EDS' Secret Love For Linux Laid Bare 171
Ashcrow writes "'Only a day after flaming open source as insecure, unscalable and unfit for Australian consumption in its Agility Alliance, services vendor EDS has revealed it really does have a soft spot for the penguin deep in its heart.' Apparently the 'Linux environment provides a level of security and stability unavailable elsewhere' which differs from that they had said earlier."
Obligatory quote (Score:2, Insightful)
JACK (V.O.): We've just lost cabin pressure.
Re:Rasmussen - Wilson (Score:2, Insightful)
Sigh...
RedHat is the OS, linux is the kernel - Linux "the OS" just doesn't exist. I'm no Stallman fanboy, but what you just said was drivel. Perhaps, "given the constantly-changing nature of the kernel, slagging off linux OS'es is never sensible" would have been better. But even so....
If that's how they want to play (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Good, 'cause they run our Linux boxes (Score:5, Insightful)
Why? Just because you have nationality in common? I'm American and half of my countrymen are frothing idiots. I won't tell you which ones--just pick the ones you like least and let them be "it." I'm not that interested in letting you know where I stand. You'd probably hate me for it anyway.
Talking outta both sides (Score:3, Insightful)
Second Article: Nearly a decade after it was first developed, Linux is gaining popularity with corporate IT departments that admire the operating system for its stability and security.
If most corporations are considered psychopaths [thecorporation.tv], then these guys are schizophrenic.
Re:A smarter way: (Score:4, Insightful)
Kind of hard to build a consulting business on "stealing" Linux IP. EDS can use IBM's open source stuff no problem, but a potential customer is going to be faced with the choice of:
- Hire IBM because they are developing Linux stuff so they obviously have the expertise
- Hire EDS who is probably learning as they go because Linux isn't exactly their bag, and are now bad mouthing it to boot.
IBM isn't stupid. They know ownership of the IP in the Linux world doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is if your potential clients view you as savvy and expert and IBM obviously conveys that on Linux, especially with the never ending barrage of great Linux stuff they post on their developer site and the non stop advertising.
If you are trying to land a consulting gig it also helps if the potential customer sees you as getting Linux and are not trying to "own" things or do proprietary lockins.
"They way it is now, they just look incompetent."
Totally right. IBM's marketing strategy is to be pro Linux, and not overtly anti Microsoft or anti anything else. Everyone knows they have no love for Microsoft but if a customer wants Windows IBM consulting will do it in a heartbeat. They'd probably even do Solaris if the customer required it, though probably more reluctantly (the old proprietary UNIX religious wars run deeper than the Linux versus Windows religious war).
EDS on the other hand, at least in this case, is being anti something and that is a really stupid marketing approach for someone selling services. You need to be pro something versus anti something. But its hard for EDS to create much excitement being pro Windows desktop and Solaris servers. Its an ancient strategy and long in the tooth, especially since many people think SUN is half dead. IBM looks leading edge and trendy being pro Linux. If EDS tries to be pro Linux they just look like a "me too" compared to IBM. IBM really has them foxed.
Not sure where CSC falls in this. I imagine they will just whore their services based on the customer's desires and aren't religious about it.
Re:EDS is so trustworthy--not! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Good, 'cause they run our Linux boxes (Score:5, Insightful)
Chill dude, I was just curious why the election turned out the way it did and being personally disappointed with how the U.S. election turned out I was hoping the rest of the world would at least get rid of all the poodle's backing the wacky people who've seized power in the U.S. Just wishin' not like I actually seek to influence the outcome.
You want to see "Arrogant American" lecturing people on elections, someone who actually has the power to influence them, check the Donald Rumsfeld speech today when he bashed Spain for throwing out the right wing, pro Bush, government.
Or check how the U.S. pumped $50 million dollars in to the Ukraine with the express intent of influencing the outcome of their election. If some country overtly pumped that much money in to the U.S. to influence an election the targeted party would go ballistic. U.S. does it, its just business as usual, especially for the National Endowment for "Democracy".
In fact the U.S. government, especially the right wing U.S. governments like we have now have actually influenced or outright rigged countless elections over the last half century. Me wishing there had been a different outcome in Australia kind of pales by comparison.
Hey I think America was totally crazy for their choice of leaders too. I was just wondering if some Aussie could explain what the issues were that lead to Howard winning. I'll go first and set an example, in the U.S. the Republican's won due to ruthless exploitation of a wedge issue, gay marriage, and terrorizing everyone over national security.
Re:Okay, a little perspective from an EDSer... (Score:3, Insightful)
When that guy is a VP, like "Robb Rasmussen, vice president of EDS Global Alliances" he is presumed to speak for the company. That fact that what he said demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge in his supposed area of expertise does reflect poorly on EDS and all of its employees. Like any other large company, there are some good people working there, but if I were you I'd be looking for another position with a company whose management I didn't have to apologize for.
Re:Good, 'cause they run our Linux boxes (Score:5, Insightful)
I was just wondering if some Aussie could explain what the issues were that lead to Howard winning
Well. Back in 2001, before Sept.11, Howard was losing popularity fast. He looked doomed. Then he decided to pump an enormous amount of money into the housing sector by subsidising first home buyers (a policy which their opponents had once used). There was an instant boom as all the budget surplus was funnelled into this. Then came Sept-11 and the flight of capital from the US. It appears enough Asian or other interests thought the starting boom in Australia was worth investing in.The basic economic fundamentals were good, but he huge amount of spending wasn't. In the end now 4 years later Aussies are in debt up to their eyeballs... In such a climate when Howard said in the last election campaign that interest rates were higher under Labor than his own party then you can guess who they backed. Since then there has been an interest rate rise and coincidently the week afterfor the first time labor is leading the Libs in the opinion polls.
My opinion. People aren't too bright. A basic rule I've learnt is : when an election is called decide then and there who you back because from that moment on all you will hear will be lies and distortion. People forgot the reasons they were about to throw Howard out, and thought him their best PM ever, don't be surprised if their opinions change again. The party is over, time for the hangover -- my opinion of course.
Fork me ! (Score:1, Insightful)
In the past we've also been told we can't use Open Source software for Windows because "There's no one to send a bill to". Yet we're also supposed to save money wherever possible ? durrghh... it's a good job I'm not a robot or the logic conflict would cause a short circuit in my brian matrix
However you can rest assured that the true techies amongst us absolutely LOVE GNU/Linux and would merrily remove all traces of MS in the server rooms.
And at this point I shan't mention that the team I work for actually have got a couple of GNU/Linux boxes doing stuff (on a small private network) because we're not allowed to have them so they don't really exist and I'm hallucinating right now. Look pink elephants. No over there. See ? See ?
I suspect the same is true of most big companies in that the techies want Linux/*BSD/OSX etc. but the PHBs simply don't get it and think this will mean the end of the world.
Another great factor is that by using proprietary software there's a whole bunch of people needed to have meetings with suppliers, negotiate contracts, manage accounts, file receipts, write financial reports, do audits etc. etc. In other words provide jobs for the nice middle class kids who went to university and got a degree but are actually fuck all use for anything (yes I deal with plenty of these on a day to day basis)
C'est la vie.