By Andy McCue, 6 January 2004 16:00
NEWS Microsoft has launched an advertising campaign aimed at convincing users that Windows is a more cost-effective option for organisations than Linux.
The campaign, called 'Get the Facts', will initially run in US trade publications with a link to a Microsoft site offering analyst reports and customer case studies backing up Redmond's cost claims.
Microsoft is launching the adverts following requests from customers for more research and information on the Windows versus Linux debate to help them make strategic IT decisions.
The 'Get the Facts' website carries a banner claiming "Windows has a lower total cost of ownership and outperforms Linux". It contains an IDC report showing an 11 to 22 per cent cost advantage for Windows; a Giga Research report showing 28 per cent lower development costs for large organisations using Windows; and VeriTest benchmarking studies detailing performance comparisons between Windows and Red Hat deployments. Customer case studies include Sea Containers Group, Dial-a-Phone and Monster.
Microsoft's campaign will no doubt be boosted by London's Newham Borough Council's decision to negotiate a better deal with Microsoft after finding in open source trials that a migration would pose "unacceptable risk" to its services.
But the debate is likely to rage on this year, with major open source trials being carried out by the UK government and health service, along with silicon.com's CIO Jury declaring Linux ready for the big time'.
A Microsoft spokeswoman told silicon.com: "These studies are meant to be another data point in the customer's buying decisions for IT. Every customer has a different scenario; we are hoping to provide as much information as possible to help our customers make decisions."
Comments
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1. Chris Ramsay
hmmm, smacks of desperation to me...
2. Keith Hague
Windows is a third rate copy of Mac OS. Always has been, always will be.
3. Duane S Phillips
Q. Free Linux server software or purchase Microsoft 2003 Server?
A. bit of a no brainer this one.
Q. Number of times linux server has been rebooted over 4 years?
A.Zero.
Q. Number of times my XP machine crashes on a daily basis?
A. At least three.
Sorry Redmond but the only reason I have Windows on my desktop is that I have to support my blind fellow users who like happen to think MS Office is the end all and be all of integrated packeages.
Though things will change once I finish my application rewrite in Kylix.
4. anonymous
Our recent migration to Linux cost us a third of the microsoft upgrade solution. Over the last year we have seen approx 70% reduction in problems.
I'm a convert! Linux has proved cheaper and more reliable than windows.
5. alan bruce
I wonder what the voters of Newham would have to say on the subject of the "services" the council considers at risk from migration to linux.
And, at the very least, Linux recognises the Windows OS and can read and convert its files.
Of course, M$ would consider such file sharing "Extremely hazardous" to their virtual monopoly.
6. Matt Evans
Seems like these independent reports were heavily skewed...wonder who paid for them? Comparing a bunch of Windows 2003 Servers to a Linux distro on Mainframe? Why not make the same comparison on the same servers? Also where these tests made on webservers connected to the net? that way we can see how they perform under real world conditions, i.e; getting attacked from DoS attacks...
7. Cyber Plumber
Ah the bubbling crys from the "Bloat Fish". I find Linux more robust, faster, reliable, cheaper and it does what I want it to do, not what its makers want it to do. I have NEVER had to reboot Linux Server due to the slow trickle of leaky memory. I have not wasted my carrer on fixing a faulty product. I would by linux even if it were more expencive than Micro$oft.
8. Nick Northcote
Microsoft obviously recognise that Linux actually works.
My experience has been that Linux servers run and run (as do UNIX servers), basic applications can use M$ format files so get off the expensive M$ treadmill.
Ignorance will soon not be an excuse- IT Directors need to try out the penguin and reap stable, reliable services from their servers.
The frustration of wrestling with overly complex and flawed software can be relieved - at least in the server room.
The desktop will certainly follow.
9. Isaac Chacour
Come on Gentlemen! Wake up and smell the folgers. If Mac was "sooooo goood" and "everyone likes it more" then why does everyone buy windows. When the time comes to Upgrade a computer why dont people run to the store for the hottest copy of redhat 9 or OSX? Because they dont have the dependibility, usability, or the availability of Windows compatable software. May be if we cry hard enough we can go back in the past and change it. Well we know that cant happen so suck it up, and learn to like Windows. Ive tried all the others and quite frankly they are terrible in comparison.
Amen
(Excuse my English, its not my fist language)
10. Isaac Chacour
Keith Hague, perhaps you would like to dignify your rantings and ravings to the group? or are you just spitting mad, because your lump of junk freezes every once and a while.
Amen
11. Keith Hague
Isaac Chacour
I'm not ranting, just telling it like it is. Mac's are better and always have been. They are first with every innovation. Microsoft just copy what Apple do - but badly.
12. anonymous
Can we expect to successfully enforce advertising integrity in the US when our leaders in government commit the same brand of disingenuity?