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Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source Transition?
fr0z writes "
Ernie Ball is a company that makes guitar strings. After being raided by the BSA in 2000 without warning and fined $100,000 for a few unlicensed copies of software, CEO Sterling Ball vowed not to give another cent to Microsoft and within 6 months, according to CNET News, had the whole company switched to Red Hat Linux, OpenOffice.org, Mozilla, and other free software."
...I'd like to know what Accounting software they use... gnuCash?
:-D
Anyways - my axe wil be enjoying openSource crafted strings from now
[qoute]
"I said, 'I don't care if we have to buy 10,000 abacuses,'" recalled Ball, who recently addressed the LinuxWorld trade show. "We won't do business with someone who treats us poorly."
[/quote]
if you don't agree with the licensing, don't use illegal copies. it's very nice etc that they switched the whole thing to RH, but come on, if you use commercial software you should pay for it.
i don't agree with M$/BSA methods. but legally, they have the right, and there's not a real excuse to not follow the terms and conditions of a license if you are running a professional business.
no matter how honest and fair this family business of his might be...
now you can mod me to hell, i know i don't have a popular opinion
It's hard to keep up with licenses at a small company. I'd venture to say most companies with 50 computers or less have at most one IT person to handle everything. A company with 150-200 clients and a few servers might have 2-3 IT people if they are lucky.
The only reasonable way such a company can ensure full licenses is to pay MS's outrageous "protection money". I forget what they call it, something like "software assurance". When the BSA comes in, you are guilty until proven innocent. Most companies roll over.
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
Definitely. If everybody got to experience the downside of restrictive licensing personally, then open source would really shine. Selective enforcement is keeping an excessive copyright system alive.
Just to get the story _really_ straight:
He wasn't objecting to being nonconformant, license-wise. He is objecting to the manner in which he was treated as a customer. He objected to the very heavy-handed way they treated it, and to the way they decided to hang him out publicly as an example. He also objects to the steep fines imposed (without any court sanction), and the way the law in practice makes it impossible for smaller businesses to contest the BSA assertions in court.
Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
There are plenty of sound rational reasons to use open source software. Arn't these anti-microsoft rants simply preaching to already converted hot heads?
Most businesses being small businesses or starting out as small businesses' aren't that savvy about IP law. Or the DCMA. In the end the market will react either by the software vendors backing off, the law changing, or people doing what this guy did and choosing alternatives.
Show me proof of ownership for your toilet. Bet you can't!
"God fights on the side with the best artillery." - Napoleon, Marshal of France - speaking truth to power
I think the point the fact he got raided and sued. If they had sent his company a polite letter stating that they believed he was in violation of some licenes, please do an audit and check, etc etc then he would have probably complied and everyone (supposedly) is happy.
But no, they wanted to make an example of him and so they did. Its just now its an example of how to get away from that world.
J.
[Hope is the cruellest curse]
This is a case of breaking someone for not following the letter of the contract even though he followed the spirit of the contract and was a good customer all in all. The illegal installations were not used and had the company known about them, no licenses would have been bought -- the installations would simply have been deleted. The BSA-represented companies lost precisely nothing due to this negligence.
In the article he says that fewer than 8% of the copies in his business were unlicensed, accidentally leftover when they handed computers down with extraneous applications still on them. They're a guitar string company. They were not, on the whole, a piracy-based criminal organization by any stretch of the imagination but they were treated like one by the BSA. And now they are free from that ever happening again.
He got caught because in the process of running a business, he decided not to devote absolutely ridiculuous amounts of time to wiping the harddrives of unused PCs.
And before you accuse the guy of whining, note that he paid his fine, in addition to the presumably hundreds of thousands of legitimate licensing fees that he'd already paid to BSA members.
Now he's doing precisely what a smart businessman should do: recognize that the cost of policing for such tiny violations (and the potential fines that can result) is much higher than the software is worth. He's taking his business elsewhere. And good for him.
No, they don't gloss over it. He specifically states that
a) They weren't using it (but it was unintentionally left installed on the wrong machines.)
and
b) He was willing to make restitution, providing MS had offered him a voluntary audit and a fair price on the 5 machines that were infringing.
He washed his hands of MS because they wanted to make an example out of him. That's a bad way to treat a customer, and he bailed on them.
I don't know for sure, however don't most Oracle Applications run on Redhat Linux?
I'd imagine the accounting department could be an Oracle shop.
He only talked about removing Microsoft....
h
Listen to him guys, he's a CEO.
Now I'm going to take those Fenders off, thay don't twang like they used to, and get me some Ernie Balls.
No but, yeah but, no but...
Not really using illegal software, rather just 'possesion'.
If software is on your PC but you never use it, is it being used illegally?
No sharp objects, I'm a programmer!
The point is that he wasn't trying to steal.
They were not intending to defraud, just poor computer administration led to some accidental license violations.
The offensive part is they didn't give an opportunity to clean up the mess when it was pointed out by deleting the unused software, or buying the software. They didn't work with him to develop a system to track this, or even give a nice little FAQ to help him out.
Instead of working with their customer, they settled for $100,000, for 6 infringing computers? $17k per computer in fines and penalties. That's ridiculous, all the software is a fraction of that cost.
When a person makes a mistake, it is reasonable to point it out and suggest that more care should be taken to avoid this in the future. Expecting them to pay for any damage they caused is also reasonable.
Please. Every company I have ever worked in is "out of compliance" by some amount. I am talking big firms, small firms and everything in between.
The fact is, if you read the article, that he was most upset by how he was treated by the BSA and Microfoft. Which I am guessing you have never had the pleasure of sitting through, either.
Freedom Is Universal
Linux-Universe
Give me a break. The company was turned in by a disgruntled employee. Are you telling me that you couldn't be hosed by an employee? All they would have to do is one unauthorized O/S upgrade to an OEM machine, and every pre-installed MS product is now "illegal". Do you check every PC in your company, every day? If not, how do you know that something similar hasn't happened to you?
Yes, you do, if you want to stay interoperable with the newer version that other people use and the data format or protocol changes as well (as it does wherever Microsoft has control over it). Or if you need enterprise-level support and Microsoft end-of-lifecycles your version.
The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.
--Henry Kissinger
But there's nothing to stop you doing that with Windows. We are just in the process of installing very restricted XP desktops to our call-centre for precisely this reason.
Mod parent up. This is exactly what I was thinking when I read the article, and the voices have been getting louder in my head for the past 8 months since I tried the ardour beta.
:-)
I work for one of the UC schools. The people i deal with here all know about open source. the CSE guys use it because it is familiar and can do all the basic things.
the creative people DON'T, partly because the gui is not standardized (yeah, yeah) but mostly because the apps just aren't pro quality. GIMP is not photoshop. you can't color match using printing tools. theres no substitute for adobe illustrator. what about after effects, something that is such a hog on memory that it would benefit from being shoved into a beowulf cluster?
I think that a lot of the programmers on this board get caught up in certain types of apps. Just because you don't use something like Finale or cakewalk, or Final Cut Pro yourself does not mean that these apps aren't something people need.
And yes, I know that you need to do it yourself. Who empowers the musicians to do it when most of them can barely check email? what about video editors who need to spend all their time making sure that the latest coke ad gets in your head?
ahh, I am probably just blowing smoke out my rear, but I like sparking discussion and flamewars
Shouldn't all the closed-source vs open-source TCO comparisons include fines like this in the TCO for closed software? It's extremely hard for companies to ensure complete licence compliance, which combined with the difficulty of fighting the BSA makes this something that could happen to any company.
Isn't it standard practice to include potential scenarios like this in business plans, weighted with the probability of it occuring?
Heh... so he likes the fact that they can't download stuff to use on their machines. Sounds kind of draconian in the end.
Last time we measured, 70% of the downtime on our network was related to the employees installing other software, or downloading stupid crap, like viruses. It is a work computer, your boss doesn't owe you the ability to scan ebay while you are being paid to do work. By doing so, you cost the company money. Obviously, this doesn't bother you, but then again, you don't own the company.
I take every station that doesn't need internet access OFF, so they won't browse the net for the same reason. Its not my job to provide intertainment for you while you are on your break. If you worked in construction, would you expect the foreman to provide a computer on the internet so you could browse Ebay while you were on break? Then why would you expect this from an office job?
The problem is you expect your boss to entertain you for 7 hours a day, so you can get your 1 hour of work done. Please don't apply for a job where I work.
Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
I wouldn't be surprised if we started seeing more switches from proprietary to oss in the future.
Even if in the IT biz we've accustomed to accepting very very ugly tactics if they're even remotely legally justifiable, it doesn't mean all businesses will want to have anything to do with corporations that employ such if there are alternatives.
Sometimes I wonder when stuff like 'the customer is always right' and such disappeared from the software industry. Well, not all of it. Shops doing custom stuff usually still treat their clients with some respect, at least way better than the large ones with a forcefed product portfolio do. But overall the software biz is starting to resemble some sort of drug pushing operation:
"you know you need our product",
"oh, that was yesterdays price, it's just doubled",
"should you consider not conforming, you can expect a visit from a couple of our friends".
So if a shoplifter is caught stealing a bottle of whiskey, or a multipack of cigarettes, or a pack of nappies after shopping there without incident for a period, should he/she be treated leniantly?
Good grief, settle down. That's not a good analogy for this case. In this case, it's as if your kid tries to carry a pack of gum out of the store along with your $100 of groceries you just bought, and they fine you $5000 and put your picture up in the lobby to make an example out of you and your beligerent child.
There didn't appear to be any intent to pirate in the Ball case, but the BSA was looking for an example for cheap press. They got the press they deserved.
You threw that in pretty casually without really explaining what you meant by it. Does this mean that there are options that the creator of a document can use that will break this back compatability? If they do use these features, does this mean that the only option for a recipient is to buy an Office upgrade?
I really don't know the answer to these questions, so if there is a simple answer I'd love to know it.
"Are you being weird, or sarcastic?" said Emma. I said I didn't know because I get the two feelings mixed up.
The end reasons for the swith:
- It's so funny--in three and half years, we went from being these idiots that were thinking emotionally rather than businesslike...to now we're smart and talking to tech guys.
- I know I saved $80,000 right away by going to open source, and each time something like (Windows) XP comes along, I save even more money because I don't have to buy new equipment to run the software. One of the great things is that we're able to run a poor man's thin client by using old computers we weren't using before because it couldn't handle Windows 2000. They work fine with the software we have now.
- One of the analysts said it costs $1,250 per person to change over to open source. It wasn't anywhere near that for us. I'm reluctant to give actual numbers. I can give any number I want to support my position, and so can the other guy. But I'll tell you, I'm not paying any per-seat license. I'm not buying any new computers. When we need something, we have white box systems we put together ourselves. It doesn't need to be much of a system for most of what we do.
- What about the cost of dealing with a virus? We don't have 'em.
- How about when we do have a problem, you don't have to send some guy to a corner of the building to find out what's going on--he never leaves his desk, because everything's server-based.
- If all you need is word processing, that's all you're going to have on your desktop, a word processor. It's not going to have Paint or PowerPoint. I tell you what, our hits to eBay went down greatly when not everybody had a Web browser. For somebody whose job is filling out forms all day, invoicing and exporting, why do they need a Web browser? The idea that if you have 2,000 terminals they all have to have a Web browser, that's crazy. It just creates distractions.
- Look, when you've got Windows 98 not being supported, NT not being supported, OS/2 not being supported--if you're a decision maker in the IT field, you need to be able to look at Linux as something that's going to continue to be supported. It's a major consideration when you're making those decisions.
- Microsoft and some analysts will tell you about all the support calls and service problems. That's hysterical. Have they worked in my office? I can find out how many calls my guys have made to Red Hat, but I'm pretty sure the answer is none or close to it...It just doesn't crash as much as Windows. And I don't have to buy new computers every time they come out with a new release and abandon the old one.
- I'm definitely money ahead now and I'm definitely just as productive, and I don't have any problems communicating with my customers. So thank you, Microsoft.
He's using a thin client setup, limiting his employees applications to increase productivity, lowering his downtime, and decreasing his support and hardware budgets. I'd say those are good enough reasons.Put identity in the browser.
If you were masochistic enough to run NT4 workstation, you would now be suffering Blaster32 headaches from here until the eternity because M$ no longer supports NT and will not be making any patches for it. PERIOD.
First, it says nothing about people not being able to take breaks. He merely says that he wants people to use thier work computer for work. People can still get up and take a break apart from thier computer. Go get some water, go outside for a smoke, just shoot the breeze. The difference is that the distractcions aren't sitting there on your desktop taunting you.
On your way to the chair, which of the following are you going to consider the more legitimate response?
- Information wants to be free! Fight the RIAA!
- The law's the law. I had MP3s on my machine, I deserve to die. It's perfectly simple keep MP3s off of my computers, and I didn't take the necessary precautions, as a responsible business owner, to ensure my employees stayed in full compliance of the law by regularly writing, installing, and running scripts to delete
.MP3 files and cutting off the hands of those employees caught with Kazaa Lite installed on their machines.
- Ok, ok, I broke the law, but don't you think this is just a little bit extreme? I'm perfectly prepared to pay restitution under normal circumstances, but frankly, the RIAA and Congress suck for putting into place these laws and I'm not leaving a penny to Mary Bono in my will.
The answer is probably (3). Heaven help us if it's (1) or (2). My understanding is that Ernie's worldview is also of (3). While we may not be talking about consequences as extreme as the above, we're still talking about a case where the punishment was, in Ernie's opinion, way out of proportion to the crime.It's perfectly legitimate for him to consider that something to complain about. It's also perfectly legitimate for the Slashdot editors to agree with him, because a six digit penalty for an almost certainly accidental three or four digit dollar figure piracy crime does seem just a tad... over the top.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
I understand what you are saying.
However, it is also a reality of doing business that you treat your customers with some care even when they are in the wrong, particularily when the problem is due to inattention or negligence, rather than willful infringement. Thjat is, you do so if you want to keep them as customers.
To take a better example: your company sells boxes of widgets to another company periodically. One time it turns out the payment hasn't arrived in time - in fact, it's rather late. Do you:
a) call/send a polite letter to your contact wondering what has happened;
b) have the employee handling this customer visit in person, both to affirm the business relationship, and incidentally remark on the unfortunate delay on the latest payment; or
c) sue them for the full amount, interest due and damages, and hang them out in the trade press as criminal assholes.
If you want to continue selling widgets to them, c is not an option - except if they are so small customers they are irrelevant, or you're so confident on you being irreplaceabe that they will continue buying from you no matter what you do.
If you feel the last approach is fine, I wish you good luck if you would ever decide to go into business.
In any case, the real meat of this piece is not that they became disgruntled, but that Linux does work fine as an alternative for a business of their size.
Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
where are you posting from?
They were considering Apple three years ago. He probably didn't care whether the stock had voting rights or not; he didn't want to do anything to benefit M$ in any way, shape or form.
GIMP is pretty much the only raster graphics package out there, Win32 has Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Corel Photo Paint, Fireworks, Painter, etc.
But I choose Gimp even on Windows, so it's moot
Really? Hmmm, then what is this on Microsoft's site?
Blaster Worm: Critical Security Patch for Windows NT 4.0
Err.. first of all I can run OOo 1.01 on my P2-350 (256mb RAM). Slow to start, fine after that.
You do know that Microsoft Office loads part of itself into RAM when Windows starts, right? (AFAIK)
This gives faster "load" times..
Thunderbird is an e-mail client.. not a front-end.. You mean Firebird? it's a whole new browser with a differrent rendering engine.
The reason you can't get OOo to work nicely in 128MB ram is because KDE or GNOME is eating a lot of that with eye-candy.. try with IceWM and be amazed.
You haven't explained why you need a new hard drive for OpenOffice, and how it costs $500 to throw in another 128mb RAM into the computers ($150 000 / 300 = $500 per computer). RAM isn't very expensive now.. I can get 128mb SD-133 (I assume that is what is in that generation of computers) for ~CDN$45.. cheaper when on sale. Therefore, I estimate USD$9000, not USD$150 000.
You, sir, are full of shit.
Surprising that a CEO would rule out Macs due to a misconception. Microsoft had to dole out money for non-voting Apple stock because Apple had legal action against them. To say that purchasing Apple products benefits Microsoft, is like saying buying a Condo in South Africa benefits me because I own part of planet Earth (1/2 acre).
That being said, open source was still his best move, since it required no hardware change and no OS upgrade fees.
Us business owners need BUSINESS applications. We don't need servers. We don't needs cutesy tools. We need some business apps. If someone wanted to sell me an OSS package, all ready to go, I'd look at it. As is, I'd have to cobble it together myself, and I just don't have the time. Software is just another tool, and nobody who's in business has time or money to dick around with software. If someone came to me and said, "we can set up your POS workstations for you at $1000 each, I'd be all over it. I don't want to have to hunt around for an OS, figure out how to configure the goddamned thing, then find some POS software, then figure out how to install it, configure it, compile it, whatever.
This is the argument I always get into when my friends ask me why I don't use Linux or BSD or whatever. There is not enough non-server software out there
You forgot "for me" at the end of your sentence. Because for me, there is already way too much, and for free. I say this, because *all my needs* are covered by Free Software (even Video editing), and it's a shame, because then I do not need to buy any commercial package. Ah, except perhaps a DVD Video Mastering software.
GIMP is pretty much the only raster graphics package out there, Win32 has Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Corel Photo Paint, Fireworks, Painter, etc. I can chose between Illustrator, Freehand and Corel Draw for vector graphics. Combustion, Avid, Premiere, After Effects, etc.
That is where I can not understand complaining guys like you. On one hand they complain that there are too much similar apps on Linux, and on the other hand complain that there is only one.
Looks like empty bitching to me.
It's all good and fine that I can write a letter, do my taxes and the like on a *nix machine, but I need to actually work now and then and the applications *still* aren't there.
*Your* applications still are not there. That's not here or to Linux you have to complain, that is to Adobe, Corel, etc. That is *their* fault, not Linux'.
Fortunately, you have very specialised needs, so it doesn't look so bad.
OpenOffice 1.1RCx produces files that can't be opened by OpenOffice 1.0.
I was not aware of this. Is it possible to provide more detail. I am a heavy OOo user, and write plenty of macros for it. I was not aware of such a case. I would find it interesting to know how to produce a file in 1.1RCx that 1.0.x cannot open.
The price of freedom is eternal litigation.
Anyone see the irony that he pretty well recovered the amount of the fine in one hit when he went open source? I guess he must be well ahead by now.
OpenOffice document the changes they make to the file format so that anyone can read them and update their software accordingly. Microsoft do not because they want to force you to shell out $400 for the latest version of Office (which includes another 3000 useless "features" and an exponentially increasingly-annoying help system). The two aren't even remotely comparable. When Microsoft open up their file formats, then we can talk.
There are plenty of sound rational reasons to use open source software. Arn't these anti-microsoft rants simply preaching to already converted hot heads?
The sound reasons are what should ultimately guide you.
Your use of terms like "rants" and "hot heads" got my attention. Communities tend to naturally form where people feel strongly about something.
There seems to be a notion on slashdot that having any passion about your software is somehow a bad thing. Nobody seems to think there is anything wrong with having strong feelings about other political issues. People proudly line up and declare a party. The lines are clearly drawn.
I'll admit it. I feel strongly about open source. I'm biased. I try not to let it affect my evaluating and decision making. In my experience, the people (usually Microsoft zealots) who claim to be un-biased, are the most biased people of all. (But not just on the Microsoft side either.) I'll say it again, people who claim to be unbiased, are sometimes the most biased.
Finally, for those who would suggest that slashdot weenies are the only ones who are fanatical about their software, I only have this to say....
developers, developers, Developers, Developers, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS!, DEVELOPERS!!
and...
Whooooo! Give it up for me! I have only four words to say: I LOVE THIS COMPANY!
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
Well, the problem is that it costs time (and therefore money) to perform the audit in the first place, even if you are in 100% compliance. Even if I wanted to let them go through every one of my computers unsupervised (which I wouldn't), it would cause a disruption in my work flow which would result in lost productivity. Add in the efforts to supervise their audits to make sure my computers don't get hosed in the process and it costs quite a bit to prove my innocence.
:) ) and you really don't have much say in the matter at that point. From what I understand they actually involve marshalls to come in and require you to allow an audit.
Nope, unfortunately avoiding software piracy doesn't really help to avoid the BSA, especially given they can audit you at the request of a disgruntled employee (avoid gruntling your employees!
Ugh...anyway, if my facts are wrong, let me know, but that is how I understand things to go.
- I'm not making calls to Red Hat; I don't need to. I think that's propaganda...What about the cost of dealing with a virus? We don't have 'em. How about when we do have a problem, you don't have to send some guy to a corner of the building to find out what's going on--he never leaves his desk, because everything's server-based. There's no doubt that what I'm doing is cheaper to operate. The analyst guys can say whatever they want.
Hurrah! Someone finally cut through all the bullshit, and basically said it straight. Take that you buzzword speaking analyst! Begone back to the hellish dimension that spawned you!A disgruntled employee or contractor can easily rat your company out to BSA.
1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d
We are getting paid to improve free software developer tools, server software, productivity tools, and hardware support, so that is what we do.
If you want us to write accounting software, pay us to do so. It is not something we are going to do for fun.
The problem is if you ever plan on replacing a computer AND keep sane organizational policy, you HAVE to upgrade.
Site licenses are only valid for up to 2 revisions behind, I think. In addition, it is ILLEGAL to ghost a PC for which you only have an OEM license. Therefore, if you replace a machine, you cannot make it part of your standard network, because you can't get a license for it!
Then, if there's a major security problem (or other bug), you can't get support for it.
So, although they technically don't require you to upgrade, the practical fact is you must.
Engineering and the Ultimate
Not if people with laptops (execs, consultants) connect into your firewall-protected network and those laptops got infected at some point when they were on a connection that either wasn't protected by a firewall or had an over liberally configured firewall. There were some organizations pretty heavily hit by Blaster last week that I know aren't running without firewalls. I have a pretty strong hunch that laptops were the infection route.
But you can repair a 1940 roaster yourself, and machine parts if you can't find them. I don't think MS wants you reverse engineering their products.
Just the other day, one of our janitors was going down the hall introducing people to his new friend 'recycle man' which was constructed out of a bunch of blue styrofoam packing material.
He gets to make things and all I get is the internet.
Yea, I get paid more as a programmer than he does as a janitor but that's not my point. The point is, you don't need a computer with a web browser in front of you to goof off at work. I've never worked in construction but I'm sure they have their own way of goofing off, whether it's just standing around talking or practicing their aim with a nail gun.
The TRUE lesson to be learned from the BSA is pirate ALL software published by BSA members... then there is no record of your company in their databases.
:-)
I can't decide if this is +5 Insightful or +5 Funny
For once, this story really is about *free* software, not *open source* software. The point here is not really about how much it costs, well it just happens to cost less, but it also shows that *freedom* matters to businesses just as much as they matter to bearded MIT gurus.
While it is true that some computers and users don't need internet access, i.e. critical process machines, cutting it off all together is bad for employee morale, especially when some have it and some don't. Additionally, with the workday as it is now, the employees' breaktime or lunch or sometimes even during regular hours may be the only opportunity they have to take care of personal business. And even beyond those aspects, it is actually good for employee productivity to have some diversion while at work.
If you are concerned about overuse, filter sites employees use or bytes transferred or access hours. There all sorts of ways to manage internet access without cutting it out all together.
The internet, like anything else, can be abused and overused while at work. Milly the office clerk can blow the whole day talking on the phone, regardless of whether or not you turn her internet on or off. The bottom line is that goofing off at work was occuring long before the internet was even a twinkle in some engineers eye (while daydreaming at his regular job no doubt). It's a fact of business life, and its well known.
Your post suggests that you are of the "employee is the enemy" managerial mindset. Its bad for the morale of your employees and also their productivity. If they are able to complete their assigned work in the time allotted, what is the problem?
"Please don't apply for a job where I work."
I don't think I will have a problem with that directive.
He's using a thin client setup, limiting his employees applications to increase productivity, lowering his downtime, and decreasing his support and hardware budgets. I'd say those are good enough reasons.
and the funny part... This fact scares the absolute Shite out of every MCSE and Microsoft loving PHB.
as they know that such a change means' they no longer have a job.
After the last round of RPC bullcrap the company I work for has came to be with tons of questions about migration away from microsoft.
It's only a matter of time before upper managers start seeing the real savings in hardware and licenses will easily offset the increased cost of actually hiring skilled IT staff.... and stories like these only remind them.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
I just spent the last week and weekend moving a small (just under 100 work stations) LAN from aboard a US Navy carrier to our new offices. We actually have two independent LANs (one classified, one unclassified) with four servers, and all servers and work stations run NT.(I'm assigned to an Admiral's staff and we disembarked while the carrier is going into the shipyards.) Part of the reason we're still running NT is that we have Racore fiber optic NICs and there are no Win2K compatible drivers for them.
There are PLENTY of NT lans still out there, and there are plenty of hardware issues. This is real world stuff, not theoretical.
"The legitimate powers of government extend only to such acts as are injurious to others." Thomas Jefferson.
because otherwise they will go insane with boredom, you insensitive clod!
Umm... what did people do before there were web browsers at work? Oh, yeah, they did THEIR JOB. The fact that some managers have decided that they want their employees to, in fact, work, shouldn't be considered bad.
(Of course, I'm thankfull that my boss isn't one of these, as I'm posting this from work)
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys" P. J. O'Rourke
When he says poor man's thin client, in context of the article, it is pretty clear he's talking about a stripped down linux install, with only what is needed running.
You can *not* do that with Microsoft.
Besides the fact this still has nothing to do with the other savings he's experienced.
I got a -1 TROLL for this?
I'm an MCSE. I work on Microsoft stuff. I'm not a complete idiot, I used to be a HP-Unix / Solaris SysAdmin, switched for the $$$.
WinXP is just, well, WRONG for workstation duty; It's Win2kP with a nasty bloated interface, tons of security features removed, and a zillion bugs added.
How the hell is this a troll?
Why, yes, I AM a Pagan Libertarian.
Usally, what happens is somebody you fired gets pissed off and calls the BSA. You then lose several man-weeks of productivity bending over for the BSA auditors, whether you're guilty or not. I'm not sure what happens if you tell the BSA auditors to get the hell off your property -- do they come back with machine guns? They're a private corporation -- what right do they have to force you to do anything?
"Freedom means freedom for everybody" -- Dick Cheney
Nope. He should stick to his knitting. We folks who play guitar need those strings. His are really good. I don't want him distracted (and possibly going out of business) because he's trying to start up a business that's outside his current company's core competency.
Now, if one or two of his IT guys could find competent replacements and start "their own" company, they might have good luck.
That is all.
Ahhh, you obviously don't know about the smokers network. See, the smokers at a company hang out outside. Being a smoker crosses all departments and classes. You are privy to information in other departments. You have instant contacts in other departments that other people don't have. You end up having more friends outside your department and doing social things with more people outside your department than the non-smokers. In every company I've been in, the smokers end up forming an incrowd that slowly rises through the company.
For every annoying gentoo user, are three even more annoying anti-gentoo crybabies. Take Yosh from #Gimp for example.
That's what you get for creating disgruntled employees...
Yeah, how dare you fire that guy who always:
(Just because he's disgruntled doesn't mean he has a good reason to be...)
Jay (=