“As the world’s biggest IT firms endorsed Linux last week,
Microsoft renewed its efforts to paint Windows 2000 as a reliable
enterprise solution. However, for decision makers contacted by IT
Week, Linux is already being considered as a contingency server
operating system in the event of Microsoft losing its case against
the US Department of Justice.”
“Tim Rivett, systems manager at South Yorkshire Passenger
Trains, was equally concerned. “We’re a Microsoft shop so it does
worry me a little bit. [The DoJ case] has a bearing on our
strategy, particularly if I have to remove some of the core
programs like Internet Explorer because of licensing.” Paul Dobson,
systems administrator at Cambridge-based CyberLife Technology, said
that all his systems were running Microsoft software at the moment,
and he was monitoring the situation with concern. “We are looking
at Linux to replace NT if this all goes wrong,” he warned.”