TechWeb: IT Industry Supports Breakup Of Microsoft

“A breakup of Microsoft would be an effective way to encourage
competition and innovation in the computer industry, just as the
company’s enemies advocate, but the effects would not be felt for
years, IT managers and analysts said.”

“IT manager Brock Freeman, information technology director at
semiconductor distributor Mila, said a breakup of the company
could encourage deployment of Linux on the desktop, which is
now inhibited by the lack of key applications, in particular
Microsoft Office.”

“But breaking up Microsoft could actually inhibit
Linux on the desktop, said Rob Enderle, an analyst at Giga
Information Group. The reason: Windows needs to have functionality
integrating the Microsoft desktop and server applications. If
applications were controlled by a separate company, the
interoperability requirements would be lifted, and the OS company
would be free to come out with a lightweight, high-speed,
high-stability version of Windows that would challenge Linux.”

“Or the OS company might come out with its own Linux
distribution, Enderle said, much in the same way it responded
to the browser threat. “If you were a corporate buyer and had a
choice between buying Linux from Microsoft or Linux from Red Hat,
what do you think the choice would be?” Enderle said.”

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