Microsoft-Funded Linux Studies Benefit ... Microsoft

mr.big_pig writes "The Seattle PI had a front page article analyzing the Microsoft's Get The Facts website and related ads compairing Windows to Linux. The short and sweet: follow the money and see just how 'independent' is this research. What caught my eye was that this was on the front page and not buried in the business section."

Must be...

[PHPgawd]

...that Slashdot readers are finally sick commenting on stories about Microsoft and SCO... That must be it...

In other news, recent market studies have a massive decline in the demand for porn on the Internet, and...

Shock horror

[ozric99]

I really don't mean to sound like a troll, but honestly, the day Microsoft pays for and publicises a report in which linux comes out on top will be the day it should get front page headlines. This is just business as usual.

Is it possible to mod Stories as redundant?

Sat here watching my karma go wheeeeeee all the way down ;)

Re:A record

[Concerned Onlooker]

It would have been until you posted....

Re:Microsoft's new PR war

[Larry David]

I agree, although it's often more simple than that. I converted a client to Mozilla Firebird, which they used for a while without incident. Eventually they admitted they'd gone back to IE. Why? Because they preferred the look of the IE icon.

This is what we're dealing with out there.

Re:Not entirely BS

[BiggerIsBetter]

Yep, J2EE is ridiculously expensive. I mean, just check out these figures...

JBoss Appserver [jboss.org] - Cost: $0.00
IBM 1.4 JDK for Linux x86 [ibm.com] - Cost: $0.00
Eclipse IDE [eclipse.org] - Cost: $0.00

52?

[Red Pointy Tail]

Companies "couldn't say, 'Maybe I should just choose Linux because there were 52 Slashdot postings saying that Linux is better,' " he said, referring to a popular Web site for technology news and commentary. "That's really what drove a lot of the emphasis to say, 'Hey, fine, let's really give a set of facts.' "

Did they miss out the 000,000 somewhere?

Thanks to Microsoft the word is getting out.

[Interruach]

Wee! Free publicity!
According to one of the papers, Microsoft servers are better than linux in 4 out of 5 times.
That means that at least 1 in 5 servers should be running linux by microsoft's own research!

It's nice to see Microsoft finally using their marketing for Good.

Microsoft PR war?

[PatrickThomson]

Everyone in my family is an average consumer, which means they equate Microsoft with computers, and that Windows is the only OS out there. The microsoft PR war, if it happens, will cause the following effect.

"Hrrm... according ot this article, linux is bad"
"What's linux?"
"let's MSN Patrick, he'll know"

See where this is going? Nerds, adopt as many newbs/idiots as you can, and educate!

finally!

[Jacek Poplawski]

Their website doesn't work. At least link to article. After so many years we finally found way to destroy Microsoft. All you need to do is post more MS-related stories, and see how their servers die.

PS. Windows is better than Linux in 4 on 5 scenarios, but I always hit in that last scenario.

Re:Best quote ever...

[EmagGeek]

Since Microsoft is paying for the stuff SCO is smoking, I would say yes..

In the article it says:

[ScottGant]

Quip from article: In that way, the research fills a critical gap, he said. Companies "couldn't say, 'Maybe I should just choose Linux because there were 52 Slashdot postings saying that Linux is better,' " he said, referring to a popular Web site for technology news and commentary.

Of course, Slashdot also has as many posts about goatse...which kinda puts it all in perspective. lol

I've made a difference

[WebMasterJoe]

'Maybe I should just choose Linux because there were 52 Slashdot postings saying that Linux is better,' he said

Well, he must have at least looked at the slashdot article, because a headline I made fun of last time [slashdot.org] has been removed! Previously, the headline read "10 Times Less Expensive Than Linux," and now it's "Far Less Expensive." It's stilll wrong, but at least it's not quite so absurd.

But since my voice was heard the first time, I have another suggestion. Stop trying to look like Apple! That page looked like it came straight out of Quartz! Why not try making your documents match your own company's image, instead of a competitor's image?

Re:Interesting

[gnu-generation-one]

"I think this part of the article is significant:
One problem, he said, is that companies will tend to keep under wraps the results of commissioned studies that turn out unfavorably."

Lemme guess, the rest of the article was unfavourable, so you kept it under wraps? ;-)

Re:By your logic

[4of12]

can't get the word of mouth advertising that money can't buy....

Wish I could remember the link, but IIRC one of the cell phone manufacturers, Ericsson, I think, had some advertising campaign where to promote their new line of cell phones with interactive games they deployed pairs of good-looking women in bars using the phones to play games. You can see where male bar patrons would suddenly become interested in being able to play games on the new phones.

I have to say, though, that the tactic might have to be modified in Microsoft's case.

I'd have a real weird feeling if I met some good-looking girl in bar using her laptop and extolling how well MSDN supported Visual Something. "My mother warned me about girls like you..."

Re:By your logic

[SoTuA]

And in other news, the Association of Beef Packagers -funded-studies about the health benefits of leftover fat from processing cowmeat have found that eating raw fat is good for your health!

Re: Microsoft's new PR war

[Black Parrot]

> Linux's true downfall has far less to do with...

Tell us more about this 'downfall'. Do I need to quit using it?

Analysts.

[13Echo]

This just in...

Microsoft funds analysis of Windows/Linux TCO. Buys analysts with free MCSE training and an XBox. More news at 11!

Re:Remembers me of...

[DickBreath]

Someone over on Groklaw, a couple weeks ago, pointed out how in the backwards world of SCO it works like this...

First they fight you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they ignore you.
Then you lose.

Re:Interesting

[DickBreath]

I really don't understand why this is news. Are people really that naive?

Yes. And here is the proof. Obviously you are that naive, in a different way, in order to ask such a question. No offense intended. There are niave PHB's, and there are bosses with flat hair. For the niave ones it takes an article to point out the obvious to them. Show them the article and they will realize "Oh, I see that now." just as quickly as they would believe any Microsoft funded study or SCO PR shoved in front of their face.

Now, there's a shock

[joelrmpls]

Microsoft finds that MS stuff is less expensive than free? I'm shocked, shocked.