Quoting Brad Bonkoski <
bradb59@home.com>:
> They
> choose to deploy Linux based solutions because of the openness and
> ease
> of development, but then turn right around and use M$ within their own
> walls. Strikes me as odd, but I guess it goes to show the lack of
> Linux's competitiveness with all the "executive" types. Is it this
> way everywhere?
I've worked for a couple of large companies, and the biggest reason cited for
not using Linux or other OSS is because upper management doesn't have someone
to point the blame to. They feel more secure with a proprietary product
because there is a dedicated company supporting the product instead of what
they perceive as a bunch of random teenage hackers with most OSS. Yes you can
get support contracts from companies like RedHat, but you have to remember
that Linux is still a relatively young phenomena in the corporate world. Most
people didn't have a clue that it even existed until they heard about
companies like VA Linux, when their stock price shot up to astronomical levels.
I think that as long as the techies keep pounding away at their managers to
use better products, then I think we'll make some headway. If you're in IT
and you've given up and accepted that you'll have to maintain shoddy and
expensive software, then you can be certain that management will continue to
tell you to use shoddy and expensive software. Remember, the squeaky wheel
gets the grease. Keep bitching and whining and hopefully minds in the
corporate world will eventually change. Oh, and setup a Linux box on your
desk to show that you can do practically everything that the NT/2000 box did.
Exchange server has POP turned on by default so you can use KMail or any other
POP client to get your "Outlook mail."
~M
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