"I think that any serious migration has to start with the
operating system because jettisoning Windows solves a host of
problems at once: security, malware, stability, configurability,
customizing to meet your needs, insane EULAs and over-priced,
overlapping, Byzantine licensing. I think Linux is the bee's knees,
and FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, and OpenSolaris are all have their
strengths and are worth investigating. There is whole huge better
world outside of Redmond.
"Some folks think that running FOSS applications on Windows is a
good strategy. I am grateful for the wealth of wonderful
cross-platform FOSS applications. These simplify managing mixed
networks and serve as good migration stepping stones. I don't see
this as a primary migration strategy, but a useful stopgap when you
have to keep some Windows boxes around for whatever reason."