Windows Cheaper Than Linux, Says Microsoft

VNUNeet ^ | 5 November, 2002 | Rob Jones

[ShadowAce]

European chief argues that total cost of ownership is lower

Microsoft has dismissed claims that Linux is more cost-effective for businesses, arguing that Windows is cheaper over its total lifecycle.

When asked by Gartner about Microsoft's intensifying battle against the open source operating system, European president Jean-Phillipe Courtois claimed that Linux is in fact more expensive to run than Windows.

Arguments that Linux is free, and therefore a good alternative for governments and organisations on a tight budget, are incorrect, he said.

Courtois claimed that Microsoft has been tracking the total cost of ownership (TCO) in 12 organisations across a range of business sectors, and that in 95 per cent of cases the "TCO was better on the Windows platform".

Licensing costs account for just five per cent of the total cost of an operating system, he said, and those plumping for Microsoft have an easier life in terms of application integration both internally and with external business partners.

But Courtois was challenged by Peter Sondergaard, Gartner's president of research in Europe.

He argued that the perception among chief information officers is that Linux and open source software is more cost-effective than Windows and Microsoft's Office applications.

"I do expect that some of your clients are looking for a response on licensing or more flexibility in the packaging," he said.

Courtois replied: "As soon as you start digging down you go beyond licensing. It's not that we are perfect with licensing; we need to make it simpler. But it's about the end-to-end environment."

He claimed that, with such a rich diversity of software applications and hardware devices now on the market, companies can achieve tighter integration by using Windows.

However, there is growing interest in Linux in the public sector. Last month, West Yorkshire police took delivery of Linux desktops as part of a trial for the operating system for English and Welsh forces.

And the European Commission handed open source advocate Netproject a €250,000 (£160,000) contract to conduct a feasibility study into running the operating system in government departments.

[Bush2000]

It does. $$$$$$$$... not just headcount

Huh? You don't pay for any apps under Linux? Everything is free?

[TechJunkYard]

How many facilities managers do you know that actually know how the alarm system works?

All of them. You have to be a smart cookie nowadays to be a facilities manager.

[HamiltonJay]

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA>....

Microsofts PR regarding Linux and opensource is like listening to the Dems talking about Republicans.... Complete lies and distortions....

[TechJunkYard]

You don't pay for any apps under Linux? Everything is free?

Well, of course not. Everybody knows they're just as expensive as Windows apps. /sarcasm.

[Bush2000]

That's not necessary. But (s)he ought to know what's running on a particular server, and how to check that it's running properly before having to call an 800 number. Otherwise, why is (s)he there?

Ah, but you guys are going farther than that. Read Havoc's original post:

"They don't know why or how things work - just that they have to push button a followed by button b..."

That implies that an admin needs to know the internal functionality of a particular process -- not merely how to run it and check results. Which is nonsense. Businesses hire admins to keep their businesses running. They don't hire them to waste time on things that are beyond the scope of their job functions.

[Bush2000]

All of them. You have to be a smart cookie nowadays to be a facilities manager.

Lay off the crack. I have yet to meet a facilities manager who could fix a problem with an alarm system circuit board.

[Bush2000]

Microsofts PR regarding Linux and opensource is like listening to the Dems talking about Republicans.... Complete lies and distortions....

Listening to Linux flacks beating the drum is even worse. Because you can't seem to get over the words "No! And if you ask me again to install Linux, I'm going to fire you!"

[Bush2000]

Well, of course not. Everybody knows they're just as expensive as Windows apps. /sarcasm.

If you can even find appropriate Linux apps. Which is doubtful.

[Fiddlstix]

Got root?

Yep!
Sure do
FreeBSD style

[rdb3]

Sounds good to me.

No mercy.
Coming soon: Tha SYNDICATE.

[TechJunkYard]

You need to stop drinking so much.. it clouds your judgement. Read the sentence before the one you posted:

And windows admins in my experience don't usually have the first clue about the hardware, much less the software.

This asserts that he knows Windows admins that don't know the business end of a network cable. I know some of these too. You are way off the mark here. NONE of us has said that MCSEs should be software engineers.

[TechJunkYard]

I have yet to meet a facilities manager who could fix a problem with an alarm system circuit board.

Only in your twisted world does "knowing how it works" mean "being able to fix it when it goes down".

[rdb3]

NONE of us has said that MCSEs should be software engineers.

I know I didn't!

No mercy.
Coming soon: Tha SYNDICATE.

[Bush2000]

This asserts that he knows Windows admins that don't know the business end of a network cable. I know some of these too. You are way off the mark here.

BS. He's made it pretty clear that it's his expectation that they should know why and how the hardware/software functions. Which is beyond the scope of their jobs.

NONE of us has said that MCSEs should be software engineers.

I'm glad you think so. But your buddy Havoc apparently thinks that's the way things should be.

[Snerfling]

Why do you guys go on and on? It's clear from my perspective, as both an end user and semi-skilled commercial web site developer, that MS and Linux work best in different environments.

That is, even though NT has a good following in the server market, Linux is by far and away the best tool, especially for the Net. No, not just because of viruses/bugs/uptime, but TCO. (Why do you think FR runs on Linux/Perl?)

The standard Linux distribution has an incredible range of free development tools that one can use to create sophisticated commercial Web apps. PHP is awesome - there are so many sites available with sample code, ranging from DB queries to credit-card payment processing.

That being said, who in their right mind would want to give up their Wxx environment on the desktop? I think Linux has a long way to go before any sensible person would consider getting rid of Office.

I think I might be representative of an average technical user. I develop PHP scripts on my PC, then upload them to my Web host's servers. He's the real Linux pro, so all I have do is make sure my scripts work.

In the meantime, I'll continue to use Word, Excel, PP, FP, IE, etc for a long, long time.

[TechJunkYard]

.. your buddy Havoc apparently thinks that's the way things should be.

Fine. Take it up with him then. This guilt-by-association BS of yours ain't workin', dude.

[Constantine XIII]

Something I have never understood is why some people so vehemently defend Microsoft against any, um, "heresy" by *nix people. Sure, one can disagree, but why all of the vitrol? If somebody wants to get their jollies by proclaiming Micro$oft Sux, why is it an issue? Just tell them something along the lines of:"You are wrong about your statement X, because Y, though it is easy to see how one might get mixed up."

It doesn't take but a few seconds to think of a dozen things more worthy spleen venting that this. It isn't like the penguin crowd is claiming that Algore won the election or something!

(sighs and rolls eyes) Aw well, back to the Election of Elation threads!

[discostu]

You must be in some imaginary place. All the facilities managers I've known can operate the system but couldn't begin to wire the beast up, they don't care, that's what the security company is for.

[discostu]

And it would behoove you to know how your fridge works, and your car, microwave, various forms of electric lights, and all the other appliances in your life. And you probably don't know how most of the work. That's reality, people know how to operate the things they use everyday but they don't necessarily know how they work. That's why there are experts and people hire them when they need them.

[Snerfling]

These two sites get thousands of hits each day. They're running on Linux/Apache/PHP/MySQL. The development costs (other than time) are $0. The monthly server costs, including communications, are $10/mo per 4 gigs (ie 100k page views).

The Web is Linux's true strength. MS is on the wrong side of history trying to compete with OSS.

PCAOB-Online

Sarbanes-Oxley