“RFM Corporation, the food company, had an epiphany: it could
junk the P28 million [approx. US$730,000 – lt ed] proposal
from Microsoft Corp. to install a whole gamut of MS Exchange-based
solutions, and instead spend only P300,000 [approx. US$7800 –
lt ed] for a compatible server and consulting service to run
Linux.”
“Before this, RFM was having a problem with its messaging and
communications system. It has over 1,300 users who demand immediate
access to the Internet. The IT department scouted for solutions and
Microsoft stepped in with its offer of P28 million, which primarily
covers the installation of MS Exchange and a Windows NT server from
Compaq.”
“But RFM wasn’t impressed with the way MS Exchange performed
when its IT group tested it. Then the company thought of trying out
Linux, which was already running the company’s intranet since 1996.
After tweaking Linux on a low-cost compatible server and without
changing a lot on their current set-up, RFM was convinced, and
gladly spent P300,000 to run it.”