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Germany, IBM Sign Major Linux Deal
Skip Franklin writes: "IBM and the German government are getting together to implement Linux as the government's computing platform of choice. The deal is being touted as a big blow to Microsoft, although personally I prefer the glass-half-full perspective of a big win for Open Source. The BBC has the story."
I thought seeing this as a large hit against Microsoft WAS looking at the glass as half full!
"People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban
"It limits choice rather than increasing choice."
Yet another jaw-droppingly hypocritical statement from a Microsoft spokesperson.
Asikaa
Come in, twenty-seventy-seventy, your time is up.
The german government doesn't buy Linux, and IBM isn't selling Linux. Just in case you've been living in a box for the past 5+ years: IBM has turned into a huge SERVICE company, and that's what they're selling here: The service to make a solid concept, implement it and provide support for a Linux-powered government infrastructure.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
I am not sure I agree with the Open Source vs Microsoft paradigm that everyone seems so caught up in. I think that people pick on Microsoft because they are big and visible, but no one picks on Adobe, or any of a number of large closed source companies when they lose contracts.
I think that there will always be some areas where closed source software is the best option (OrCAD being a good example), but many other areas are ones where open source simply is a better model of development-- operating systems, office productifity apps, some games, dev environments, etc. (there will always be closed source games, I think, though).
This is significant because it indicates that the Germans are making the very logical choices with regard to security (not trusting a foreign company), etc. and shows that open source IS the best solution in many cases.
LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
From the article:
"We are raising computer security by avoiding a monoculture, and we are lowering dependence on a single supplier," he said in a statement."
and the poster commented:
This is not really a valid argument, since all systems need to be secure. More systems, more potentially open doors.
No. Diversity in computing paltforms (in a very general sense) increases total, overall security, especially to automated attacks, e.g. worms and viruses.
For example, in a network of 50% Windows and 50% Linux, a windows virus can directly infect only 50% of the systems. In a network of equal numbers of Windows, Linux and BSD, one of these new hybrid Win/Linux viruses will be unable to directly infect one third of the systems. And the rule goes both ways. Windows boxes will be untouched by Linux worms that use Unix-style features like sendmail and portmap remote exploits.
Even for non-automated attacks, some level of diversity is more secure. The potentially successful cracker has to know not one, but at least two or more attack methods to be able to get at all boxes in an overall system that contains a mix of Windows, Linux, BSD, Irix, VMS or whatever.
Oh wait...
Don't anthropomorphize computers.
They hate that.
Man, 30 years ago I would not have believed a statement beginning this way would imply victory for the little guy!!
Practice random senselessness and act kind of beautiful.
Once again, something got lost in the translation. "Free as in beer" got translated to "free beer", and the Germans couldn't sign the contract fast enough.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
GNU/Reich? BlitzGNU? Iron Penguin? Col. Klinkux?
--
"Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
Does this mean RMS will now want us to call Germany, GNU/Germany?