Microsoft Beware, You Can be Replaced... Eventually

Implications: The implications are clear. Even though Microsoft isn't shivering in fear as of yet, there are viable options out there. The only issue is these options are not marketed like MS Office and Windows.

Analysis: Ubuntu, a Linux based open source software platform is testing the waters with computer savvy users world over. Many find its use to be very cost effective, especially with computer competent end users. Security is less of a concern among these users. However, eventually security software will be required with increased popularity. The attraction of free open source software to use and play with at ones leisure is especially attractive to SMB.

For a research project, we loaded Ubuntu onto 100 desktops and 4 servers. Many of the members of my group are small businesses who welcome the ability to operate computers without paying homage to Microsoft. You can not beat the price, and even though for the most part the machines did work well with some software, with others, it did not. At this point, we can not afford to pick and choose which software we can use. Many of the technically superior people kept it on their laptops. Once someone figures out how to use all of the  XP compatible software on the Ubuntu platform, MS Windows and Office will lose business.
Currently, our 2071 active business clients spend an average of 470 US dollars per seat on MS products and 99 on security products. Users of MS Project, Visio, and more sophisticated security products like websense spend hundreds more. We welcome the opportunity to have an option to MS that will work with all of our proprietary software. Dell's introduction of Ubuntu loaded pc's in Europe is definitely of great interest.

As far as our research efforts go, Ubuntu was a winner. No blue screen of death. Quicker response time. It basically worked very well or not at all. Our software developers are quick to point out that it is just a matter of time before we "tweak" the software to the point where office is unneeded - not just unwelcomed.