"The company believes that Linux solutions appeal to different organisations for different reasons. For some, especially price-sensitive SMB organisations, the low cost of purchase and its ability to function on comparatively low cost hardware platforms appear to be major attractions. For others it may be the ability to configure OSS in a bespoke fashion that is the prime attraction.
"When discussion turned to which platforms Linux is currently gaining share from, opinions were divided. Microsoft believes that the major movers behind Linux (in its opinion IBM and Intel) are using the OSS movement as a means to disrupt the Unix market and that Unix systems comprise the major source of movement. Others present proposed that organisations are migrating from both Unix and Windows to Linux.
"Ballmer was candid when he was asked about the current attention that the company is now paying to Linux when compared to its former stance of apparent unconcern. He simply smiled and responded that 'we were neither unconcerned nor unaware of Linux; we just tried not to show it...!'"
