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OSS Officially On Microsoft's Financial Radar Screen

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the preemptive-boilerplate-yammering dept.

seldo writes "More news from Microsoft's latest quarterly filing: according to eWeek, Microsoft says it may have to lower its prices in response to competition from open-source software. From the filing: "To the extent the open source model gains increasing market acceptance, sales of the company's products may decline, the company may have to reduce the prices it charges for its products, and revenues and operating margins may consequently decline". This is a fairly major revelation from Microsoft, and if it happens, it may be one of the biggest wins yet for open-source software: what do you know -- competition works!"

2 of 539 comments (clear)

  1. Be careful how you read this by pcause · · Score: 1, Redundant

    I legal filings with the SEC, you have to list the kitchen sink of all the things that anyone might possibly think could ever go wrong, no matter how completely unlikely. If you don't yu open yourself up for later suits.

    This comment doesn't mean MS thinks there is a threat, but tat their attornies think that they could be sued if they don't say this, or if thjey takes steps to beat open source and those steps have any impact on earnings.

    This is about not getting sued for doing what they need to win.

  2. Biggest Wins of open-source? by Neural+Bit · · Score: 0, Redundant

    "Desktop Linux ... biggest wins yet for open-source software: what do you know -- competition works!"

    Three of the brightest car engineers from Ford, GM and Chryler met one evening and decided to design and built a new dream car. A car that was more reliable, faster and consumed less gas than any other car in the industry. A car that would show the world! - And the best thing: it was for free!

    The oil companies loved it - and promoted it like crazy! If everybody would drive a car then the gas consumption will just sky-rocket! And the oil prizes went up.
    And so more and more people got the free car and loved it - and the gas companies loved it and the engineers loved it and there was only love.

    The next day the engineers got back to work and were tremendously surprised that they were layed off with 231 other engineers.
    On the way home they had to stop at the gas station and suddenly it became clear that they they wouldn't be able afford the gas anymore.
    Mmh! what a weird story.