Linux Online - Linux desktop under attack, on the march

Linux desktop under attack, on the march


Publication:	Newsforge	Date:	Feb 09 2005
Reporter:	Jay Lyman

In addition to the same old accusations of lack of familiarity, applications, and support, Linux on the desktop may be facing an attack against its one clear advantage -- price. Microsoft may be willing to make deep price cuts to staunch a potential market outflow to Linux, according to Amy Wohl, a longtime software industry observer who presented a Linux desktop achievement report at the recent OSDL Enterprise Linux Summit in San Francisco.

As she laid out the Linux landscape around the world -- indicating developing nations with lower installed bases of computers were much riper for Linux desktop opportunities -- Wohl cited the Munich, Germany, case, where Microsoft made the city's officials an offer that was hard to refuse after it seemed they were opting for open source. The reported €950 million potentially saved by the city was not something Microsoft would discuss, according to Wohl, who said the company's representatives simply indicated that all major software deals are negotiable. In the end, Munich chose Linux instead of Windows.

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Subject	Posted by	Date
Are you doing your part?	nwlinux	11 Feb, 13:55
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