“Is Microsoft a computing dinosaur struggling to adjust to the
Internet or an unstoppable juggernaut? More of the second-but the
road is getting rougher…”
“Matthew Nordan, an analyst with Forrester Research, says
that, even though few Unix shops expect to defect now, the
combination of Microsoft’s volume pricing model and the “withering”
of the Unix skills base will ensure the success of Windows 2000.
“It’s an immutable reality,” he argues. Despite the renewed
efforts of Hewlett-Packard and IBM in the Unix market, only Sun
appears to have the momentum and support to see off the threat. The
wild card is Linux, the fast-growing (and free) Unix-based
operating system. According to IDC, a research firm, Linux is
taking about 17% of the server market and growing at the expense of
both NT and other Unix systems. It may lack the features of Windows
2000, but because its source code is open it can be easily fixed or
modified. And free is free…”
“And even though Mr Ballmer appears to be embracing the notion
of applications hosting on the web, this is a model that spells
danger for Microsoft. Such software may well be offered free by
rivals, such as Sun with its new personal productivity suite, with
the money being made up on services-an area where Microsoft is
weak. The threat to Office may be distant, but it is real.”