Microsoft may have ROI and TCO reports that claim open source is more expensive to operate, but IT pros in this recession aren't buying it. The claim, that is. What they are buying is open source -- lots of open source, apparently. IDC reports that open source will grow almost 25 percent this year, and it may even go higher.
While OSes have driven the bulk of open source sales, apps and middleware are starting to really take off. Some of these apps are even running in the cloud.
Incidentally, I like the honesty of releasing predictions and then qualifying them based on changing circumstances. That's the same reason I don't always mind when politicians flip-flop; changing one's mind as the world changes is a good thing.
Are your open source views changing? Is it more or less expensive and more or less polished than commercial software? Answers can be sent free of charge and without license to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on August 07, 20091 comments
Anyone who's read this newsletter for any length of time knows that I have a love/hate (or at least a like/dislike) view of Apple. I see its machines as expensive and proprietary, but admit they're cool and work pretty darn well.
I'm not alone in finding fault with Apple, especially as it exerts more and more control over all of its products. Switched.com columnist Terrence O'Brien makes a similar argument, claiming that Apple is far more proprietary than Microsoft.
The analysis is detailed, thorough and spot-on. It's not just the OS and bundled apps that are the problem, but control of content through tools like iTunes, as well. And Apple exerts Saddam-type control of third-party apps on the iPhone.
Most dramatically, O'Brien claims, "Apple is a bunch of jerks." One example of jerkiness, I absolutely agree with. I spent nearly 20 years as a reporter, trying to tell the world what tech companies were going to do before they did it. I broke many stories about Microsoft and it never once complained about these disclosures, nor did Microsoft ever threaten. In fact, I won a Computer Press Association award for helping break a story about flaws in MS-DOS 6.0 (shows how long I've been doing this, eh?). Microsoft didn't complain. It sent me a fruit basket!
Apple, on the other hand, sues reporters that pre-disclose product plans. Given that, it's hard to explain why so much of the press treats Steve Jobs like some kind of tech god.
Posted by Doug Barney on August 07, 20095 comments
If you're running Windows 7 RC like me and find that some things no longer work, like I have, you might want to download the release candidate of Windows XP Mode. XP Mode is essentially XP running in a virtual machine, so apps and peripherals that don't talk nice to Windows 7 can talk nice to the XP VM.
The cool thing is that XP apps are on the Windows 7 taskbar, so the integration seems pretty tight. My only incompatibility so far is with my LaserJet 1000 printer, though I'm not sure if loading XP Mode is worth it just for that one issue. I may just give it a try anyway and report back.
Have you tried XP Mode? If so, is the integration clean or clunky? Answers welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on August 07, 20090 comments
Some Windows 7 beta testers can convert to the real deal free of charge once it's done. Members of an exclusive club, those actually invited by Redmond to test the software, are eligible. Most of these top IT pros belong to TechNet, but not all TechNet subscribers got the special invites. So how do you know if you qualify? Microsoft will send off an e-mail with all the details.
If you're a release candidate user like me, the software is active 'til this March. After that, Windows 7 will stop working for two hours a day. Sounds just like my old XP machine!
Microsoft says that one reason Windows 7 is so stable is the great work of beta testers. I couldn't agree more.
Posted by Doug Barney on August 05, 20092 comments
Microsoft let its Windows 7 upgrade pricing out of the bag, and instead of being excited, I'm confused.
Even though the news is only about upgrading from one version of Windows 7 to another, there are myriad versions and multiple pricing plans. Even more confusing, some options may only be available for a limited time. Add in temporary free upgrades for new Vista buyers, as well as other Windows 7 options, and what should be simple is more abstruse than a Visa credit card agreement.
And I'm not sure how many consumers will suddenly realize they didn't buy an expensive-enough version of Windows 7.
Have you absorbed this pricing info? How will you upgrade? Plans and vexations equally welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on August 05, 20094 comments
Making points that are already obvious to most Redmond Report readers, a security researcher is warning that cloud computing includes certain risks such as lack of data ownership and hacker risks when that data is in transit. Hmm, haven't you all been telling me this for over a year?
iSec Partners' Alex Stamos also points out that authorities may be able to access your company data through a third-party cloud provider far more easily than from your internal datacenter. Scary stuff. What all this means is that cloud applications must be carefully chosen and cloud providers carefully scrutinized.
What is and is not appropriate for the cloud? Your suggestions welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on August 05, 20091 comments
Let's face it: Whether it's a Zune or an iPod, we're really just talking about a small drive that stores and plays media files. And speaking as a father who's paid for three now-dead iPods, Apple can't even build a reliable small drive that stores and plays media files. But when it comes to small drives that store and play media files, image is everything, and the Zune -- which has a cool name and is apparently not a bad device -- just isn't cool
Nor is it different in either price or features. The cheapest Zune at Best Buy is $140, while I can get an iPod for 50 smackers. No wonder Wall Street is now begging Redmond to kill the Zune.
Do you love the Zune? Did your iPod die only for you to discover it's basically irreparable? Love stories and sob stories equally welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on August 03, 200917 comments
The COO of Microsoft, one Kevin Turner, claims that since its release Hyper-V has helped Redmond gain 24 points of market share from VMware. The article, which has fewer details than a Sarah Palin speech (hey, John Edwards is no prize either!), provides no context at all for this rather stunning statement.
I've struggled to find any meaningful virtualization market share info and finally found something from Forrester, which indicates that Microsoft now has 22 percent of the market. So if it gained 24 points, did it start at negative 2 percent?
In all fairness to the research intelligentsia, no amount of databases or spreadsheets can truly account for all the bundling and other weird ways hypervisors get sold or given away. Do you trust market share numbers? If yes, no or maybe, drop me a note at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on August 03, 20094 comments
Recently, some have complained about a conflict of interest or possible collusion due to the fact that the CEO of Google sits on Apple's board -- especially since Apple and Google share a common enemy. Well, fret no more, as Eric Schmidt just resigned as an Apple director.
The easy answer here is that Apple and Google are now one another's enemy, with Google going into mobile operating systems and browsers, and with the Chrome OS eventually fighting over the desktop.
The precursor to all of this was Apple's well-publicized decision to not run Google Voice on the iPhone (though some believe it was the government that put the kibosh on it). What's most interesting about this whole story is how we still have powerful, fascinating personalities driving our top tech companies: Ballmer, Jobs, Schmidt and even Ellison. Now if we could only get Scott McNealy back!
Who's your favorite tech exec? Nominations readily received at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on August 03, 20090 comments
Satire is my favorite form of humor; it cuts through hypocrisy, stupidity and arrogance like a well-sharpened deli slicer. And as I've mentioned before, The Onion is perhaps our greatest source of satire, a proud replacement for the old National Lampoon magazine.
Fortunately, The Onion likes to tackle tech issues, which gives me an excuse, however slight, to talk about its articles. My latest find? An article called "Apple Claims New iPhone Only Visible to Most Loyal of Customers" that skewers the cult mentality of many Apple customers. The headline is pretty self-explanatory, except that it includes a sly reference to "The Emperor's New Clothes," implying that Apple products aren't worthy of such reverence. Here, I'm not so sure, as the darn things are pretty darn well-engineered.
Are Apple products deserving of such passion? Yes and no votes welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on July 31, 20092 comments
Who are the leaders in core virtualization tools? VMware, Microsoft and Citrix. That's a pretty good list. Red Hat hopes that you'll soon include one more, and think of the fourth as every bit as important as the big three. And the $100 million-plus acquisition of Qumranet should lay the groundwork.
Qumranet, named after the caves that held the Dead Sea Scrolls, has the KVM hypervisor and virtual desktop tools. From all accounts, KVM is pretty cool, but is it cool enough to break through the VMware/Microsoft/Citrix marketing machines and third-party ecosystems? You tell me.
Do we need another hypervisor? What's your favorite virtualization vendor? Real answers can be sent to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on July 31, 20093 comments
At Redmond's latest financial analyst meeting, Ballmer took to the stage -- Ballmer does take to the stage like a duck to water -- and drilled into the key issues facing Microsoft today.
As usual, the candid and expressive Ballmer had a few surprises, including this whopper: He himself has been personally managing the Windows business for the past year or so. I'm not sure how Steve Sinofsky, who is responsible for that group, feels about that comment.
Ballmer is bullish about his new baby, Windows 7, of which some 8 million copies have been downloaded -- including the copy running just fine on my machine. Ballmer, usually cautious about projections, is clearly bullish on 7. Just as I've argued, despite a couple of down quarters, Microsoft had a heckuva year, with profits most companies (except Exxon) could only dream of.
Posted by Doug Barney on July 31, 20092 comments