MICROSOFT: Is It Time to Open Source the Windows Operating System?
,----[ Quote ]
| Bill Gates had a particular dislike for OSS, but given that his role at
| Microsoft is being steadily reduced, there may be others at Microsoft who see
| a viable business proposition in the idea of an open Windows. It would, at a
| stroke, deal with the antitrust rulings against it - both current and future.
| It would pull in developer support to spread the cost and burden of
| maintaining the 'beast', and it would still allow Microsoft to reap the
| benefits of products based on the platform. The opening up of the OS to
| competition will be balanced by the increase in adoption of Windows by those
| hitherto unhappy to be locked-in to a proprietary OS - it would certainly
| cause many adopters of Linux to pause for thought.
`----
http://www.enterprisenetworksandservers.com/opinionw/art.php?330
Linux shops navigate the nuanced support landscape
,----[ Quote ]
| But for Knauer, who doesn't pay for support, questions about Linux support
| turn on simple economics.
|
| "The whole point of being in business is to make money. If it's cheaper to
| pay someone outside the company to provide the support rather than paying
| someone inside the company, then that makes business sense," he said. "Also,
| if I had some mission-critical problem that needed to be resolved
| immediately, like a server down with contractual obligations sitting on it
| due tomorrow, the cost of outside tech support could be well worth it."
`----
http://searchenterpriselinux.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid39_gci1275470,00.html
Related:
Dear Mr. Gates: save Vista, open-source it
,----[ Quote ]
| Although Microsoft may claim otherwise, Vista, from both from a technical
| and business point of view, is proving to be a failure. Why not turn it
| over to people who have shown time after time that they can deliver
| the goods?
`----
http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS2930812631.html
,----[ Quote ]
| "In the long years since XP was launched, Apple have come out with five
| major upgrades to OS X, upgrades which (dare I say it?) install with about
| as much effort as it takes to brush your teeth in the morning. No nightmare
| calls to tech-support, no sudden hardware incompatibilities, no hassle. Why
| hasn't Microsoft kept up? Unmaintainable"
|
| "Right now, Microsoft has nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. After all
| the hype surrounding Vista, the Emperor has finally been revealed in all
| his naked glory. Some folks have been predicting the demise of Microsoft. I
| wouldn't go that far, but I am wondering how we?re ever going to take
| Microsoft seriously again?"
`----
http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/04/29/vista_end_dream/
A history of Microsoft Windows - the inside story exposed
,----[ Quote ]
| 2004: (...)
| THE MANAGEMENT: "What do you mean it still doesn't work? Try
| harder!"
|
| 2005: (...)
| "MAKE IT WORK! FOR GOD'S SAKE, MAKE IT WORK! Well, throw it away
| and use the server version then, that seems all right. Look, they
| won't know the difference, drop the database stuff, nobody remembers
| what we said in 1995 now! That was ten years ago! "Apple has what?
| 3D acceleration? So, we have DirectX. What, in the desktop? Really?
| What, even Stallman's beardie-weirdies have it? Oh hell. Right, you
| lot, make it look like this!"
|
| 2006: Windows Vista
| THE MANAGEMENT: "Look, if we trickle it out to those mugs, I mean,
| valued customers who've already paid, we can say we released it this
| year and it'll buy us some more time..."
|
| 2007: No, really Windows Vista, honest
| MARKETING DEPT: "Never mind the features, look at it! Isn't it shiny?
| Yes! Pretty!"
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37962
Microsoft admits Vista screwed - report
,----[ Quote ]
| Vista SP1 is code named "Fiji", presumably after a pretty looking
| island which is paralysed by coups.
|
| In a statement regarding the service pack Microsoft admits that
| Vista has "high impact" problems.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37125
MS Insider: The Office Crew Isn't Smart Enough to Supplant Real Windows
Developers
,----[ Quote ]
| "With Alchin retiring, MarkL and MarkZ, two of the most talented
| architects in MS already having left, the picture gets really
| ugly for the Windows division," my friend claimed, and the BV's
| core team members, Ian McDonald, Jack Mayo, Todd Wanke, Clyde
| Rodriguez and others are starting to connect the dots.
|
| [...]
|
| He concluded ominously. "A trainwreck of biblical proportions looms.
| Pick a good seat on the sidelines, trainwrecks this large take
| awhile to complete. Vista may be the last MS OS for some time to
| come, especially if Cutler decides to play hardball."
`----
http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/09/11/ms-insider-the-office-crew-isnt-smart-enough-to-supplant-real-windows-developers/
http://tinyurl.com/35eqrt
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