Microsoft dictatorship must end

The Microsoft licensing argument gathers pace with The Infrastructure Forum (Tif) reporting the software giant to the Department of Trade and Industry.

A 10 per cent fine on all its UK revenue could be levied if the government sides with UK business.

And the government should. We have been at the mercy of Microsoft for far too long. Choice has been taken away from consumers and businesses alike, and a platform of mind-boggling mediocrity put in its place.

vnunet.com's sister publication Network News has reported on a number of companies that are either migrating, or already have migrated, to Linux on the desktop. Although only a drip process at present, it could turn into a raging torrent if businesses can look to the experiences of others before considering such a plan.

The reasons for migrating to Linux were not solely based on the new licensing issues. In fact, you get the impression that it was almost secondary.

In many cases it was because network and IT managers were fed up with the buggy nature of Microsoft's software, and its susceptibility to viruses.

So what lies ahead for Microsoft?

It would be naive to think that the company has its back to the wall. The software is here, and it's here to stay. It has in its favour familiarity and support.

People feel comfortable with the software, and likewise do not feel comfortable with the prospect of installing, configuring and supporting Linux across the enterprise.

But that is changing, and fast. IBM has further extended its Linux support programme, and more people are becoming familiar with the operating system every day. And that is all that's required. Familiarity breeds confidence, as does a decent support infrastructure.

According to Tif, if all its members sign up to the new Microsoft licensing scheme, they will be shelling out an extra £880m across the standard four-year contract. A huge sum of money for something its users neither asked for nor wanted.

Last-ditch attempt

In a separate swipe at Microsoft, Gartner has recommended people to ditch Microsoft IIS because of its inherent security weaknesses. The number of exploits that have been taken advantage of in the software over the last 12 months is frightening, and no amount of support or familiarity can hide that.

Microsoft may not be on its knees, but we are in a position to make the company sit up and take notice of its customers' true needs: reliable, secure and inexpensive software. Linux meets all three.