Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Segments Linux "Personas"
RJ2770 writes "Microsoft has started a project for their partners to help identify the personas of different Linux users in an attempt to sway them toward Microsoft products. In addition to the web site there is a podcast on the market research behind the project, again directed at Microsoft's selling partners."
I guess MS can control /. and already knows that I won't be swayed, since I got a "nothing to see here message"
The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
I bet that the "Selling Partners" just happens to be a company named Dell.
I want to vote on which one I am!
Under the "Application Driven" Persona Profile:
- place application needs ahead of platform decisions
- will support whatever platform best fits the application
- application needs driven by business needs
- very satisfied with current Linux installations
So, remind me again how these bullet points help win AGAINST Linux?
-theGreater.
Microsoft is taking you seriously now - you better start doing the same thing.
It showed a picture of RMS and said "Give up".
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
Like M$ has 90% of the desktop I would think 90% of linux users are "advanced" computer users.
Libertarian Leaning Political Discussion Forum.
Well the copyright date is from 2006 and look at this Whois result.
F www.linuxpersonas.com&tld=com
http://www.whois.net/whois_new.cgi?d=http%3A%2F%2
I work at a university using Linux for a distibuted telescope control system. There was nothing in the persona list about either universities or machine control. I guess we're safe from the Microsoft marketing megamachine for now.
The determined Real Programmer can write Fortran programs in any language.
Probably most of those don't even know that Linix is involved.
Engineering is the art of compromise.
#6: People who hate Microsoft, and would prefer to use an abacus to MS software (37% of slashdot users)
I see that Microsoft is taking good, strong steps to prevent those evil Linux users from viewing this secret data!
☠
MS should really start by figuring out what is useful for their users, then for Mac/Linux/BSD/something else users want.
I personally wonder at what point "innovation" was defined as get in the way of the two functions all ones users need. Just make an OS which is fast/efficient and doesn't throw up cryptic error messages regularly and I will be reasonably happy with whatever else goes on.
...I find http://www.stacymunn.com/resume/index.htm.
Either she made this for Microsoft, or there are more Stacy Munns at that company than I would usually expect.
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
Do a WHOIS on the domain... not sure how comfortable I am pasting it here.
Let's just say... it just oozes professionalism. And seems to have nothing to do with Microsoft
Linux users are, among other things:
* People who like knowing what their computer is up to (kind of like motorheads for the information age);
* People who don't like M$ deciding how their computers will work;
* People who don't want to spend money when a more reliable solution exists for Free;
* People who believe that competition is a Good Thing (tm);
* People who resent being called pirates (at least without being able to make others walk the plank!)
Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
The word 'Microsoft' has the ® symbol following it while 'Linux' does not. Isn't the word 'Linux' copyrighted too?
What is a Microsoft sales troll supposed to do about the missing entries:
:) Come on, come try and sell me some Windows Server 2003 licenses.
FSF True believer: If it ain't Free it isn't an option.
Disgusted Ex Microsoft customer: Experienced Microsoft products since they were in ROM chips and hasn't found one yet that wasn't a roach motel. Doesn't plan on wasting money on more of the crap until they manage to get several in a row right... i.e. never.
Political MS hater: Hates evil corporations in general, believes Microsoft more evil than Exxon-Mobil, AT&T, IBM or the MPAA. Believes Microsoft is an unrepentant monopolist hellbent on enslaving the world.
Then there is me, a little bit of all three.
Democrat delenda est
Here's my demographic.
I'm a computer user who likes my machines to be as crash-free as possible. Failing that, I'd like access to the source code so I can fix whatever problems I perceive, rather than waiting for someone else to do it.
Ok - that's my "Linux Persona". Now let's see you cater to me.
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
Hell, they can have their own Linux distro if they really wanted to do that too.
"Your product must be validated before you can proceed. Click here to learn more about the advantages of owning Genuine Linux."
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
It seems to be aiming at enterprise. They focus more on business executives and application developers, except for the "Linux Aficionado", whom most Slashdot Linux users would fit in.
The problem for Microsoft is that many Microsoft users loath it's software, Linux users also loath Microsoft software, so it'll be hard for Microsoft partners to try and "convince" them to switch. I think Microsoft's greatest fear is that businesses which have traditionally went with them will try Linux for their servers because of all the security bugs and malware. Linux is too complex for the "average luser", so Microsoft isn't as worried about them, but business and server users are more knowledgeable about computers and would switch easier, so this is their new strategy to keep them with MS.
Hydraulic pizza oven!! Guided missile! Herring sandwich! Styrofoam! Jayne Mansfield! Aluminum siding! Borax!
Seriously, when was the last time MS came out with something that really got you excited, something elegant and useful?
For me it's more basic than that. I recently got a job and was plunged back into the world of Windows servers, and am now dealing with licensing issues whose only solution will be dropping money into Microsoft's pocket. I'm gonna be blunt, a lot of IT types like Linux because we don't have to worry about it. Add another user, workstation, server, whatever, and I don't have to plop down cash, or worse, have to go to my manager hat in hand and beg for more gruel to shove down Microsoft's mouth.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
Exactly, I mean...doesn't MS at least try to sue anyone with a domain name that resembles or includes theirs? I know they are free to have their own Linux distro. But to use the name for their own promotional material, I find that a bit strange.
"Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
Is this a joke or is microsoft really that desperate???
Damn, this entire campaign sounds like one fucking sad attempt at trolling.
Really? Because for years, I've been seeing posts and articles on slashdot that talk in terms of winning people over from MS to Linux. Unless that continually played tune is also trolling, then I don't think that MS trying to understand the different stripes of people that are (or might consider) using Linux is anything other than basic market research. Not all of the Ubuntu crowd may consider themselves to be "winning" someone away from Mandriva, but I'm sure that language gets used sometimes. Just like people in the Firefox camp often talk about winning a larger share of browser users away from MS.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
I for one welcome our anti-competitive monopoly over... Wait a minute, I guess I don't!... Never-mind.
They forgot to list the segment of the population who hate Microsoft passionately - due to their business practices, their monopoly, their DRM, their lack of ethics, their EULA which forces you to give up your freedom of speech, their proprietary file formats, their Microsoft Word specifically, and perhaps more reasons.
And then there are the people who believe that Linux has superior design, that the user is more in control of what the computer does, that linux is more virus-resistant, easier to work with and so on.
I think Microsoft should divide all the "win over" percentages on their website by 10.
To whome it may concern: Thank you for your presentation and dedication to helping me 'fight' Linux! I can honestly say that you have convinced me, now more than ever, to continue to push Linux whenever and wherever available, both in my personal and professional life. Any company I work for, any organization I am involved with, and anyone I assist with computers. I will tell them of my experiences with Windows, the many problems it's had as well as my experience with Linux and its ability to out perform Windows with ease. I am not sure what else to say other than to tell you that I find this dedication to 'fighting' Linux to be simply horrific. It's downright insane to continue to try and smear Linux like you do. The sad thing is, I'd probably be much more of a Windows fan and supporter if only you worked with everyone else rather than try to get rid of them in any way possible to the point that it becomes your obsession. Again, thank you for your help to convince me to KEEP USING LINUX!
Does she have a boyfriend?
"Linux Experimenter" = Bi-curious. A bit dangerous, but let's not worry too much and just scare them straight.
"Market Follower" = MS bitches. We own these fuckers!
"Application Driven" = Dangerously misguided. Brainwashing might be needed, just to set them in order.
"Linux Aficionado" = Stupid, hopeless nerds. Recommended solution: hire hitman.
"Unix transitioner" = Head case. Keep distance.
He didn't mention that he gets to coast *down* the 900 foot hill each way also. Slacker!
The determined Real Programmer can write Fortran programs in any language.
I like penguins, how can they cater to me?
If MS made an OS that was fast, efficient, stable, and supported the hardware most folks desired, there would be no reason for customers to buy the next OS when it came out. So, to support their business model, each OS has to be slightly behind for its time, either by speed, stability, or hardware support, so consumers have a reason to buy the next OS (or PC with the new OS) when it comes out.
Or I could have this all wrong, and be corrected below.
As soon as the domain propagates, come to http://windowspersonas.com/ wiki to help compose a worthy response! :)
Here are my stats:
* I am a former Microserf (I was a fool to leave thinking dot bombs would pay off bigger but that is water under the bridge)
* I've played with Linux since it was first posted to Usenet, before I worked for M$. I loved having a Unix on my home PC but for day to day stuff preferred Windows
* When I worked at M$ Linux was my primary OS at home. Even so I was a Microsoft fan, because even with BSOD issues, Windows worked out of the box
* Part of the attraction to Microsoft was their viral marketing. They intentionally made earlier versions of Windows easy to copy and share to increase popularity. This was intentional.
* I began to hate Microsoft when they turned on average customers and took away ownership rights. Right of first sale DOES apply to over-the-shelf software but they have successfully rewritten the rules, for all intents and purposes
* I hate how restricted Windows has become. It used to be trivial to run an alternative desktop, all the way through WinMe it was a System.ini setting, and in NT4 and Win2K it was a registry entry. Now, to do something as trivial as change the theme, one must buy a Microsoft-approved "signed" theme, or must violate the EULA (and break the DMCA in M$'s eyes, although interoperability clause allows for it) by reverse engineering or patching the theme loader to allow unsigned themes.
My dream OS would be the Windows kernel to allow for 100% hardware support, but BSD userland tools and the KDE desktop, enhanced by Beryl.
So pray tell, Microsoft, how do you win users like me back as customers? Are you going to open up your OS, drop the DRM and actually make it as usable and extensible as Linux? Or, are you going to continue to tighten your fist, losing more and more previously-loyal customers in the process?
In summary: Fuck you Microsoft.
For those who don't want to read all the comments, here's the summary:
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However, according to the FAQ at linuxmark.org,
Navicula hydraulica plena anguilarum est. Omnes castelli tuus nostri sunt. Ed elli avea del cul fatto trombetta.
2. Your Parents - they don't really know much about computers and will use whatever the computer they bought came with.
3. Market Follower - M$ bitches.
4. The Windows Enthusiast - these people are extremely rare. They actively believe that M$ products are superior to anything else out there and believe that if something is free, there must be something wrong with it.
5. Scientists, Engineers, Professionals - use Windows due to vital software existing only on that platform.
That's standard sales training. That's what everybody learns in basic marketing management.
A big problem with the open-source world is that it doesn't develop marketing use cases. How little need a user know to successfully run Linux on the desktop? That's not something one hears in KDE vs. Gnome discussions. Yet it's the question that matters.
For those too lazy to watch the presentation, here are the personas:
Linux Experimenter Characteristics: "Tester" of Linux, willing to try Microsoft, Windows is the default choice for servers.Sales pitch: don't experiment, use Windows, it's tried and true. Market Follower Characteristics: Prefer Microsoft, risk-averse, don't really like Linux.
Sales pitch: Windows is the best in the enterprise. Look beyond initial cost to maintenance and reliability. Application Driven Characteristics: Like Linux because it works and it's reliable.
Sales pitch: more productivity and lower TCO with Windows. Linux Aficionado Characteristics: Believe Linux is just better.
Sales pitch: lower TCO, more reliable, remember to avoid Microsoft vs Open Source. UNIX Transitioner Characteristics: Wants to take UNIX apps to Linux, not familiar with Windows.
Sales pitch: IIS is more secure, better TCO.
I know a few entrepreneurial internet startup types. These are the guys who are creating the new economy, right now. Building innovative new services, mostly using the web. This area is the future, everyone knows it, and I fully expect some of my friends to be multi-multi-millionaires in the years to come.
.. and that's why I don't worry about Microsoft anymore.
Now if I were to suggest to these people - any of them, in fact - that they deploy on Windows, they would roll around on the floor laughing for a few minutes, before permanently writing me off as a complete idiot.
This is Microsoft's problem. They can fool the old guard for a while longer perhaps; no-one wants to do any large scale Exchange migrations anytime soon - not anyone who's ever tried before, anyway. But the new guard, all the innovation online, doesn't belong to them and moves further away every day. All the exciting new developments on the web are OSS and without even a single exception no-one I know would consider using anything else. Even those who still program on Windows wouldn't use it server-side.
So this marketing effort might pay off a few percentage points here and there as MS squeezes Joe Company's backroom for a few more Server 2003 licenses but the really big ship has already sailed, a long time ago. Can you name even a single new online service you're excited about that uses Windows? Even one? Thought not.
So hell, let them squeeze the old guard for all they're worth. The new platform, the web and the internet itself, has slipped through MS's fingers
Let my new 7-digit UID be a lesson to all - write down your passwords.
Linux users have been profiled by market research firms for a long time now. If you want proof, check out this transcript from Frontline's "The Persuaders":
s uaders/etc/script.html/
:-)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/per
Do a text search for "linux" on that page, then back up a bit and read it in context. If you watch the show online, it's even better - and more creepy. They don't call 'em "persuaders" for nothing.
;-)
w se_thread/thread/bec275e6460080f8/ffccd9666ac67f5d ?q=kenny+linux+&lnk=ol&
:)
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.lisp/bro
Me? Proud user of Linux as my primary desktop since kernel version ~0.91 and big fan of lisp since even before then, but do not assume that seeing a picture of a boot-up sequence, even from the first-class seat is necessarily a good thing!
I thought MS already knew the personas of Linux users:
1. Communists
2. People who want high TCO
3. People who are jealous of St Bill of Redmond's goodness
4. Unwashed hippies
5. IBM (see 4)
6. Un-American people.
7. Foreigners (see 6)
8. Terrorists (see 7)
9. Cancers
10. People who think they own "their" computers and other anti-capitalists
It's not so much the cost of the licenses, but the amount of time required to keep license for all the MS products up to date is just not something workable. On top of that, windows servers are pretty complicated and time consuming to administer (reboots/downtime off hours at least once a month due to lack of shared library versioning and inode support, editing registry entries, etc), so it's not like you're saving money in the long run.
Where a lot of this falls down is the reliance of already-proven sketchy evidence (Get The Facts, TCO studies, etc...), and some overly simplistic anecdotal evidence ("Customers are already switching from Apache/Linux to IIS6/Windows" ; "Customers are finding that development with ASP.NET is quicker and easier" ; ...).
I looked at all the personas and found every one of them fell in the range of 25-28 servers with the exception of the Unix one at 31 servers. Looks like a limited market segment survey to me. The segmemt missing is the SOHO or Home Office where computing is dependant on applications such as Quicken and an Office product and web browser. TCO is a big deciding factor. Instead of upgrading from MS office 97 and such, we built a white box computer and put Ubuntu on it. As a bonus, for our graphics arts we use the Gimp instead of Photoshop. We don't need another copy of AV software. The software savings has paid for the hardware. To share files, we picked up a NAS using Linux. It uses an encrypted Reiser filesystem and we have put all our printers on stand alone prinservers. The NAS and Printservers are all Linux. Other than some drastic price changes, there is little MS can do to get us to be an all MS office. We can't justify the cost. One copy of MS office is expensive. 4 copies (main office, kids PC, & 2 laptops is a show stopper. Linux does the job with either ABI Word or Open Office and doesn't break the budget. It also works with newer MS office files sent to us. Office 97 doesn't display them properly if at all.
When the adoption rate reaches critical mass where I can pick up a copy of Turbo Tax for Linux and Quicken will be the day MS stock has a bad day. There isn't many markets with more price concious buyers than the SOHO market.
The truth shall set you free!
This is hysterical. Not because it's stupid (it's not), but because of the sheer futility in trying to win over the "Linux Afcionado".
Question: "Are you aware of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing --"
Answer: "You mean Treacherous Computing, don't you? I spit on your pathetic proprietary software!"
And "Try to avoid the Microsoft versus Open Source software conversation and focus on specific workloads and IT pain points instead," by which of course they mean "give it up, you'll never convince these people; just beg to have them buy 'just one little server.' Make a frowny face when you ask."
"Rely on Get the Facts evidence --"
"Oh man, I read that bullshit on Slashdot. That TCO metric is a pile of crap --"
(salesman turns and runs out the door)
Did you ever notice that *nix doesn't even cover Linux?
I do not quite understand Microsoft's strategy here, for many reasons, which I'll try to enumerate logically. I am not trying to troll. I am trying to be objective, and when I do criticize Microsoft I do so purely academically, so please do not turn this into a flame war.
Further, the main buyers and users in this segment are not average users who need to use computers for nothing more than word processing, email, and web. They are power users who are well aware of the strengths and limitations provided by the different systems. They know first hand the problems of using Microsoft server solutions.
If they really want to capture this smaller market (again, I am not sure why they would except for the pursuit of total monopoly), it seems that they need more than a new sell technique. Instead, they should develop their new programs and services to inter-operate with existing standards and systems. As they develop server solutions for power users, they'll win over the server crowd with their commitment to excellent products, not some new half-hearted add campaign, which many (such as the
I know I do not have all the answers, but I think that Microsoft is getting everything wrong here. It seems that capturing the server market has a very small return when compared to the desktop market. Additionally, the cost of "doing it right" with inter-operability-centered design of new products while maintaining backwards compatibility would greatly reduce margin (e.g. look what happened with all the grand ideas of Vista). Nevertheless, if Microsoft is determined to win this market, they need to do so with more steps of good faith and less aggressive talk about intellectual property (happy, willing customers are
Hans has not yet been convicted.
Sure, his wife is missing, but if there is no body then it's not clear that there has been a murder and even if there has been, there's no evidence to connect him to the deed.
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
The presentation is not about the users of Linux but about businesses and servers who use Linux.
And I noticed there is few bald faced lies in the presentations too. It is expected that Microsoft would mislead and lie to people.
But the point is clear. Microsoft considers Linux a threat and are actively trying to fight us.
We need a an equivalent to Mozilla's Firefox Flicks program for Linux.
\
Many, if not most, Linux systems are embedded
And what of those who use Linux, daily, in the form of Google, Amazon, et al? How does one (MS in this case) sway users away from these?
Sounds like a big job.
In other news, cigarette companies are profiling non-smokers to look for areas to expand their market share. They defined 5 distinctly different profiles of non-smokers who are targets for conversion. These coorespond exactly to the Microsoft categories.
... if he doesnt start smoking. Remember - being Gay is trendy too !!
.. and something to fidget with during the day too.
... they are incapable of rational debate .. just 'Being healthy is better, so there!!' is the best they can come up with.
1) The Naughty Child (aka. Linux Experimenter)
This prospect comes from a good god-fearing household where Mum, Dad, and his brothers and sisters all smoke regularly. As does uncle Jed who lives in the spare room. The naughty child would like to be more like some of the cool jock types at school, instead of the fat wheezing slob that he is, and has dared to do sports and things when mum isnt looking. He has futile dreams of owning (and riding) a bike for his birthday.
Sales Pitch: Fat Chance kiddo ! Know thy place and respect thy parents !! Stop thinking and do as thou art told !! Inform the parents and resort to corporal punishment if required.
---oOo---
2) The Lemming (aka. Market Follower)
This prospect is always scared of offending people. Incapable of thinking for himself, the only reason he doesnt smoke at the moment is because its become trendy to be a non-smoker, and he wants to blend in with the crowd. Well hey buddy - its trendy to be gay as well !
Sales Pitch: Blackmail works best on this one. These weirdos always have some skeletons in the closet, so dig around and find some dirt (or make some up), and threaten to expose him for the paedofile that he surely is
---oOo---
3) Addictive Personality (aka. Application Driven)
This person doesnt smoke, eats a whole lettuce every day for lunch, and goes to gym 3 times a week. What a wanker !! What this person doesnt realise is that its not the fitness thing that they are really into - its just a displacement activity to fill in their day, give them some sort of meaning to their life, and stop them from going nuts. Smoking offers a better and cheaper way out of this rut
Sales Pitch: Point out the psychology of their 'health regime', and show them how cigarettes can fill the gap in the life just as well as a gym membership - only cheaper !! Deflect and embrace.
---oOo---
4) The Know it all (aka. Linux Aficionado)
This one is a pain in the butt. They are fit and healthy, and love to show off about it in front of other people. A lot of them are ex-smokers who have totally embraced this whole healthy-living crud as some sort of revenge trip against fast food and cigarettes that may have dominated their previous life. Pointless getting into an argument with this type
Sales Pitch: Avoid direct comparisons between cigarettes and other methods of lifestyle enhancement - just stick with facts, eg FACT: Cigarettes calm you down, which is good for your stress levels FACT: Smoking kills your appetite, so you eat less, loose weight, look healthier FACT: Smoking gives you bad breath and impotence, so your chances of contracting an STD are much less, etc.
---oOo---
5) On the way to crack addiction. (aka. UNIX Transitioner)
This prospect is already a regular user of speed and party pills, and is rapidly on their way to becoming a full time crack addict. Perception that plain old cigarettes just arent wicked enough for them, so they dont even give smoking a second thought.
Sales Pitch: Restate the benefits - legal, easily available, and quite affordable in comparison. Sure, moving to crack would be a whole new lifestyle enhancement, but consider cigarettes as an excellent way to re-invent yourself as well. Point out movies where cool characters can be seen smoking. Offer them a free packet of smokes (secretly laced with cocaine and ground neurofen), and you just might have yourself a new friend !!
4. The Windows Enthusiast - these people are extremely rare. They actively believe that M$ products are superior to anything else out there and believe that if something is free, there must be something wrong with it.
Extremely rare? Have you ever ventured outside slashdot? They are extremely common!
It crashed on that flash monstrosity that showsup in a POPUP.
I can only guess this site was never meant to be read by actuall linux users but rather by just by windows sellers who offcourse run windows and LOVE flash and popups.
Anyway it crashed opera wich is something that hasn't happened in a LONG time. Good job MS. Even on Linux/Opera you can still give me a IE experience.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
o The tree-hugger : Loves Linux because it's open source. Like to have freedom to access everything he paid for. He finds the concept of "you don't own the software, you own a license that enables you to use it" ackward. ...but I think it'll be just as effective as the TCO / Get the facts
:
- MS may mention the Microsoft Shared source project, and the pacts with some government and military to share the source of select OS parts.
o University shops : Ok, the campus discount prices are a good thing, but some work need highly customisable code to hack until it fits the solution. Also, lot of clusters running in the physics, biomed and math department. Plus, CompSci needs a OS freely hackable to teach OS programming.
- MS may mention the MS-Shared source project (not interesting for CompSci they need OS source)
or Pact with governments (out of University budget) or Windows CE custom kits (out of University budget due to number of seats) or MS Windows Cluster edition (not hackable).
o The I WANT TO BE IN CHARGE Linux user : he bought, he wants to be in charge. He hates DRM and his worst dream is TCP.
- MS May mention that DRM is needed for the market place, or go for the Jobs defense (I isn't my fault, the MAFIAA made me do it). They may try to show that MS can lead a game of cat and mouse chase in terms of format compatibility.
o The "I want a standart format" OOo user : he want a well documented format, that he'll be able to open on other OpenDoc compliant softs and could store for long term without being affraid of un-supported / out dated / license-expired software.
- MS should mention that their OOXML format is soon ISO standart too and has many features that lacks in... (Shut up ! 6000 pages is a joke)
o The complete free ride : he wants to pay absolute 0$ for things that can be downloaded free. Preferably in a legal manner.
- MS should mention that the beige box hardware came at a price.
- MS should mention the cheap Starter Edition... ok we all know this one is a joke. Then MS should secretly point out that pirate edition of its software is widely available, and Genuine Advantage can be circumvented.
o Google : They mostly use Linux to avoid astronomical license cost and to have customizeability.
- MS should send Balmer to fucking kill them throwing chairs
o The I don't play games guy : The single actual good argument for Windows is gone.
- MS... is doomed.
Seriously, to respond to this Linux community should focus on the main points Microsoft will never be able to compete with
- Free/Libre Opensource software : No matter what, what you got is yours and you're free to do whatever pleases you with it. You can even share those results as long as you comply with the license. With microsoft, unless you're a government or military, or if you buy (wads of cash) $ for a customisable kit (WinCE or Win XPe) you'll never be able to hack legally the OS nor distribute the modifications.
- Every improvement of the OS technology done as a Master Thesis can be implemented for Linux (instead for some toy proof-of-concept OS) and if it proves useful, pass tests and is accepted by A. M., it can immediately be made available for all users around the world. You can't do the same stuff for microsoft products, or then you must work in the MS campus and your improvement will be sold as the next pay-for version of Windows (if it has the chance not to be scraped together with WinFS and all those cool features that were always promised and always postponed to the next version).
- No DRM : You are the one in charge of you computer.
- No per-seat price : You have on copy of Linux, you can install it on every one of the thousand computer in your shop, and let your users install it at their home, on their laptop, on their kids' computers, their neighbours', etc. With Microsoft even if you're a University with discount, you still have to pay a fee depending on the number of students, and only staff has the right to take home
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
>We'll give you the fix in "a future release".
I think you've got this wrong, shouldn't it be, "We'll SELL you the fix in "a future release"."
The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
Hans Reiser?
First of all he was not convicted of anything yet, so it would be polite to consider him innocent until proved guilty.
Second, he develops a file system not "Linux", ReiserFS could be very well used in other OSes including Windows.
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -- Prof. Dumbledore
I had a brief look at the screening tool. I use Linux on my desktop, I use it for mission-critical messaging applications in our production environment (and have been doing so for several years), I use it for the company's e-mail services. My IT team doesn't need any Linux/Unix training - we can keep things ticking over pretty nicely. I'm not interested in adding e-commerce functionality to our websites, because we already have it. I don't have any legacy Unix applications, so I'm not interested in migrating them. The screening tool thinks I'm a Linux experimenter?? I used to be, back in 1996. Now I'm using to keep a business in operation. I know the screening tool is probably aimed at a specific market segment, but it looks to be a very blunt instrument indeed. Surely Microsoft has better market analysis than this?
Look at the figures about whether the next server is going to be Linux or Windows.
We'll discard the Linux advocates and Unix transitioners. Of course those groups are going to choose Linux over Windows. Just look at the remaining groups.
In these three groups, the only group that shows a marked preference for Windows are the most risk averse. The pragmatic adopters are overwhelmingly satisfied with Linux and are planning to use Linux for their next server by nearly a 2:1 margin. The experimenters, who are Microsoft Windows shops that simply have dipped their toe in the Linux pool, still prefer Windows for their next server. But they do so by a razor thin margin: 46:42.
While there are a lot of risk averse people out there, if the pragmatists adopt Linux as planned and continue to be satisfied with it, it leaves the door open to considerable growth for Linux and companies with Linux offerings. If this is allowed to reach the point where Linux starts looking like the wave of the future, people in the market follower category are going to consider defecting.
In some ways Microsoft's long term position is most stable with the experimenters. These are apt to be people whose technical skills with the Windows platform are the greatest. They aren't scared off by Linux, but in the end have found that they can still do more with their current tools. I'd suspect that these shops will continue to be predominantly Windows for a long time, but they'll also make room for Linux where they think they can save a buck.
In any case, we're dealing with an MS dominated future for a long time. But the openness of pragmatic adopters to Linux is a chink in the MS armor that could allow Linux and F/OSS acceptance to reach the critical mass where they start driving the price MS can charge downward. Once the direct financial effect of competition begins to drive pricing decisions, the MS monopoly is over, although possibly not MS dominance.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
Microsoft has 95% or so of the PC market. That is not changing anytime soon.
A Network administrator at LSU told me the M$ share was already down to 80%. M$ only services now generate substantial outrage and resistance. It's getting easier to do without the soft all the time.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
I want a usable yet secure OS. I don't want to pay $50 a year for a security suite that's going to hog my system's resources and require I give express permission to every program that wants to run or connect to the internet.
I also don't want my OS to restrict what I can do with my own computer. I want to be able to use my media and my hardware without being told what is appropriate. I don't want my computer's security to lock me out.
I also don't want to rely on a particular company for access to my files. If MS files are only compatible with MS Office, and Microsoft decided to charge 10x as much for the next version of office, I'm either stuck with old, unsupported software, or paying out the wazoo to access my files. Everything I use comes with an open standard. If OpenOffice were to cease existing, someone else could easily replace them and my files would still be useful. If I could use open formats with MS office to ensure MS couldn't lock me to their products - this would mean I used their product because it was the best, rather than because I have to in order to access my files.
In short, if Microsoft wants to gain my business, they'll have to do it by creating the best product and convincing me I won't be tied to them no matter what for as long as I'm doing business. Right now, they seem more interested in satisfying media distributors and hardware vendors than the people who buy their product, and they'd rather create a market that requires you to use their product, rather than creating a product that's really superior.
I've had a similar experience. I'm setting up a trial installation of MS Project Server 2007 and the process is bizarre! It requires 4 different licenses just to get up and running: 2 Windows 2003 Server licenses, 1 SQL Server 2005 license, and 1 MS Project Server 2007 license. Each user that wants to connect to Project Server needs a licensed copy of MS Project 2007 Professional @ $1000 each. The setup of all these servers is convoluted, poorly documented and each requires a significant level of tweaking to get reasonable performance.
It's been a long time since I've had to deal with Microsoft's products and I've forgotten what a mess it is. It's so bad that it makes setting up and configuring Oracle's stuff seem simple.
OMG! Whatever is Linux to Do?!
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