RE: OT: Microsoft layoffs

They probably just layed off the Vista People :-)


_____

From: plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
[mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us] On Behalf Of keith
smith
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 10:10 AM
To: Main PLUG discussion list
Subject: Re: OT: Microsoft layoffs



I think we tend to look at Microsoft and a $150 license fee for XP or Vista
as a lot of money. There are other costs to consider. What is your time
worth?

Most people do not have the need nor the desire to learn Linux.

I personally like the Windows operating system for my desk top. I run Linux
on my LAMP dev box.

To me, as it probably is for most people, is a simple business decision. I
was M$ free for 8 months in 2000. Last year I tried it again. My favorite
code editor only runs on Windows. I hated running IE in wine (I need it for
cross browser testing). I spent tons of time configuring my Linux network
and spend lots of time to make it work efficiently. In the end I re-loaded
XP on my desk top and have enjoyed the mix of M$ and Linux, each meeting q
specific need.

Why buy a nail gun at extra cost when a hammer will do the same job for
less?

Two comments on pirating:

1) The creators of dBase found out in the late 80's that pirating actually
improved sales. During the time most software came with a copy protection.
The copy protection made installs more tedious and difficult. Several
applications were developed to make by passing the copy protection possible.

In the end most software companies removed the copy protection. Ashton-Tate
the creators of dBase stated their sales when up once the copy protection
was removed. They attributed this increase to people sharing their copy of
dBase with others giving them a chance to try the product. Once they saw it
was something they could use they bought it.

2) Pirating hurts everyone just like shoplifting cost all of us. There is a
lot of quality free software out there. And there is a lot of quality
proprietary software out there. I do not see a day when ALL software is
free. For one cooperate America would not have it that way. The real model
I see emerging is the two feature set software. The lower or lesser
featured application is free. The upgraded software is fee based. I think
this is a great model that provides simple software for a simple need. It
also creates a revenue stream and an incentive for the developer.

Think of this. What if M$ offered a very slimmed down version of office for
free and a more feature rich version for a fee. That would be a great thing
in that I could have what I need in Office, simple word and simple excel,
while meeting the needs of people who need all those advanced features.

On a side note I do not want to purchase office, however, those I work with
send me office documents. As a work around I use the free reader provided
by M$. Not as effective as I would like. Office is $400 full retail. It
is purely a business decision. Is it worth my time to copy those documents
to Open-Office? At this point it is. If I received documents daily it
would not be.

Please no flames.
------------------------
Keith Smith


--- On Thu, 1/22/09, James Finstrom <jfinstrom@rhinoequipment.com> wrote:



From: James Finstrom <jfinstrom@rhinoequipment.com>
Subject: OT: Microsoft layoffs
To: "Main PLUG discussion list" <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
Date: Thursday, January 22, 2009, 9:26 AM


http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/microsoft-layoffs-live-msft

I lived a short while in Washington and knew many Microsoft employees so in
a general sense Microsoft laying off 5000 people sucks but in another sense
I would like to think that this is partially our (the Linux world's) doing.
Having to compete with (free as in beer) software and pirates it really is
hard to keep going. This shows a flaw in strategy for the Redmond folks. I
would say if they did a survey especially of the 30 and under crowd about
piracy 80+% would see nothing wrong with it and would not morally classify
it as stealing. this mind set is really going to be the death of sold
software. It is often said people don't adopt Linux because because there is
no reason too when they can get the other stuff free too. We live in an age
where information/data is free (as in beer) weather that was the intent of
the creator or not. Just amaizing that one of the richest companies in the
world is not sucking it up and eating loss for a few years. I do have to
wonder though if bill gates was still at the wheel if they would eat it.
Bill gates love him or hate him is a verry generous person and I believe he
would have fought this over all.


James Finstrom
Rhino Equipment Corp.
http://rhinoequipment.com ~ http://postug.com


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