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Ask Microsoft's Martin Taylor About Linux vs. Windows

Posted by Roblimo on from the TCO-studies-prove-whatever-you-want-them-to dept.

Martin Taylor is Microsoft's global general manager of platform strategy, but he's best-known as the man the company trots out to refute claims of Linux superiority. Here are links to several interviews he's done in the past two years: vnunet.com; CMP; Computerworld; and one on Microsoft's own site. As usual, please submit one question per post. We'll present 10 - 12 of the highest-moderated questions to Mr. Taylor about 24 hours after this post appears, and we expect to publish his answers within the next week.

99 of 1,069 comments (clear)

  1. Interoperability by wdd1040 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Is Microsoft hoping to incorporated any interoperability for using Linux-based binaries? IE, an embeded version of Cygwin for instance.

    --
    wdd
  2. Has Microsoft considered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Using an open source code base for a producted. Name, the Mozilla code for an "Internet Explorer 7"?

  3. Quality by nagora · · Score: 4, Interesting
    If Microsoft is so much better why does IE still not support semi-transparent PNGs or CSS fixed positioning while every other browser has done both for literally years? Is it because you don't care or because you can't actually get it to work?

    TWW

    --
    "Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
    1. Re:Quality by SiChemist · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I wish I had mod points for you. Unfortunately, I spent them frivolously earlier today :-(

      What is Microsoft's problem with fully supporting open standards? I mean, it's not like they have a really usable alternative to semi-transparent PNGs so why not just follow the standard?

      Every time I think about how easy it would be to improve web sites with transparency I get worked up all over again.

      --
      God is imaginary
    2. Re:Quality by nagora · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Because those two features are simply not a priority for the IE development team.

      In other words: they don't care.

      I'd be very disappointed if such an obvious and shallow question made the cut, displacing what might be a more interesting question.

      Yet, it strikes at the very heart of why so many people despise MS: they don't give a damn about working with other people, even those with no commercial axe to grind, not even with their own users. Why?

      On the PNG issue, use AlphaImageLoader. Works like a charm.

      As a workaround, it's pretty good and I use it but it fails in some cases where CSS is included from other links, to say nothing of how tiresome it can be in situations where images are read dynamically without knowing their exact dimensions (eg: I did a site where images were uploaded and fitted into a 150x150 box. I did not know in advance if they would be portrait or landscape, but I didn't need to know until IE was reading the page).

      Regardless, it's obviously nonsense to need such cruft just to display a standard image format, particularly one as useful as PNG24.

      TWW

      --
      "Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
    3. Re:Quality by NormalVisual · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Let's turn that into a real question then - why is adherence to industry standards apparently not a priority for Microsoft, and why should I believe this attitude is better for me as an end user?

      --
      Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas
  4. Which One? by dsginter · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Which OSS desktop do you like best - Gnome or KDE?

    --
    More
  5. Reviews by Mr.+Sketch · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It seems that independent companies tend to review Linux very favorably, yet the only way for Microsoft to get a favorable review is to pay someone for a favorable review. Why do you believe that is?

    --
    Things you think are in the Constitution, but are not.
  6. Why? by ratboy666 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why are we asking him about anything? He should be asking /us/.

    On second thought, I do have some questions, which I can wrap into a single bundle:

    "Is Microsoft going to pursue a Palladium philosophy in the next 5 years? And, if this the strategy, what guarantees will Microsoft make that protect Free Speech?"

    Ratboy.

    --
    Just another "Cubible(sic) Joe" 2 17 3061
    1. Re:Why? by nine-times · · Score: 4, Interesting
      In that vein:

      What do you view as Microsoft's responsibilities to their customers? In what ways do you believe Microsoft has/does/will fulfill these responsibilities better than other software developers?

    2. Re:Why? by MoonBuggy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Spokespeople for your company have been mentioning 'open formats' and 'interoperability' recently, and Microsoft's superiority therein.

      Why do you believe that it is easier to standardise and interoperate across a range of hardware and software platforms with closed, patented document formats such as those used by MS Office rather than open, free (as in speech), soon to be ISO standardised, XML formats such as those used by OpenOffice?

    3. Re:Why? by charlie_vernacular · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Dear Mr Taylor

      If you were to ask six questions of the Slashdot community, what would they be, and why those questions in particular?

      Affectionately Yours,
      Charlie

  7. Have you ever used Linux? by greyfeld · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For what purposes? What was your personal experience with using Linux?

  8. following by TedCheshireAcad · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why do you think that Mac and Linux both have a militant following, but Microsoft does not? ( Or do they, but I just don't see them ? )

    1. Re:following by FatherOfONe · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I wish I could mod you up. There are a TON of MS only people out there. Heck just post a job and put one Microsoft product in the "like you to know" category and you will get a 100 resume's of MS ONLY people. The job could have 5 hard core non MS requirements and it won't make a difference. Then "if" you interview them just ask them what other technology they like besides Microsoft and why. You will probably get a puzzled look on their face.

      I honestly wish I had a dime for all the times I have seen Microsoft people start a holy war when you mention replacing one of their products with a non "Windows" option. I generally ask them the question above "What other products have you looked at or worked with?" I personally don't care who makes a product as long as it makes my life easier and lets me focus on the business, however I will say that I try and avoid companies that lock me in to their technology, so I find myself trying to avoid Microsoft in some ways...

      and as I have always said, Once free software is "Good Enough" then the proprietary software vendor is going to be dead. It is almost impossible to compete with free when free is "Good Enough". You can do it but you won't have 50Billion in the bank and have one of the highest profit margins in the world.

      Lastly, my question.
      At what point in marketshare would Linux need on the client before Microsoft would start porting their applications over to it?

      I ask this because it won't be long before the Linux client marketshare will be greater than the Macintosh...

      --
      The more I learn about science, the more my faith in God increases.
  9. Free software by Jon+Abbott · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Did Microsoft consider free software inferior when they released Internet Explorer for free?

    --
    Slashdot's first reaction to VMware
  10. Emerging Countries by Adrilla · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Explain why Windows would be a better OS for developing countries where they're trying to keep computer prices extremely low per machine.

    --

    "Plans are for fools! Oglethorpe, the plutonian (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
  11. Regardless of the superiority or not by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Regardless of the superiority of Linux to Windows, or vice-verse, it seems to me that the disruptive economic model of Linux cannot fail to displace Windows. As Microsoft itself has proven many time, you cannot compete with free. Do you see any hope for Microsoft?
    -russ

    --
    Don't piss off The Angry Economist
  12. Linux is doing something right by CypherXero · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Question:

    Linux must be doing something right, if one of the largest software companies in the US is devoting money and energy to dismiss Linux. Why can't you be confident in your own product? If you were confident in Windows, you would let the Windows OS speak for itself. So are you making up for the failure of Windows by focusing attention on Linux?

  13. hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I fully expect Windows to overtake the unix market in 2010, but I also fully expect the linux market to overtake the resulting marketing in 2015. What are your plans to keep this from happening. Do you believe in Gartner's predictions?

    Are there any plans for Microsoft on a mainframe hardware? Windows is as well and dandy on x86 hardware, but if I represent a bank and I want a high level of availability on non x86, non Itanium harware, what are you going to provide?

  14. Questions by abrotman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why doesn't Microsoft incorporate other OSS software into Windows, such as say Firefox or some of the other software listed at http://www.theopencd.org/?

    Does Microsoft feel that Linux has any place at all in the IT industry? If so, where?

  15. Paint me cynical by savagedome · · Score: 3, Interesting

    best-known as the man the company trots out to refute claims of Linux superiority

    This guys is there to refute the claims. I honestly do not expect him to say anything that we haven't heard before.

    I would still like to ask "How is using a proprietary .doc better than using .pdf or any other open standard and how is Microsoft going to handle this in the future? Any plans on opening it completely?"

    --


    Free XBox, PS2
  16. Interoperability... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    When Microsoft seems to tout it's desire to facilitate interoperability, do you mean interoperability seamlessly between your operating system and environment with alternative systems (such as Mac OSX, Linux, Sun Solaris, etc...) or do you mean interoperability between Microsoft products?

    1. Re:Interoperability... by Ubergrendle · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Follow up...

      Does Microsoft consider open standards, intended to facilitate interoperability, to be beneficial or detrimental to overall system security?

      e.g. Closed vs open product development models.

      --
      John Maynard Keynes: "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do?"
  17. Protection against malware by ProteusQ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What applications do you run to protect your Windows boxes from malware (viruses, trojans, spyware, etc.), and what do you pay for this protection per year? How does this cost compare to the cost incurred by other Windows users? How does this cost compare to what you would pay for equivalent protection offered in Debian GNU/Linux?

  18. Code Review by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How do you respond to people who say that the open-source approach and the associated peer-review process inherently create better code?

  19. Fear? by cyclop · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Do you think Linux and OSS is a real, tough competitor for Microsoft? And if not, why do we see such a big Linux-related marketing campaign? Does MS fear Linux?

    --
    -- Patent no.123456: A way to personalize /. comments with a sig attached to the end.
  20. Do you read Slashdot? by GillBates0 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    As GM of a major corporation, you must be expected to be aware of your competition, it's products and what they're saying about you, etc. Linux is different from routine competition, in that you don't have any single company to listen to (press releases, etc) to figure out what they're up to.

    Q. Do you frequent Slashdot and the other Linux boards to say what your competition's saying about you?

    --
    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
  21. How can you take seriously the "Lower TCO" claim? by JessLeah · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I've yet to see a MS-sponsored (or MS-endorsed...) "study" on the TCO of GNU/Linux-based systems versus the TCO of Microsoft Windows that factors in such things as:

    • How Linux admins can easily administrate more machines per person-hour, due to the nature of Unix/Linux's remote administration (and don't even get me started on VNC or Terminal Services; they aren't scriptable, they aren't as bandwidth-effective, etc. etc. etc...), than Windows admins?
    • The "hidden" costs of lost time due to (A) protecting against adware/spyware/malware/viruses/pop-ups, or (B) actually disinfecting machines that got infected anyhow.
    • The "hidden" costs of downtime due to buggy MS software. Sure, F/OSS stuff has bugs too, but when it does, at least the admin can try to fix them. When MS software is buggy, the admin is 100% at MS's mercy to fix the bug (since, being closed source, MS software is often 100% unfixable to anyone outside MS...)
    • The "hidden" costs of dealing with "hacked" IIS servers (vs. Apache).
    And a further question: Do Linux geeks really pull in that much more money salary-wise than Windows geeks!? find this claim hard to swallow, especially in today's economy. I call BS. Show some proof.
    --
    Honey, I shrunk the Cygwin
  22. Competition by rongage · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Is there any real, actual reason why you (Microsoft) feel a need to use less than independant reviews and tests to attempt to establish Windows superiority? Would it really be so bad for you to let your products stand (or fall) on their own?

    --
    Ron Gage - Westland, MI
  23. 3 areas by jcarte01 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Can you mention 3 areas where you think windows is better than linux and vice versa.

    --
    just because I don't care doesn't mean I'm not listening
  24. Open Source Applications Helping Windows Compete? by Doug+Dante · · Score: 5, Interesting

    To what extent are open source applications on Windows helping it to be more competitive versus Linux? For example, I immediately install OpenOffice.org, Firefox, and Thunderbird over a virgin Windows install.

    --
    The world will not get better through technology. We must seek to be better people.
  25. .NET Platform Portability by DaHat · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One of the biggest criticisms I have heard of .NET is that it is not portable to non Microsoft/Windows platforms. Microsoft has released Rotor, a CLR/BCL system for FreeBSD systems, that with some work can be made to work with MacOS X. Furthermore, there is the Mono system which provides a CLR for Linux.

    My question is does Microsoft have any intentions of implementing a CLR and BCL for any other non Microsoft platforms where applications built under one would be (relatively) easily used under another (provided the application does not rely on P/Invokes of course)? If not... why?

    --
    Help Brendan pay off his student loans
    1. Re:.NET Platform Portability by SilentChris · · Score: 1, Interesting

      "One of the biggest criticisms I have heard of .NET is that it is not portable to non Microsoft/Windows platforms."

      I think "not portable" is a bit strong of a phrase. It certainly is portable: the CLR is elegant, well-documented and easily could be rewritten (except for maybe Windows Forms). The problem is that MS isn't going out actively to port it like Sun did with Java. They're relying on 3rd-party developers to do the work.

      I guarantee you when Longhorn launches, and Avalon (on top of .NET) becomes the default standard for windowing, there will be a much great rush to get the CLR ported.

  26. 3 areas (re-phrase) by jcarte01 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Can you mention 3 areas where you think windows could learn from linux and vice versa

    --
    just because I don't care doesn't mean I'm not listening
  27. A simple question by Adrilla · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Have you actually ever given any Linux distro a fair unbiased evaluation?

    --

    "Plans are for fools! Oglethorpe, the plutonian (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
  28. linux prerogative.. by S4t0r1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    what aspects of linux/os movement would you like to see in microsoft projects? (i mean both technologic and organizative aspects)

  29. Web Development by Foofoobar · · Score: 1, Interesting

    As a web developer for a Microsoft vendor, I have had the ability to work on both platforms... Linux and Windows. I run my own site on Linux which gets 1.8 millions hits a month (1800 unique IPs a day) and my companies website which runs on a Win2K box gets slightly less (most of which is directly from MS). The problem I have is that while running pretty much identical apps and using an AMP (apache, mysql and php) build on both, Windows consistently is slower by a huge margin.

    Why is this?

    --
    This is my sig. There are many like it but this one is mine.
  30. Future... by JossiRossi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Since Linux is likely here to stay, regardless of current quality, where do you feel Linux will be in 20 years. Especially when compared to where you feel Microsoft's OS will be in 20 years.

    --
    Just a boy doing unproffesional IT work that's way above his head.
    1. Re:Future... by smittyoneeach · · Score: 2, Interesting

      More specifically, Mono.
      When Mono is 'ready', and MS Office is ported to C#, do you foresee marketing GNU/Linux binaries of Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Access/Visio/Project?
      My suspicion is, sure, for MS has always favored profit over prophesy.
      Domo.

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  31. Skills of the responsible administrator by Dark+Lord+Seth · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Mr Taylor,

    I myself am convinced that neither Windows nor Linux are superior solutions if one's to have an objective view. In my humble opinion, the "superiority" of a system lies in the hands of the administrator responsible for said system and not with the type of software used, in this case. For example, a good Window system administrator with some good experience and the right tools can easily maintain a server just like a well trained and experienced Linux system administrator can maintain his servers. Quite a few people agree on this and recognize the fact that the skills of the responsible administrator are more significant then the software platform used.

    The question is, what is your position on this? Do you agree with the aforementioned idea about system administrator capabilities being more important? Or are you convinced that the software platform used is more important?

    --
    Hate me!
  32. Security and Modularization of Windows by whackco · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Do you see Windows becoming more modularized for the server market, and is security issues pushing it that way?

    For instance, the new sandboxing for IIS, and other such options, becoming part of a greater security push, but ultimatly an example of seeing the system more 'modular'.

  33. Windows TCO vs. Linux TCO by RailGunner · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Why do you claim Windows has a lower Total Cost of Ownership, yet you do not add the costs (not incurred by Linux / FOSS) of a Virus Scanner, Microsoft Office on the desktop or IIS / SQL Server on the server, plus the damage that is done by such worms as the Blaster and Slammer worms?

    Especially when the costs of upgrading is recurring.

  34. "Platform" by Knights+who+say+'INT · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As a research economist working in the field of network externalities, I'd like to know a little more about the history of your position at Microsoft. Since when there has been a Platform Strategy division? Do you follow the academic literature on fields like network externalities or produce entirely original theoretical work to support strategical advisory?

  35. More contoll for advanced users by scenestar · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Windows Xp has been focussing a lot on making windows easier to use for novice users.
    Lots of extra features and visual enhancements have been implemented.

    For more advanced users some of those features can be considered a nuissance or even a obstacle.

    Is it possible that windows longhorn could include a advanced users mode in which there a few wizards and a stripped down GUI?

    --
    perpetually dwelling in the -1 pits
  36. .NET platform strategy by johnhennessy · · Score: 2, Interesting


    One of the most vital part of any platforms eco-systems are the developers for your platform. Two of the more popular enterprise level platforms currently for show are probably .NET and Java.

    With the current fight for brain-share among developers with these two platforms, the main focus appear to be on easy of use/integration (where Visual Studio currently leads) and maturity (where I think Java has a head-start).

    How do you convince (1) the developers and (2) managers to put their faith in Windows and the .NET platform ahead of Java (with Linux/Solaris/whatever).

    How do you plan to convince potential customers to use your .NET implementation and not an implementation (that would run on Linux) by a third party ?

    --
    [ Monday is a terrible way to spend one seventh of your life. ]
  37. Free version by sosume · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Will there ever be a free (as in beer) version of Windows, stripped bare of everything but IE and without any network server capabilities? That might compete quite nicely with Lunix.

  38. Re:TCO of Windows vs. Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Just a note, the Jan. 24 2005 edition of "Information Week" has one such ad on it's back cover.

    The ad would have you believe that the cost of Red Hat Linux far exceeds that of windows over the course of 5 years. One interesting part about this ad is that it has a column off to the right which shows Novell's (Suse) Linux offering. Odd thing is (at least for a M$ ad) that Novell's offering is shown to be almost exactly the same cost as Windows Server 2003.

    Is M$ trying to send us towards Windows Server or Novell Linux?

  39. What is Linux doing right? by Askadar · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I assume that you must have evaluated Linux to learn its (supposedly) weak points. While doing that, what did you find out about linux that you think is good? Where is Linux challenging MS the most? (except price, of course)

  40. Best of both worlds ? by JeremyGL · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Since Linux is renown for being stable and secure and Windows is renown for ease of use, do you think Microsoft would ever consider combining the best parts of Linux and Windows into a hybrid OS if an acceptable licencing model could be found ?

  41. less is more by gregm · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm believe that a kernel that is compiled for a server-only machine is going to be faster, more stable and more secure than one compiled to run a gui environment on a workstation.

    I fail to see why anyone would opt to have to have a Windows gui with IE, Outlook Express, Freecel, Media Player, etc. running on a their server.

    Will Microsoft ever become truly serious in the server market and offer an OS that doesn't have all this crap installed by default?

    G

  42. big difference by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If Windows really were a superior OS, with all the profit motives and organization, wouldn't the superiority of MS apps be beyond question? And if so, why wouldn't you just open the MS data formats, to coopt the Linux users, too?

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  43. How about allowing multiple home installs? by drizst+'n+drat · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Linux distros allow you to install on multiple machines. With the advent of home networking, why doesn't Microsoft allow a reasonable number of machines to be installed from a single user license (say 5 machines) rather than forcing a home user to purchase multiple copies (or buy inflated license paks).

  44. Unix Kernel for Windows? by Omega · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Since Unix has undergone decades of testing; code review and improvements; and security tuning, do you see Microsoft following Apple's lead and building the next generation of Windows as a GUI under a Unix kernel?

  45. Third-world country's Linux TCO by beathyate · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Microsoft has a lot of studies about the TCO of Linux being higher than the TCO of Windows.
    Here (Peru) the salaries are lower than in the US, so installation and maintenance costs would be (a lot) lower AND generate jobs, that we need so much. It would also keep the money in the country as it would be spent on saleries instead of spent importing licenses.
    Considering that, do those TCO studies apply to third-world countries?

    1. Re:Third-world country's Linux TCO by penguinoid · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Along the same vein, the only costs associated with linux are training and salaries of admins, whereas the costs of Windows include money sent to Redmond. Since for a country, saleries have only an oportunity cost (rather than a monetary and opportunity cost), would the TCO of Linux for a country be less than that for Windows? How does the opportunity cost of Linux support compare to actual money paid to other countries for Windows itself, an AV, and paid support?

      --
      Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
  46. Licensing for Technicians by John+the+Kiwi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Hi Martin

    I'm an independant contractor with an MCSE that supports a small customer base of companies that mostly run Windows software. I have four development and testing computers at my house, all of which run Linux and free software solutions, this is because I cannot afford to buy Windows 2003 server, Office 2003, dev studio and a lot of other recent releases.

    With my cost free Open Source testing platform I have designed and implemented quite a few solutions with software such as Open Office, Open Exchange, Samba etc.

    With online activation and licensing restrictions I am not able to run any Microsoft software in a test environment to ensure it is adequately tested and ensure I am able to support it.

    This is driving my skill set and support abilities away from Microsoft and squarely into the arms of the Open Source camp. What (if anything) is Microsoft doing to combat this and ensure that the professionals in the field that sell and support your software have access to the resources they require?

    Thanks
    John the Kiwi

  47. Re:TCO of Windows vs. Linux by LourensV · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One of the key points in your Windows versus Linux ads so far is total cost of ownership. You point out to prospective Linux customers that switching from Windows to Linux is often more expensive than upgrading to the next version of Windows.

    One way to look at this is to say that Windows is more compatible with Windows than Linux, and therefore a better choice. Another way of looking at it is that Microsoft is exceedingly successful at locking in its customers, and that (as a customer) it is best to get out as soon as possible because it will only get worse.

    Do you worry that people will take this second point of view rather than the first, and that the campaign might backfire?

  48. If you could eliminate one by JordanAU · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This won't get anwsered i'm sure but... If you had to choose between linux and apple for competition over the next decade who would you choose? In other words, do you see Linux or Apple as a bigger threat to Microsoft's share of the OS market.

  49. Security through obscurity? by Knnniggit · · Score: 2, Interesting

    People often hear from Microsoft that Linux only seems more secure because it is less widely used than Windows. Why, then, are Linux web servers hacked less than Windows servers, despite the fact that they outnumber Windows servers?

    --
    Brain kills internet cells.
  50. Windows 64 Bit? by aarmenaa · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We've had x86-64 for a while now, but we're hearing that we may have to wait until the first half of next year for 64 bit Windows. It seems as if Microsoft is missing the party here. I can get Linux 64 bit binaries right now. Can this be seen as an example of the open-source Linux out manuvering it's competitors?

    --
    "I do a grep for shit, bollocks, and tits before checking in code. I'm professional..." -RECURSIVE_META_JOKE, reddit.com
  51. What do you want that Linux has? by erikharrison · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sitting here on the Linux side of the fence, and as a part time Open Source developer, I can tell you the things I admire about Windows, both as a platform for development and as a workstation or server. Specifically, the painstakingly preserved backwards compatibility, and the pervasive integration of system are the envy of anyone who has had to use or develop for a wide range of Linux distributions.

    What I don't see is the other side - specifically, what does Microsoft see in Linux? What does Linux offer that Windows does not, and what does Linux offer that Windows doesn't do as well, from a Microsoft point of view? Just as important, where is Microsoft headed to close those gaps?

  52. Do you read slashdot by Anonymous+Monkey · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Are you a slashdot reader? Do you have a Slashdot account?

    --
    We are the Borg...
  53. Unavailability of dual boot Windows/Linux computer by kanweg · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If I were a PC manufacturer, I would partition the insanely large hard disks we have today and put Windows on one partition and Linux together with lots of free software on the other. That would make an excellent buy for anyone (people can always erase the Linux part if they prefer Windows' polished looks and use the second partition for file storage).
    Yet, while there are a couple of PC manufacturers that sell a version of their computer with either Linux or Windows, there is none who does sell a single computer with both operating systems? Is there any financial or legal stimulus by Microsoft that prevents PC manufacturers from offering these attractive dual boot computers?

    Bert

  54. product or service ? by savuporo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    should software be sold as a product or a service ?
    Is there any particular type of software ( op sysems/enterprise apps/utilities/research software/etc ) that should be open source ? why ?

    --
    http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slashdot.org Errors found while checking this document as HTML5!
  55. It's because... (WAS:Quality) by Lead+Butthead · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The answer to your question is rather apparent; it's obviously because they're pushing their own "extension" and is not in their interest to support the "standard."

    --
    ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
  56. How has the rise of spyware effected your TCO? by geoffrobinson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How much time to administrators have to spend fighting off spyware on Windows systems? Is there a numerical figure for this yet?

    --
    Except for ending slavery, the Nazis, communism, & securing American independence, war has never solved anything.
  57. Release timing by bushidocoder · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Bill Gates has said that in ten years, there will only be two operating systems - Windows and Linux. Given that Microsoft has officially recognized that Linux is its principal competition, how do you plan on combatting the release schedule of open source software? As a Gnome user, every six months I'm treated to incremental improvements and features - As a Windows user, I have to wait years for a single large batch of improvements to Windows.

    I understand that Enterprise customers prefer large updates on a long timetable, but consumers tend to want new features now - I don't want to wait three years for a feature that Gnome, KDE or Apple has to show up in Windows. How do you plan on preventing the Windows brand from becoming "stale" when viewed in relation to a community with a much more rapid and dynamic release schedule?

  58. OSS Contributions by carpe_noctem · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Martin,
    Many major companies such as IBM and Apple have learned that they can benefit from OSS software by taking an existing OSS product, refining it to fit their needs, and then redistributing the finished product and giving some source back to the community. In this manner, for instance, Apple was able to produce Safari, which is IMO a high-quality and stable web browser, that was produced much faster than it would have taken Apple to write an equivilent product from scratch.

    Why has Microsoft not taken similar approaches to software development? I guess that in the past, OSS code has been used in Windows (TCP stack, for starters), but why does Microsoft insist on resisting innovation rather than contributing to it?

    --
    "Quoting famous computer scientists out of context is the root of all evil (or at least most of it) in programming." - K
  59. Why? by Realistic_Dragon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What are the three best reasons that I, as a technically capable user with a reasonable interest in computing, should choose Windows for my own personal use?

    --
    Beep beep.
  60. Honest question about FUD by DrWho520 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Why is Microsoft spending so much effort and money engaged in a publicity campaign (spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt) against Linux? Is this a standard business practice?

    I would put this akin to Chevrolet SUV commercials touting a much lower flip-over rate than Ford SUVs equiped with Firestone tires. If you believe this an unfair comparisson, please explain why. (Keep in mind that buggy/compromised software could present a risk to human life.)

    --
    The cancel button is your friend. Do not hesitate to use it.
  61. Are google morons? by augustz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Given that TCO is significantly less for windows than linux[1], are the folks at google morons for using linux?

    They use a LOT of computers, and TCO has got to be important in that enviroment.

    [1] See MS advertising and "Get the Facts" literature.

  62. What's wrong with Linux OTD? by briancnorton · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What do you see as being "wrong" with linux on the desktop? Are the problems inherent to the licensing regime or is it a technical issue? Is it something like the fragmented environment? (kde v. gnome) Is it poor applications? Is it an underdeveloped user experience? Lack of commercial software development? I have a feeling that your insight on this topic would be very interesting to many in this community.

    --

    People who think they know everything really piss off those of us that actually do.

  63. Re:TCO of Windows vs. Linux by RLW · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That is very much the premise behind any M$FT claim for TCO. They inflate the cost of of switch over, training, and usability iussues for Linux. Then on the Windows side they assume the best possible terms for update pricing.

  64. Linux community by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    What do you feel is the Linux community's biggest failure to make Linux a viable alternative to Microsoft's Windows?

    Personally I feel it's the fact that there are SOOOOO many different distros out there.

  65. This guy is nothing more than a paid spin doctor by PotatoHead · · Score: 4, Interesting

    nothing more, nothing less. Do any of you expect an honest answer to any of your questions when this guy is paid to set expectations?

    Given that, here is my question:

    How does your background make you an authoritative source on IT matters? Give me a few reasons why I would want to ask you a question and value your answer?

    (Sorry that's harsh, but I honestly want to know!)

    --
    Blogging because I can...
  66. Martin, by jav1231 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Microsoft is quick to point out that with Open Source there is no one with absolute "responsibility." What tangible asset does Microsoft's responsibility give me? In the end, I may be able to point the finger at Microsoft, but your EULA absolves you of any responsibility should your code destroy my data. With OSS I can at least go into the code and perhaps fix the offending bug. Is Microsoft planning to guarantee their code and thus wage "reparations" to up the anti in their campaign against Open Source Software?

  67. Breaking standards to prevent interoperability by Builder · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There are many cases of Microsoft deviating from accepted standards. The reasons that are normally given for this generally don't stand up to public scrutiny.

    Why does Microsoft persist in breaking standards just to lock the competition out? Is it that you are too scared to compete on the merits of your products, the fact that this behaviour has become institutionalised, or some other reason?

  68. Microsoft's Move into Anti-Virus/Spyware by DarKnyht · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Does it not seem a little odd that your company is moving into a industry that is designed to protect against flaws in your software? It is almost like you are making us pay you to supply software to protect against flaws in another, so why not just fix the software that has the flaws?

    --
    Voting them all out of office, now that's change I can believe in.
  69. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  70. if you had to pick one by Luxifer · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If you had to chose a flavour of Linux to use on your desktop, what would it be? What do you have experience with? What do you like/dislike?

    ...Ok, and Gnome or KDE?, Konqueror or Mozilla?

  71. When will Microsoft Office be availible on Linux? by will-el · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I work in a technical environment (chip design) on
    linux, and the only reason I use Windows is to work
    with documents from Microsoft Office. Will Microsoft release a version of Office for linux,
    and if not, why not? It seems to me a major opportunity for consumer choice was lost when Microsoft was not broken up into independent OS and Applications companies.

  72. From a similar viewpoint: by Henk+Poley · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why do we need 3rd party applications like Dirms* to keep NTFS defragmented? Of course there is no silver bullet, but some on-the-fly defragmentation wouldn't be that difficult to build into the OS. Mac OS X does this too already.

    * Warning, ugly site, good program.

  73. Moving to Apple and Linux... by Lodragandraoidh · · Score: 2, Interesting

    With superior integrated Apple products being released on the market for consumers at prices they can afford, and more cost effective and stable Linux distributions available for scientific, development and server applications (and breathing life into older machines for such purposes), I am moving my desktop systems over to Mac Minis, and my backend servers onto Linux.

    What would you say to stop me from migrating off of my current Windows solution in this environment?

    --

    Lodragan Draoidh
    The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it. - Mark Twain
  74. 1 Year Challenge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I don't think it's suitable to have to disconnect myself from the Internet while installing Windows XP (original release), for fear of being hacked in minutes. When do you think Microsoft will be able to release an OS that one year later won't be hacked upon logging onto the Internet?

  75. IE7 core... Gecko? by emil · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Spyware has become the greatest threat to M$ dominance of the client.

    Would your company consider replacing the IE rendering engine with Gecko, and abandoning ActiveX?

    The alternative seems to be an ever-larger stream of customers who leave Win32 behind.

    p.s. The UNIX community would feel much better about you if you released UNIX clients for your larger applications and protocols. How long do you think Oracle could get away with supporting their db client only on Win32? This is exactly what you do with SQL Server. Sometimes, you are your own worst enemy.

  76. Re:TCO of Windows vs. Linux by unclethursday · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I think there are other reasons to be put in this question, as well.

    One point that should be mentioned is the cost of IT personell for the companies. One major thing MS likes to say is that you can save money on MSCEs as opposed to Unix/Linux admins. However, when you consider that a small company could spend a little more in salary for a Unix/Linux admin, they would end up saving money in areas like taxes and healthcare expenses. If a company can have a single *nix admin at a lowball figure of $60k a year, over 2 MSCEs at $30k a year, they actually save money, because the 2 MSCEs require extra money in taxes, and double the cost of health insurance premiums.

    There's also the added costs of forced upgrades, both in software and in hardware costs (new Windows/other MS solutions releases typically require bigger and better hardware) in MS solutions, especially with the Licence 5.0 that forces those small companies who have signed it to upgrade when Microsoft says to upgrade, not when they are ready to upgrade.

    I think this particular question is important, but needs to be fleshed out to include all the added costs of using a Microsoft solution (Incluing time wasted getting rid of adware/spyware/viruses/other malware) and compare them to the added costs of switching to a *nix solution (training, support contracts, new admins).

    I think if really broken down, this would show that Microsoft is really misleading customers in their TCO arguments, because they simply don't focus on the issues that add into the TCO that can possibly be said to be other parts of the business and not the IT department's problem.

  77. Choices, we like options by toolshed7 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    We as consumers like options. Why should I not be able to choose to install IE, File explorer, Windows media player, and all that other software that comes with windows. Why does Microsoft not give us the options to strip out components that comes with standard installation much like Linux does? Linux is modular and thus more flexiable. I dont want my staff surfing the net on with IE or watching movies on it. And you cannot say, "Well they should not be doing that." It is just like the moon or Mt. Everest, since it is there we had to climb it. One last question? Why dont you have a robust command line inferface or something other than telnet?

    --


    Deserving got nothing to do with it.....shuffle
  78. please don't refute the claims by 7-Vodka · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Since your job usually entails describing the advantages that your license model and windows operating system have over other license models and OS's, you should be quite familiar with these topics. Therefore I would like to turn the tables on you in the hope of some honest answers:

    1. What are the advantages that gnu/linux has over Windows for the typical user / software developer / corporation?
    2. Why is gnu/linux better suited for open standards than a proprietary operating system?
    3. Why would you recommend using gnu/linux for publicly funded government projects?
    4. What are the best advantages of using Free Software (read: GPL) in third world countries?
    5. What aspects of Free Software licenses do you feel are particularly well suited to speed up scientific discovery, program development, teaching etc. in an academic environment?
    6. How do you feel that Free Software can benefit mankind as a whole?
    7. Finally, please list any advantages proprietary licenses have over Free Software licenses.
    Feel free to keep the answers short as some of them are quite obvious to someone well versed in how Free Software works. Thanks!
    --

    Liberty.

  79. Please share my pain. by Paul+Fallon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Martin,

    Please help me understand why I'm at work late applying patches to my Windows server enviroment.

    We have to do this once per month on Windows servers. The patching isn't the problem the extra tools we bought achieve this very well, albeit at a large cost. It's the memo's meetings and justifications we need to produce each time we want to take a production server down every month. The business just can't believe i need to patch so much. They are getting crazy and are suggesting things like 'using enterprise ready Operating systems' in the enterprise. they want to know how many 9's i can give them. OUr HP-UX team gives them 5(9's) and i just feel a little silly. Please help me understand why I'm still at work at 9pm.

    Thanks.

    Paul
  80. Added Features vs Expected Functionality by catdevnull · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Martin:

    One frustrating aspect to running Windows desktops is its vulnerability to "malware" (worms, trojans, spyware, etc.). Linux is not without its vulnerabilities, however, the Linux kernel developers and the Distribution companies, do not require the end user to purchase or procure third party solutions to their security vulnerabilities.

    My question is, why does Microsoft, with all of its resources, not correct their fundamental vulnerabilities to unwanted executables? Why does MS purchase Antivirus and Anti-Spyware companies and threaten to charge extra for fixing the problems that should be addressed at the root cause?

    With Linux, though far from perfect, there has been tremendous effort to avoid white-washing over problems. I don't know of any viruses or trojans for Linux that are so easily executed. Though it's sometimes troublesome to manage each modular package that may be installed, there are no hidden costs and much effort has been made to simply updating (up2date, apt-get, etc.) While Windows update addresses some of these vulnerabilities, it seems to never be enough and without 3rd party anti-virus software, it surely isn't.

    How is Microsoft supposed to expect its user base to respect and/or trust its secure computing initiative if the users have to spend extra money to plug the holes that shouldn't be there in the first place? It isn't as if these problems are new.

    If the answer is Longhorn, I think the MS user community deserves better than a promise this time.

    --

    I might know what I'm talkin' about, but then again, this is Slashdot...
  81. Question from a former microsoftie... by einhverfr · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I worked at PSS for three years, and was involved in many of the conversations regarding how to compete with Linux. Many of my substantive suggestions were acted on by other teams both while I was there and after I left (1 1/2 years ago).

    One of the things that I found very troubling was the way in which people at Microsoft seemed to have blinders on regarding Linux. People seemed to think that Exchange Server and Sendmail were competitors, and that there was no economic basis for open source. Do you see yourself in conflict with this element of corporate culture? Do you seem yourself as breaking out of it? Or is that culture changing?

    --

    LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
  82. Market penetration vs. Office port by Cyberfox · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Greetings,
    A simple, honest question that I care about a lot.

    Is there a point in marketshare that Microsoft will consider porting their Office suite to Linux, possibly starting from their Mac OS X codebase?

    Can you give us any hints about where that point is?

    You've got a hard job. Best of luck with it.

    -- Morgan Schweers, CyberFOX!

  83. A Few Questions by dogfull · · Score: 2, Interesting

    First.

    Quite a few people make a switch towards a OSS platform, such as GNU/linux, today. There will be more in 2006 when longhorn is scheduled to be released.
    In the meantime, GNU/linux will have improved, as will desktops such as GNOME and KDE. Indeed, much of MS's perceived advantage in user-interface will have eroded. Also, platforms such as mono will have largely copied .NET's features.

    What exactly is your strategy when that will happen? Moreover, how will you win back the people that have switched before that day?

    Second.
    One of Linux' (and in much more ways: *BSD unix) main advantages in a server enviroment is that the system will run on a multitude of cpu architectures, such as SPARC, PowerPC and x86.

    Is there any MS strategy considering other hardware platforms, such as the PowerPC line, SPARC, or the Cell processor line to name a few?

    Any of the above will bdo.

  84. Lack of command-line functionality? by Entropius · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Windows XP lacks many useful features from the command line. For instance, tools like find, grep, the many features in ls, symlinks ("shortcuts" aren't nearly as versatile), and many others have no Windows equivalents.

    Many times while attempting to connect to a wireless network I have wished for the simplicity of iwconfig.

    This makes Windows much less attractive than Linux from a "power user" standpoint; it is easier for me to type a few commands than to go fishing in menus to find what I want.

    Does Microsoft have any plans to modernize the command-line support in Windows?

  85. Microsoft as application vendor for Linux by prostoalex · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It seems that Microsoft is a strong believer in putting all the eggs in one basket. Only one division of the company is in charge of producing operating systems, but it seems that everyone else (with the exception of Mac Business Unit) seems to follow the strategy of releasing their products just for one OS.

    Do you see possible Linux versions for any of the following Microsoft products:

    - Streets & Maps, MapPoint
    - Encyclopedias
    - Games
    - Office applications
    - Server applications, such as Speech Server and Live Communications Server

  86. got shell? by ca1v1n · · Score: 2, Interesting

    One of the huge advantages of unix/linux for a system administrator is the powerful shell, text processing tools, command-line system maintenance and control tools, and plaintext configuration files, output, and logs, that can be strung together to perform complex and precise tasks in a matter of seconds . This is all available with the cygwin environment, but obviously only works with other unix-style applications that have been ported to that environment, and can hardly be called a part of the operating system itself. Is windows ever going to have functionality like this, or will we always be stuck spending days writing VB interfaces for any custom configuration or diagnostic tools we want to make?

    --
    WARNING: there is a trojan on your
  87. A question, on Microsoft and Linux, if you please. by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Statistics shows that the growth of Linux will reach a 30% marketshare by 2007, far exceeding that of the Macintosh. Since Microsoft develops software for the Macintosh, would it then be possible to develop software for Linux, clearing having the largest marketshare?

    If the marketshare of Linux doubles every year, and many Linux users dual-boot both Windows and Linux, wouldn't it make sense to support Linux instead of bashing it? It would, after all, allow Microsoft to sell two copies of MS-Office, etc for both platforms.

    --
    Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
  88. Has MS Considered Open Sourcing? by solune · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Okay this might seem like a trick question, but really is well thought out (and long):

    MS has discontinued support for "Windows" operating systems prior to WinMe and, last I heard, also Win2k (I don't know if this is true). Also, MS feels the hot breath of Linux on it's back, and tosses about all manner of FUD regarding TCO, ease of use, etc.

    Additionally, MS wants to break into the third-world markets, so it's shipping a stripped down version of XP around the globe--except in America. MS, and indeed Mr. Gates, keep telling us they want to make a better future for our children, yet the consistently SELL computer science to those it claims to help. Sure, you'll give 'puters away, but you make people pay for software and development tools, usually exorbitantly, and don't provide any kind of sample code to teach quality design. (Mind you, I don't think paying for software is bad, but $300/WinXP is a huge chunk of change for someone who wants to learn computers on his own given the time required to lock it down and *really* learn it, especially for underprivileged kids.)

    Finally, with the ever-climbing security threat to personal data, and now major institutional data, promulgated by "open source" malware writers (virii, spyware, etc get shared in the underground), it seems to me MS could mitigate huge amounts of bad press simply by Open Sourcing code that pre-dates the "NT" code on which you base your current operating systems.

    So why haven't you?

    Don't you think MS could hugely benefit from the good PR that would follow such a move? Consider these benefits too:

    1)People that learn computer science from an open-sourced windows 98 would "move up" to the more capable/secure WinXP when they outgrow the '98 limitations.

    2)Those that move on would be able to better code "the microsoft way," increasing developer base and MicroSoft supporters;

    3)MS could wholly abandon the earlier OS's, without outcry, with the simple explanation "Other people support it; now we can better spend our resource improving "longhorn." (this also creates a better reason to upgrade vis a vis the oft repeated MS saw against Linux: "you don't know WHO had their fingers in there!)

    4)An exposed windows will be easier to patch for the windows "DIY," coder and help create safer/more secure network;

    5)Regional tweaks--Time zones and map colorizations--provided by open sources can be incorporated into modern MS OSes. What better way to serve your customers than incorporating what they, themselves, deem important?

    6)lower over all computer costs for third-world markets (after all, your limited XP OS presumes these markets don't require/can't afford the hardware it needs).

    7)Unexpected Interface improvements.

    Really, the list of good things that can come from this is limitless. The downside, for MS (as I see it) is vindication for the MS critics (code quality, integrations) and the realization among the learned that XP really isn't that different from prior MS offerings, raising the issue "Is XP really an improvement, or is it prettied up vendor lock-in.

    So, In case you missed it, the question is: Why don't you open source earlier MS OSes to counter Linux?

    Pete