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1. Comment - What Microsoft + Novell Means Going Forward

   (Nov 7, 2006 - 8:08 AM)

   What most posters are missing here is the perspective of the "Joe Business" end user. They THINK that if they run MS office on the desktop they NEED Windows server as a server. Right or wrong (and until the most recent versions of MS Office mostly wrong) that is their perception and that is what drives sales. MS office and Windows also represent security, not technological security but warm fuzzy I-made-the-right-choice for my business security. End users want that feeling. The old adage decades ago was "No one ever got fired for buying or recommending IBM"; today that is virtually true of MS.
   
   Don't get me wrong I am a Linux/FOSS supporter and have it installed at some clients. But ask "Mary Small Business Owner" or even "Jack CIO/CEO" about using "free software" to run their business critical functions and they are skeptical. After all what do we tell consumers? "If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is." What this agreement ultimately does is legitimize Linux (at least SUSE Linux) for businesses of all sizes. I can go to a client who is wavering and say "look MS says if Linux meets your needs they recommend SUSE Linux. Oh and here is a voucher for a free year of technical support" That is a compelling sales argument and that is what it is about in the end, for us small IT services firms and Novell and MS.