LinuxPR: New book -The Unix Guide to Defenestration

"This book is probably the first serious attempt at answering the most fundamental question affecting Unix/Linux users: why do most people seem to prefer an expensive and largely disfunctional desktop, and even server, environment to one that works cheaply and effectively?

The answer is that most organizations get poor systems support because the incentives given systems people favor this type of continuous low level failure. Most systems projects fail, and most day to day service delivery falls below expectations, because promotions and new opportunities come from budget and control growth and you don't, as an IT manager, grow your budget or span of control by delivering cheap, effective, services -doing that would actually decrease your visibility, budget, and promotability in the company. Instead you adopt Windows throughout the enterprise knowing that it provides a rich source of growth in staffing and budget without much risk that your qualifications or ability will be questioned as a result of the frustrations this produces for your users.

Unix itself is not the answer to this - but the mindset embedded in the technology is. So if you're a systems manager, or work for one, who sees the pursuit of personal success through professional failure as both parasitic and dishonest this book tells you what do about it."

Press Release