui. this thing attract new users and hence they will lead.

   similarly microsoft has started giving some of the softwares for free also.

   like: dot net freamework.

   thus microsoft will be in market with its GUI mainly. and hence advanced users are less than novice, microsoft wont be in too much trouble.

   
6. terrpic says:

   21. July 2011 at 14:48

   I don’t think microsoft can deal effectively with linux, it goes on about total cost of ownership & tries to say linux is inferior but that’s about it. The problem microsoft has is that linux isn’t a single business to be beaten, it’s a viable alternative and free to own, if you want to try out a microsoft product you get it for 30 or 60 days then you pay, with open source software it’s yours to keep, so you have as long as you want to get used to it.
   Linux is well used in the server market & slowly getting more popular on the desktop, this is mostly by word of mouth & not through massive advertising campains. Microsofts best bet for dealing with linux is to learn to live with it.