Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Audits UK Council To Prove Cost Effectiveness
A Masquerade writes "When Microsoft's market position was threatened by projects within the UK government evaluating open source solutions, it chose an interesting way to fight back. Computer Weekly has a piece by a Microsoft manager explaining they're paying for an external audit of the IT services for a specific UK local authority, Newham Council, to provide a cost justification for Windows and Office on the desktop, as opposed to an open source solution. The Register comments that 'if Microsoft succeeds in holding on to Newham, it will have knocked a considerable amount of wind out of the pilot schemes before they've even kicked off properly.'"
If I am paying someone money to make me look good, they damn well better make me look good.
If M$ is paying a metric assload for them to look good they are going to look fscking fabulous.
There is nothing wrong with being gay. It's getting caught where the trouble lies.
Somehow, "Today Newham, tommorow the world" doesn't haver the same ring to it.
... going to pretending their products are secure rather than re-reading their code, hmmmm ?
The whole Microsoft thing would be more cost effective if they were removed from the face of the earth. Like if all the employees quit because they suddenly gained a sense of shame. And if all the California fires were suddenly concentrated around a single complex in Redmond at One Microsoft Way.
:)
Overnight computer systems would be freed from a tyranical overlord who is trying to bleed the world dry with his twisted iron claw called "Windows". Alternatives would be used that weren't Microsoft by many too uneducated to even look before they knew about the free alternatives ("well, we always bought Microsoft before... so I guess we'll keep on doing it when they force us to upgrade again").
Think of the BILLIONS that would be saved the world over! Millions of happy users BitTorrenting RedHat or FreeBSD ISOs to each other and downloading all the software they would ever need. With the money everyone would save this could kick-start the economy!
(Note: This is only wishful thinking, please do not actually set fire anything, as we now know Apple Mac G5's are present and we don't want a friendly fire incident.
I can just imagine the scene in a few months time:
A meeting between representatives of Microsoft, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, and Newham Council:
Consultant: We have finished our audit, and our conclusion is that it would be cheaper for Newham Council to use Open Source Software.
MS rep: What??
Consultant: Yes, the situation is quite clear. It would be cheaper to use OSS.
MS rep: Oh! We weren't expecting that! But fair's fair I guess! [Shrugs]
Newham rep: This meeting has been quicker than I thought it would be. Shall we go to the pub for a lunch-time pint?
Are you a recruitee policeman by any chance?
Consultant: We have finished our audit, and our conclusion is that it would be cheaper for Newham Council to use Open Source Software.
MS rep: What??
Consultatn: Yes, the situation is quite clear. It would be cheaper to use OSS.
MS rep: Oh! We weren't expecting that! Here's a smegload of money we have from Bill's wallet. Will this suffice as a bribe to make it look better for us?
Consultant: flips through stack of money Yup. That'll do nicely.
Gr@ve_Rose
!ekoj on si aixelsyD