“But when it comes to small businesses, many businesses are
sticking with Windows SBS (Small Business Server) 2003 or
considering moving to SBS 2008. Uh… why? SBS pricing has
increased considerably with the release of SBS 2008. The Standard
SBS 2008, with five CALs (client access license) now costs $1,089.
If you want a database with that, SQL Server for Small Business, it
will run you $1,899.The cost of Ubuntu 9.10 with an unlimited number of clients and
MySQL 5.1.37 for your database work? $0.00. Now, of course, the
upfront cost is only part of the story. That said, to run any
server operating system, whether it’s Windows, Linux, or
what-have-you requires expert knowledge. Since a small business,
particularly these days, are more likely to have expertise instead
of money on tap, you’d think Linux would be growing quickly in
small businesses.“It’s not.”