Microsoft

July 4, 2005 Posted by mitch | legal, microsoft | 0 Comments

In the wake of more than 5 anti-trust suits, the new one on the block is Go. They are claiming that Microsoft threatened Intel(which had invesed in Go), and coerce Compaq, Fujitsu, Toshiba and other computer makers not to use Go's operating system. Given MS's history, I don't think its that far of a stretch. They've been paying out millions in anti-trust settlements as of late, to the tune of atleast 3 billion. I understand their place in the computer industry, unfortunatly its not where they are currently. I guess it goes without saying that I'm an open source advocate, however that does not mean I think linux should take MS's place, nor do I think Linux will completly erradicate Windows in all markets. I do think however, that Linux will take the business sector. Why? MS is killing themselves in this market. I think the more applications they buy and package as their own, the more they eliminate what got them where they are in the first place. They're transitiong to a point where, your either going to have to be all Microsoft or everyone else. Which I don't think alot of companies are going to like. And they will choose "everyone else". More and more companies aren't liking vendor lock in. Why? because vendors abuse it, they take it for granted and then have the nerve to charge you out of this world prices for their lack of responding to your companies needs, and then act offended when you tell them your thinking of going to other vendors and/or products. I find it somewhat amusing that these vendors don't seem to get the transitions that are happening. The IT market is changing, but they're trying to play the aged old game they've been able to play since IT began. Its not going to work, if they don't adapt they'll suffer a slow and painful death... Just look at SCO. They've excellerated the process by attacking it when they don't fully understand it, and they've meet their end. They'll be out of customers long before they get their trial. Thats still assuming they can make it that far.

The IT market is changing, IBM seems to get it, as does Novell. SCO doesn't... which are you?