Posted on 04/19/2006 9:06:52 AM PDT by ShadowAce
Amazing story wasn't it, when that iconic tech company said it would help users run the operating system of its longtime rival as well as its own? No, not the Apple Computer-Windows announcement, but one made at about the same time that got vastly less attention, even though it may be more significant. On April 3, Microsoft surprised everyone when it said that from now on, it will support business customers who also use Linux.
Considering how, not long ago, a top Microsoft executive was comparing the free Linux operating system to cancer, it was quite a switch. But two trends forced the company's hand. The first was that, whether Microsoft likes it or not, Linux has become an accepted part of the technology mix used behind the scenes at thousands of big and small companies. The second is that many of these business users are mixing Linux and Windows inside a single computer using an increasingly important technology known as "virtualization."
Virtualization involves using software to make one computer act like many. The technology is barely understood outside IT shops, but it is changing the way big businesses use computers. Think of having five or 10 windows open on your PC, but with each of them functioning as an entirely different computer, no different than if they were separate machines spread out around the room.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
In the irony of ironies, Linux is actually making Microsoft stronger. It's already eaten through much of the fat profits of the Unix companies, and left them suing one another over where all the money went. Silicon Graphics, Cray, SCO, all shadows of their former selves, and IBM and Sun laying off tens of thousands the last couple of years. Microsoft meanwhile, cruising to even higher record profits, and now set to start earning some support dollars on Linux themself.
Windows Virtual Server 2005 R2 - Enterprise Edition
FREE Download! Absolutely F'in FREE.
Did you remember to cleanup after?? Was it good for you ;)
One of the fundamental rules of computer science: When in doubt, add a layer of indirection.
Which, btw, is what I have been saying for years. OSS software offerssoftware development companies liek MS and oracle the ability to focus on thier customer focus. When Oracle wanted to intergrate webserver functionality into their app stack they just put apache on it.
Im happy about this good for MS..
I'm not particularly happy about this, I think it's better when we have distinct and seperate technology trees to compete against one another on features. But, the Unix companies are the ones now pushing Linux, and Microsoft is entitled to make their own free copies or sell support just like everyone else.
Can eagles still fly while spinning rapidly?
It may be good for Microsoft, but it's not good for the industry. If the remaining Unix stalwarts Solaris and OSX get consumed by Linux, there won't be much of anything seperate from Microsoft's influence.
bump 4 later
It's not ironic at all--Linux is supposed to make companies stronger. We've never had specific companies marked as exceptions.
What I find ironic is the about-face MS has done on Linux--first they called it a cancer, and now they not only support it, but use code meant for Linux within their own OS.
It's all about stacks now. The OS is just part of a stack. Companies don't want to mix and match pieces of the software puzzle, they want an easily integrated solution. That's what MS had over their competitors, they had a stack. Now the OSS companies are jostling to offer the best stack from top to bottom.
Oh yea because interoperability will be the death of IT..
If the remaining Unix stalwarts Solaris and OSX get consumed by Linux, there won't be much of anything seperate from Microsoft's influence.
OSX and Sun already make use of GPL code and tools to better their product. Sun itself will sell you a Linux server and OSX runs BSD (OSS Product) under the hood..
LOL!
VM for MacTel:
http://www.parallels.com/en/products/workstation/mac/
Beta, but it's gotten some good notice.
for $40..
No it's not, it was created as a cheap free knock off by a foreigner, who couldn't afford the Unix products sold by U.S. companies. As Linux grows in strength due to user growth primarily outside the U.S., those companies are now suffering as they are being pushed into a "service only" income model instead of their previous "sales and service" income model. The leftist group that provides most of the Linux operating system is called "GNU" for "GNU's Not Unix", which was the original purpose of the O/S.
And as open source eats through more of Microsoft's competitors and makes that technology available to Microsoft itself, their long term position will obviously eventually be, "you want xxx? We'll sell you that."
One stop shopping has always been Microsoft's forte, and all the other vendors have finally figured out there's no real way to unseat them without being a copycat. Larry Ellison from Oracle seems to be having an epiphany himself here recently.
http://news.com.com/2100-1012_3-6062557.html?part=rss&tag=6062557&subj=news
http://news.yahoo.com/s/fool/20060418/bs_fool_fool/114538333314
Unfortunately for Larry, he doesn't have the same level of access to Microsoft's products that Microsoft has to these new open source ones.
Why it sounds like a.. a... CANCER!
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