Microsoft engaged in worldwide anti-Linux smarm offensive

CAN IT BE any coincidence that over the last two weeks we've seen a virtual torrent of analyst papers from different organisations suggesting that Microsoft software is better for servers than anything from that anarchic Open Software lot?

We think not, here at the INQUIRER.

The word on the software street is that Microsoft is reacting both above and below the line to combat a big push by Big Blue to underline its own commitment in dollars to selling Linux with its own tin.

Both IBM and Microsoft are making big waves, and at stake is the highly lucrative server business.

The battle is being conducted not only through a series of pro-Microsoft white papers which all seem to have sprouted at the same time, but at governmental level, with furious lobbying by senior suits at the Vole to push its software over and above the stuff from that Linux lot.

Microsoft argues that support costs for Linux based systems are higher than for its own server software, but that's something IBM and a lot of other people reject outright.

Part of the battle has spilled over into the august Wall Street Journal today. An article there says that the Vole wants government agencies both in the US and elsewhere to reject open source software, and, in particular, is attempting to persuade the now all powerful and exceedingly cash rich Defense Department and the Office of Homeland Security to drop funding for open software.

Poor Little Microsoft (PLM) might also care to remember that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has its own Unixy-Linuxy software as part of its military line up, and rejects using Volish software in these "mission critical systems" because of the security risks. There's also persistent rumours that the People's Army uses a 64-bit RISC chip which is uncanningly similar to the Alpha microprocessor.

But that's a state secret, of course. µ

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