Microsoft chief executive officer Steve
Ballmer described non-commercial open-source software, particularly
the Linux operating system, as a "competitive challenge" in a memo
to staff yesterday.
With companies keeping a tight lid on IT spending during these
tough economic times, "free" software, he wrote, is an "interesting
alternative" to commercial software.
Complicating the situation, he continued, are companies such as
IBM, whose support of Linux "has added credibility and an illusion
of support and accountability".
While Ballmer's memo covered a number of issues, ranging from
innovation and product development to people and productivity, it
clearly identified Linux and open source as a growing threat to the
company, requiring action at the highest level.
Interestingly, Ballmer's remarks on Linux followed some recent
open-source developments in Germany, one of Microsoft's key
international markets but also one with a rapidly growing Linux fan
club.
Last month, the Munich city government decided to migrate its
entire computer network to Linux, dropping Microsoft's Windows
system in the process. Munich will equip all of the 14,000
computers in its public administration with Linux and other
open-source office applications in a move that could encourage
other big German cities to follow suit.
Munich chose Linux despite favourable licensing conditions
offered by Ballmer.
Microsoft has been scrambling to find ways to retain huge public
sector software contracts in Germany ever since the government, in
an effort to lower costs and increase security, agreed last year to
a partnership with IBM for the delivery of computers with the
open-source Linux operating system to the public sector.
Germany's growing support of Linux is sending a powerful signal
to other governments, organisations and enterprises considering
open source as an alternative. Acutely aware of this threat,
Ballmer stacked up a list of arguments against the use of Linux in
his memo. These include:
- "While the noncommercial model may lead to many flavours of
software, getting broad, consistent innovation requires
co-ordination across many technology components. In the event of
needed enhancements or fixes, the Linux development community, no
matter how well-intentioned, simply cannot advance Linux the way we
can and must innovate Windows."
- "Windows Server 2003 is receiving strong partner and customer
support ...as well as a lot of interest in its total cost of
ownership compared to Linux. A Microsoft-sponsored study by IDC
last fall concluded that the cost advantages of Windows Server 2000
compared to Linux are 'significant,' including lower total cost of
ownership in four of the five most common IT workload environments.
I'm confident that the results will be even better when Linux is
compared with Windows Server 2003."
- "People have asked me: If competing with Linux is so important,
can the company wait as long as it will take to get Longhorn done?
My answer is twofold. First, the Windows Server 2003 generation of
products offers stronger performance and value than Linux in most
IT scenarios. Second, while we are not taking a relaxed approach to
Longhorn, we will do the work and take the time required to get it
right, because it truly is the next quantum leap in computing,
which will put us years ahead of any other product on the
market."
Ballmer seemed to be warming up to the idea of letting
developers have a closer look inside the big Microsoft software
development machine than in the past. He suggested in the memo that
the company needed to become more of a "community" player.
"We need to significantly step up participation in community and
online forums," he wrote. "We should look at communicating about
new product design to customers earlier through online design
discussion. For some products, it makes sense to publish regular
builds of new products online, for community feedback."
Ballmer's memo reads like a statement of war against
non-commercial open-source software. And, considering how Microsoft
has demolished numerous competitors in the past, the Linux
community should brace itself for a long, tough fight.
John Blau writes for IDG News Service