Microsoft Names Linux its Number Two Risk

Jorkapp writes "Microsoft has officially moved Linux up to the Number 2 Risk to the company (With Economic Environment at No. 1). Bill Gates has taken the threat very seriously, and has identified Linux and non-commercial software as 'out there and very pervasive.' In response, Microsoft has dropped the price of Windows CE and opened the embedded OS to developers. This will not only allow developers to view and modify CE, but also distribute software incorporated to the modified code."

Comments

Cool

[FrostedWheat]

Free publicity :)

Tho I personally believe Microsoft's biggest threat are themselves. They sometimes do make cool stuff (Media Player 6.4) but then quicky ruin it (Media Player 7+).

So linux is a threat now?

[archen]

I wonder how long it's going to take Microsoft to figure out that it's not Linux that's the threat, it's open source. Linux is fine, but what do you DO with Linux? Linux is just a platform (like BSD), the other things you do like run a webserver, file server, database all require some sort of software (Apache, Samba, PostgreSQL). Most of the really good software packages aren't specific to Linux.

Problem 1 and 2

[Stonent1]

Considering how MS deals with problems, it can't possibly win.

1. MS can't buy the economy
2. MS can't buy Linux
So traditional MS strategies don't work.

Publicity==Publicity

[n0nsensical]

Good point, but still, I remember an article on the front page of the business section of the USAToday about Linux a while back. Not exactly my favorite news publication, but obviously there were a huge number of non-geeks reading about Linux vs. Microsoft that day. You never know who's going to pick up the story.

MS threatened by OS - their best option is obvious

[literate]

Large forces and trends ultimately win; like the desire to be free. MS has simply begun to recognize that the inputs required to overcome the market's natural forces will soon exceed the outputs. this is partly due to an increasing realization that consumers have become satisfied with existing technology.

what will MS do? they have hundreds of very talented programmers, incredible distribution & support capacity, not to mention $30 billion in cash. after all, customers simply want the outputs of all that technology.

if MS would embrace OpenSource as another input to its products and add credibility and customer service they would have an incredible value proposition.

i predict an MS-Linux release in 2-3 years.

Re:By publicizing this...

[harley_frog]

This maybe true, but considering that InformationWeek carried the headline, it won't be long before TechTV gets wind of it, then CNN, Fox, CBS, etc. Next thing you know, some software executive, who may either never heard of Linux (unlikely) or gave it little to no though, reads the article and starts to investigate further into Linux. This could possibly lead to feasibility into writing programs for Linux. Not that I expect the big software firms to become Linux converts, but there may be some who will.

For example, working for a small, university library, I have to deal with a small budget in a shrinking economy. I would love nothing better than to switch over to Linux. However, we still have a few programs that we rely on that requires Windows. Now, if our vendors were to write their programs for Linux, then the switch would be a real possibility. A pipedream? Maybe, but then again a lot of things started out the same way and are now not only a reality, we have come to depend upon them (e.g. computers, cell phones, etc.)

Oh, and I just can't leave this post without something funny, and considering the wording of the topic, it screams for this one.

Number One, I order you to take a Number Two. -- Beavis