ZDNet/Gartner: Microsoft vs. Linux: The Changing Nature of Competition

[ Thanks to Jason Greenwood for this link. ]

"Enterprises will see major changes in Microsoft's competitive strategy as Linux and other open-source software continue to erode Microsoft's traditional sources of income. Don't expect Microsoft's bundling strategies to continue as before, and don't expect it to support Linux before 2006 at least--if ever.

"Linux and open-source software are unlike any competition that Microsoft has ever faced. Microsoft is now perceived as 'expensive,' at least in preliminary discussions regarding Linux. There is no single competitor or group of competitors that Microsoft can challenge. Free open-source software is more a fundamental movement, and because the nature of competition has changed, Microsoft must now employ strategies that are very different..."

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