Why Larry Loves Linux (And He's Not Alone)

"Just a few years ago, the open-source software movement was a pariah among big software firms. Shai Agassi, then an executive at SAP (SAP), likened it to socialism. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer called it a cancer. The attitude among many in the establishment seemed to be that the “free code†revolution led by software such as Linux would discourage invention and erode profits.

"That nightmare scenario hasn’t happened. Instead, the open-source movement has helped lower the cost of computing, and fueled a lot of moneymaking innovation, and not just among scrappy startups. For just one example, consider Oracle, which is likely to highlight open-source trends as one of the growth drivers in its business when the company reports quarterly earnings today..."

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