ZDNet: Freedom of Choice–A Software Right

“The same argument applies to IT spending. If your business is
in the market for new IT products, there are two lessons to take
away from the Munich deal.

“First, you should demand that companies like Microsoft sell you
only what you need. If you don’t need the Excel spreadsheet for
every desktop user, don’t buy it. If you don’t want to upgrade your
software every three years, negotiate another arrangement.

“Second, consider adopting technology such as Java or Linux and
move away from proprietary vendors altogether. The beauty of open
source code like Linux, or technology such as Java, is that they
are built to open standards and you automatically get choice and
freedom without begging for it. Not surprisingly, this has lead to
a broad range of commercial products that are solid alternatives to
Microsoft…”

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