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Novell Expects Vista to Spur Linux Adoption

Posted by Zonk on from the driving-them-into-the-arms-of-the-penguin dept.

It doesn't come easy writes "According to the Register, Novell expects the cost of upgrading to Vista will encourage many companies to turn to Linux instead. From the article: 'Jack Messman, chief executive of networking software vendor Novell says that 2006 will see widespread adoption of Linux on the corporate desktop. According to Messman the catalyst will be the release of Microsoft Windows Vista and the high costs associated with upgrading. Obviously, if they're right Novell hopes that turn will be toward SUSE Linux.'" We touched on this issue late last month, as well.

12 of 444 comments (clear)

  1. News? by RobertF · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They've been saying this each time Windows releases something. Hasn't come true yet. So you decide, is Linux adoption "10 Years Off" or will it become mainstream with Vista's release? Or are they one in the same? All of this is merely speculation.

    --
    And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be bannana-shaped.
    1. Re:News? by flatt · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Previous Windows releases didn't force you to buy a new monitor.

      Should be interesting.

    2. Re:News? by RobertF · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why would they switch the operating system at all? Not everyone loves technology, they don't all go OMFG ITS A NEW VERSION OF MY SOFTWARE!!!! I MUST HAVE IT NOW!!! Especially when it comes to the operating system, most people just leave it as is. You know how many Windows 95 and 98 computers I've been cleaning up (spyware, adware, viri) these last few years? Many of them could run newer versions of Windows, but why would the people bother when their version works?

      People want computers to just work. They don't have to install new Operating Systems for their microwave, why should they buy a new OS, especially when what they have works. Many corporations will sit with what they have until they replace their computers. So unless computer hardware venders start mainstream selling PC's with Linux installed, don't expect massive adoption.

      --
      And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be bannana-shaped.
    3. Re:News? by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 5, Informative

      WTF did that even come from? Vista runs on any decently modern system, PERIOD.

      If you want disk encryption, you need the TPM module.

      If you want the fancy 3D effects, you will need a 64MB video card with DirectX 9 support.

      If you want to play videos protected with Secure Video Path at high resolution, you need a "trusted" monitor. Fortunately, "trusted monitors" don't exist yet, so content won't be requiring them for a good long time.

      Stop spreading bullshit.

    4. Re:News? by bensafrickingenius · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Primarily to keep the BSA nazis off their backs- when you get a computer free-for-carrying-off-site for your nonprofit or for home use you should ALWAYS reformat the hard drive and install a new OS. To do otherwise opens up your school children to being turned against you in a court of law by the BSA- as some teachers found out not to long ago. NO non-profit should ever be using Microsoft operating systems for that reason- it's just to hard to keep track of the licensing on donated equipment, unless you acutally purchase new copies of the OS. And of course, Microsoft is really pushing people towards Linux- Win2000 and Win98 are already gone from store shelves, and I give XP about 6 months after Vista is released to disappear.

      You are truly ignorant on this topic... Why would you try to post on something about which you know nothing? First of all, schools get Microsoft OSs for about $50. I know, I've been a public ed. tech. coordinator for 9 years. Second, there's a rollback clause in the license. You can use the license to install the current OS or any previous version. As for donated computers, MicroSoft bends over backwards to allow school to legally use ANY version of Windows on them, FREE OF CHARGE. See http://www.microsoft.com/education/freshstart/fres hstart.asp. What the hell is with you commie (NOT FLAMEBAIT! His name is "marxist hacker"!) idiots who just gotta bash MicroSoft at every turn, even when you're in over your heads?!?

      --
      I am not left-handed, either!
  2. That doesn't make sense by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 5, Funny

    You can read *any* TCO study sponsored by Microsoft and you'll find that the upgrade to Windows Vista won't cost anything. There are *never* upgrade costs if you stick with Windows. Sheesh.

    Also, there won't be any retraining costs if you stick with Windows.

    Microsoft buys a lot of good research, you folks should read it more often.

    --
    Do you have ESP?
  3. Novell??? by RapmasterT · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Yes, Novell is EXACTLY who I'd go to about predictions for the future of the computer industry. They sat on their asses and let MS chip away a virtual monopoly in networking technologies to the point where when people hear the name "Novell" these days they say "they're still around?".

    This reads like one of those "Hey, just reminding you we're still here" press releases.

  4. First sighting by Shishberg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Could this be the first sighting of "2006 will be the year of the Linux desktop?"

  5. Havent we heard this enough times ?? by vmaxxxed · · Score: 5, Insightful

    First...

    "The requirements for Windows 9.x will make people turn to OS/2"
    - Result, OS/2 is dead.

    "The ridiculous requirements for Windows NT will increase adoption of NetWare"
    - Result, NetWare died soon after.

    "Novell expects the cost of upgrading to Vista will encourage many companies to turn to Linux instead."
    -Result ?

    It's been more than 10 years of these? Haven't we had enough?

    Linux has its own niche; it is not meant to replace windoz boxes, and it will not replace them in the near future. So, who cares ?

  6. Re:Also by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    That's where Novell comes in I guess, but still Microsoft will always have a huge advantage, just in sheer support power.


    Support? What support? If I find a bug in Microsoft Office, do you think they will fix it and send me a new version? BS

    At least I can pay an open source developer to fix bugs.
  7. Re:I agree with this... by taylortbb · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is the thing Open Source advocates often miss (not flaimbait, I advocate OSS and use Linux). When you are a large company delpoying Windows, the price of licenses for 50 000 machines isn't the problem. The problem is how much it costs to support it. These are companies with budgets of millions, billions, of dollars. An administrator doesn't have time to tinker with distributions, and create a system from scratch, there need to be packaged, reliable system from big name vendors which do this with ease. Try being a sysadmin for a week and you'll know what I mean. I want to deploy Linux, but doing requires more time than I, or anyone else, has.

    The amount large companies spend on support contracts dwarf what they spend on actual licenses. When your running Windows you can get a contract which will guarantee a support time of under two hours.

    The other part is how to manage it and deploy it. Things like ActiveDirectory, which are a pain in the ass, but they provide one complete, integrated location to go to for managing everything. I know you can setup the same thing in Linux but it takes ALOT longer, because you have to do everything manually.

    Those two points are what keep companies from adopting Linux. Linux needs reliable support from big names, Novell is stepping up here, but they still aren't IBM. As for the management system, I have no idea, I have yet to find a system that will handle users, desktop lockdown, applications management/deployment/permissions, etc. from one, central, automated location. Even Apple has managed to create a system to do this (I manage an OS 9/OS X/Windows mixed environment).

    (NOTE: By automated I mean, I change the desktop lockdown settings and every computer changes instantly. And adding more desktops is as simple as choosing a setting like "Managed by Server: lmanage.internal.company.org")

  8. Not Quite by poofyhairguy82 · · Score: 5, Informative
    It's too bad that Ubuntu won't join the DCCA. Ubuntu right now is pretty hot, they have a big fan base, and Kubuntu allows KDE people to join the fun too. I suppose the reason is that Ubuntu seems bent on forking Debian almost to where it's unrecognizable as Debian.

    As a moderator for the Ubuntu Forums, I feel compelled to give you the correct information.

    Ubuntu does not consider joining the DCCA because part of the purpose of that group is to keep things compatible with Debian Sarge. The group intends to rally around the newly released Debian stable and remain compatible with it. Ubuntu cannot and will not do this, because Ubuntu uses packages from Sid to form its distro.

    I quote a member of the Ubuntu's Community Council governance board:

    "I don't think Ubuntu is a "fork" of Debian, at least not in the traditional sense. A fork suggests that at some point we go our separate way from Debian and then occasionally merge in changes as we carry on down our own path. Our model is quite different; every six months we take a snapshot of Debian's unstable distribution, apply any outstanding patches from our last release to it and spend a couple of months testing and bug-fixing it."

    Therefore Ubuntu could not even join the DCCA even if it wanted to, because using Sarge (even testing) as a base instead of Sid would break the development model. Ubuntu will stay as compatible with Sarge as Sid does, maybe less.

    Have a nice day.

    --

    Open Source Sushi