From::::
http://seekingalpha.com/article/63876-microsoft-s-last-big-beat-internet-domination-or-death

01:09 PM
Mon Feb 11th
Hi Dennis,

I understand that IBM & others spend a lot on Linux. Hence technically can not be called cheap or free. But when it come to user it is almost free and hence from Microsoft's end of the telescope it is free. And hence a hard nut to crack. It is a proxy war in which Microsoft cannot point & shoot one company.

And also I do not doubt that Microsoft is not gonna use open source in future.. b'se it a movement which is real and can not be ingnored.
But I think more bigger movement, is in Internet technology space. Hence my whole idea of my blog was to bring to the point... that one should reads between the lines here and recognize that MSFT has come in open now with its understanding that it is ready to take bold measures, to get into the Internet space in big way.

With great powers come great responsibility. And I think Yahoo is lucky to be in position it is in, but sadly they do not recognize what it means to be YAHOO!!

Amber Ved



Dennis Byron (Research 2.0)
06:57 AM
Sun Feb 10th

At Research 2.0, we agree with your conclusion that Microsoft understands the information technology market situation well and is acting agressively to take advantage. I even go further and believe that Microsoft is uniquely positioned--because of its combination of enterprise and consumer computing experience--to stay well ahead of Oracle, SAP, IBM and Google in the enterprise category. Apple is a real threat on the consumer side and Yahoo will get Microsoft where it needs to get to respond on the consumer side faster than building something from scratch.

I caution you on your underlying assumption about Linux being developed "at almost no cost" however. IBM, Intel, Novell, HP, Fujitsu, EMC, Oracle, Sun, Motorola, and all the other sponsors of the Linux Foundation (LF) as well as many that work on Linux without belonging to the Foundation have spent billions on maintaining and updating the Linux kernel both in cash and in-kind contributions to the development effort.

If "low-cost Linux" is at all key to your conclusion, be careful. In fact, I believe relatively soon, Microsoft will become--along with Google--one of the largest users of Linux, thanking the LF profusely as it makes that transition.