I am some what sorry to say this but if you think TCO and ROI are beside the point you will never make it into the upper echelon of IT management. Or once their you will be driven slowly insane (Though I would applaud the fight you would put up) Typically the people on the board don't care about anything other then the bottom line. For most of them morality is and legality only enter the picture when it is presented as cost/time function. That said, I too have a strong a preference to open product, but only when ever they are economically feasible, which they often are. -----Original Message----- From: plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us [mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us] On Behalf Of Craig White Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 2:46 PM To: Main PLUG discussion list Subject: Re: OT:Exchange good? - And the flame wars begin (Was:Re:newhotness?) On Mon, 2009-02-23 at 14:14 -0700, Stephen wrote: > This is mostly a personal prefrence discussion, but this one is a bit overbaord: > > "I suppose you can justify whatever you believe to be costs as you see > fit. The SBS version is by intent a hampered product to encourage > adoption - sort of like the drug dealer giving the drugs away until > you get hooked." > > it is mean for a company that will be of the 20-40 users and no higher > than 75 users. it isnt meant as a get started now and then watch it > all grow. it is meant to fill a small business niche of one server for > your office covering your needs in that one box. it grows to 75 users > but is really not meant for that scale. if you are going bigger then > they will suggest seperate servers for those needs. > > the trick really here is on the IT consultant or professional invovled > to advise them properly on the needs and their expected growth. ---- I am generally 'overboard' when it comes to the notion of open source or more specifically, free license software because I have this notion that these distinctions actually matter to the people on this list. Even the discussions of TCO are actually besides the point when it comes to free license. I'm quite certain that Microsoft has commissioned a report that concludes in all instances it has a lower TCO. In only one instance have I ever recommended that a client use Exchange and that was because he already owned SBS 2K3 and only had to buy the Exchange licenses and because he was a mortgage broker, the client software was all Windows based and things like Point are hardwired to use MAPI client. Even then I felt soiled implementing it - probably because I do feel that open standards and free software matter far more than the initial euphoria of using Outlook. I know that ultimately, they are going to pay for that choice. I apologize for expressing my dismay towards those who choose a proprietary software package and disfavor open source/free license alternatives. It's a particular blind spot of mine. Craig --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss