"Open-source software gave Microsoft a one-two punch this week, with the European Union and an African nonprofit educational organization showing preference for Linux systems.
"The European Union awarded on Thursday a $249,000 (250,000 euro) contract to U.K.-based system-integrator Netproject to study the feasibility of moving the information systems of several member countries' governments to the Linux operating system from Microsoft's Windows OS.
"Microsoft's expensive licensing terms and its push for customers to speed their software upgrade cycles are driving the European Union's interest in open-source solutions, said Eddie Bleasdale, Netproject's CEO. Describing a meeting with representatives from several EU member countries, Bleasdale said Microsoft's current licensing terms had governments looking for other options..."
