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Kill Bill, IBM vs Microsoft

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the game-is-on dept.

theodp writes "Though IBM did not invent Linux, does not distribute it and earns nary a penny on it, the computer giant is spending billions in a crusade to make Linux the world's most popular operating system. All told, more than 12,000 IBMers today devote at least part of their time to Linux. To hear IBMers tell it, all this effort is a matter of giving more choices to customers tired of the Microsoft monopoly. But according to Forbes, IBM has a broader agenda--undermining Bill Gates' company in the battle for a new $21 billion market for Web-linked software."

9 of 560 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Go IBM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    That *WAS* true of IBM back in the late 80s, early 90s. Actually, the primary reason I was an MS fan was because they were going to take down IBM ... mission accomplished. However, MS then proceeded to over step it's boundaries by snuffing out competitors illegally. Admittedly, I played a bit roled in create the monster.

    Now the tables have turned, IBM is looking to take down MS, thus correcting my blindness, and it's the primary reason I'm an IBM fan now. I don't know if IBM has *really* changed their ways but they walk the walk and talk the talk so I'll back them. That said, there's a big difference between IBM and MS, IBM was *NEVER* actually convicted of being a monopolist, the DOJ dropped the case in the 80s.

  2. Re:Eureka! Endorsements! by JabberWokky · · Score: 5, Informative
    Found it. 'Animated IBM Linux' returns stuff about animation using Linux. Should have done 'Animated IBM Tux'. It's Free the Code. Anybody know how to rip the song from the flash?

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    Evan

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    "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
  3. Re:Do it while their backs are turned! by 1010011010 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Pfft. The "Enterprise," "Advanced" and "Datacenter" flavors of Windows cost more than any Linux distro I know of.

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    Napster-to-go says "Fill and refill your compatible MP3 player", which is a lie. It's not MP3. It's WMA with DRM.
  4. Linux moving to replace AIX by eltoyoboyo · · Score: 4, Informative

    "IBM's Linux pitch is either stupid or insincere. I think it's a little bit of both. It's not a sensible strategy for IBM in the long run," Zachmann says."

    I am not so sure about that. In 2001 Thomas Schenk's article compared Linux with AIX and found it wanting in terms of enterprise support. Clearly Linux has come a long way since then.

    In 2003, Steve Mills, senior vice president of IBM's Software Group said Linux is the logical successor to AIX

    For the customers, it sure would be nice not to have to pay AIX licensing fees.

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    Have you Meta Moderated t
  5. Re:Do it while their backs are turned! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    No. He means "free peanuts in a bar": a free product used to lure people into buying the expensive stuff (beer, or in IBM's case, hardware).

  6. Re:Do it while their backs are turned! by crawling_chaos · · Score: 4, Informative
    Umm, no. You might have to compile the stuff yourself, but it's perfectly kosher to distribute the source of both RHEL and SuSE. That's what the GPL is all about, after all. The big charge on RHEL is for the support package, and is in line with what MS charges for Software Assurance on their server OSes.

    Oh, and tone down the damn caps already It's so 80s.

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    You can only drink 30 or 40 glasses of beer a day, no matter how rich you are.
    -- Colonel Adolphus Busch
  7. Re:Eureka! Endorsements! by bringert · · Score: 4, Informative

    You can use swfextract from swftools to extract the audio track from a flash file.

  8. Re:Go IBM by wed128 · · Score: 5, Informative

    slight nitpick...windows 3.1 had no native TCP/IP stack...therefore everyone used the cute little hack known as trumpet winsock.

  9. Re:Eureka! Endorsements! by mahdi13 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Did you miss the little bit under the animations??
    Both Flash and Real are available for Linux, if you don't want to use them, don't complain because the option is there

    *Linux versions of these players are available. Get the free Linux plug-ins for Macromedia Flash and RealPlayer.

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    "Some things have to be believed to be seen." - Ralph Hodgson