How long 'til M$ adopts an open-source model for software distribution?

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Z

Zolty

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2005
3,603
0
0
When open source becomes profitable they will.

When I can give my parents Linux in any form and they can do the same things as easially as they can with windows then it has a chance. For now everything useful your average person does with a computer is done and will be done in the foreseeable future with MS and Mac Operating systems.
 
Deeko

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,215
11
81
hahaha, never dude, and for neither of the reasons you listed. You say WE need to open our eyes...methinks you're the one with blinders on.
 
A

aidanjm

Lifer
Aug 9, 2004
12,411
2
0
From Groklaw: new study shows OSS is cost effective. This kind of research will ultimately force M$ to lower its prices, and/ or give M$ Windows away free of charge in certain markets:

LINK!

Friday, January 12 2007

EU Commission Study Finds You'll Save Money Switching to FOSS

The EU Commission's Final Report on its "Study on the Economic impact of open source software on innovation and the competitiveness of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector in the EU" is now available on its policy documents, publications and studies page as a PDF.

I thought you'd be interested in the conclusion regarding total cost of ownership. Is it true that switching to Open Source will cost you more than staying with Windows, as Microsoft's "Get the Facts" page claims? No. The study found:

"Our findings show that, in almost all the cases, a transition toward open source reports of savings on the long term ? costs of ownership of the software products."
Click to expand...

But what about training costs? Doesn't that remove the benefits? No, the report found:

"Costs to migrate to an open solution are relevant and an organization needs to consider an extra effort for this. However these costs are temporary and mainly are budgeted in less than one year."
Click to expand...


So there you are.

Oh, and what about loss of productivity if you switch to OpenOffice.org? None:

"Our findings report no particular delays or lost of time in the daily work due to the use of OpenOffice.org.... OpenOffice.org has all the functionalities that public offices need to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations."
Click to expand...


It has another advantage, the study found: it supports ODF:

"OpenOffice.org is free, extremely stable, and supports the ISO Open Document Standard."
Click to expand...

 
R

RichardE

Banned
Dec 31, 2005
10,246
2
0
This thread reminds me alot of "Everyone will only need 512k of memory thing". Right now, if the world continued as it does MS will never be open source, but in the world of computers...things can change rapidly.
 
C

chrisms

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2003
6,615
0
0
My Dad has been going on about this for the past 10-15 years, about Microsoft was facing impending doom. Didn't believe him then, don't believe him now.
 
A

aidanjm

Lifer
Aug 9, 2004
12,411
2
0
Originally posted by: chrisms
My Dad has been going on about this for the past 10-15 years, about Microsoft was facing impending doom. Didn't believe him then, don't believe him now.
Click to expand...

how does "releasing code to open source" = doom ..?
 
mugs

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,924
45
91
Even with open-source alternatives, people continue to pay hundreds of dollars for Microsoft's products. What exactly is their incentive to go to open source?
 
QueBert

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,392
722
126
Originally posted by: mugs
Even with open-source alternatives, people continue to pay hundreds of dollars for Microsoft's products. What exactly is their incentive to go to open source?
Click to expand...

people will wise up, not today, not tomorrow. but it will happen. A lot of people don't know what "open source" is. My neighbor saw my Ubuntu with Beryll running and went ape ******. He went even more crazy when I told him everything needed for it software wise is 100% free.

He won't be be running any *nix anytime soon. But, him and people like him will change over when they start to learn about it. 10 years sounds reasonable to me.

I downloaded an ISO, booted to it, clicked "install" I came back I had a full on OS where all my devices worked without anything done on my part (windows has never done that for me...) and I have a full fledged Office app installed, again by default. Ubuntu ain't for everyone. but I got everything I need in one easy automated install.

and I would imagine withing 10 years, WINE or whatever Win emulator they have will be so damn good there will be little reason to own Windows anymore *shrug*
 
Nik

Nik

Lifer
Jun 5, 2006
16,125
2
56
They'll never go open source and they will never stop dominating the market.
 
Nik

Nik

Lifer
Jun 5, 2006
16,125
2
56
Originally posted by: ntdz
Closed source is a failure? That's interesting considering the two most popular OS's are closed source (Windows and Mac OSX).
Click to expand...

Yup, OP is an anti-MS fanboy.
 
novasatori

novasatori

Diamond Member
Feb 27, 2003
3,851
1
0
Originally posted by: chambersc
Originally posted by: aidanjm
open your eyes to the possibilities :p
Click to expand...

The sole function of a business is to maximize its profits. How does one maximize their profits if they "adopt an open-source model for software distribution?"
Click to expand...

the sole function of a firm is to maximize shareholders wealth

go back to finance :p
 
I

igowerf

Diamond Member
Jun 27, 2000
7,697
1
76
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
not a chance. that is like mcdonalds and burger king sharing the recipe of their secret sauce.
Click to expand...

Because after I buy a hamburger, I have to worry about supporting and troubleshooting it?
 
Nik

Nik

Lifer
Jun 5, 2006
16,125
2
56
Originally posted by: igowerf
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
not a chance. that is like mcdonalds and burger king sharing the recipe of their secret sauce.
Click to expand...

Because after I buy a hamburger, I have to worry about supporting and troubleshooting it?
Click to expand...

No, but depending on who you buy from, you probably have to worry about how far away you are from a toilet at any given time.
 
H

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,028
1
81
I'm a strong supporter of the open source model, hell, I'm a LAMP developer and do lots of Unix Systems Administration.

As much as I would WISH more things were open source, I doubt Microsoft will ever fully go that route.

They rather die from what I can tell.

A more realistic goal in my opinion is for them to follow certain standards the rest of the market has and open file formats.

With IE7, they support more of the W3C standards then with IE6, yet they still have lots of work ahead of them to even come
close to other browsers like FireFox and Opera. Sadly, I read on Slashdot that IE8 will be geared towards working with Windows Vista,
and W3C standards be damned.

I don't even consider IE a real browser anymore. Unfortunately, 80 percent of the folks out there know of nothing else.
 
QueBert

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,392
722
126
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
I'm a strong supporter of the open source model, hell, I'm a LAMP developer and do lots of Unix Systems Administration.

As much as I would WISH more things were open source, I doubt Microsoft will ever fully go that route.

They rather die from what I can tell.

A more realistic goal in my opinion is for them to follow certain standards the rest of the market has and open file formats.

With IE7, they support more of the W3C standards then with IE6, yet they still have lots of work ahead of them to even come
close to other browsers like FireFox and Opera. Sadly, I read on Slashdot that IE8 will be geared towards working with Windows Vista,
and W3C standards be damned.

I don't even consider IE a real browser anymore. Unfortunately, 80 percent of the folks out there know of nothing else.
Click to expand...

QTF - I recently did m web site, tried to use as much CSS as I could, I did it by the standards to a TEE. in IE it looks like shat, I almost pulled all my hair out trying to figure out suitable work arounds. On one hand making it the IE way totally would have been easier and would have worked for 85%+ of people. But I like to do things properly (call me stupid) And that wasn't possible because MS wants to make their own standards.

I really believe with IE8 MS will totally come up with a new standard, sure it will render HTML/CSS/DHTML/JS. But I can see them coming out of left field with something 100% new and since it's MS every web designer will have to learn it.

I don't mind XP, even Vista is okay. But IE(any version) is an abomination! And after the last web site I've decided to not even bother with design :)

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom