CIO.com: HOWTO Run a Microsoft-Free Shop

“DO YOU FIND that you’re incapable of stopping
upgrades? Do you spend much of your day patching security holes? Do
you have a vague sense that you’re spending too much money on
software? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may
have become overly dependent on Microsoft. Here’s a handy 12-step
program to cure your condition.

STEP 1 WE ADMITTED WE WERE POWERLESS TO MANAGE OUR
MICROSOFT SOFTWARE.

Many CIOs feel they are in a double bind with Microsoft
products. The software itself seems always in need of security
patches. The Windows 2000 server, for example, currently has 154
files available for download at Microsoft.com, nearly half of which
are security updates.

Windows XP makes things worse. The product’s new subscription
licensing model has raised the ire of many executives because they
feel it forces them into frequent upgrades in order to get their
money’s worth. But in a recent CIO survey, a majority (65 percent)
admitted they weren’t considering any alternatives. “A lot of us
will just cry foul but then pony up,” says one CIO.”

Steps Two
through Twelve