-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA512 In Microsoft annual report (regarding 2006): http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/ar06/staticversion/10k_fr_bus_07.html
- - We believe the license-based software model has had substantial benefits for users of software - - A number of commercial firms compete with us using an open source business model - - These firms do not have to bear the full costs of research and development for the software - - A prominent example of open source software is the Linux operating system - - we believe our products provide customers with significant advantages in security and productivity, and generally have a lower total cost of ownership than open source software - - the popularization of the open source software model continues to pose a significant challenge to our business model - - continuing efforts by proponents of open source software to convince governments worldwide to mandate the use of open source software in their purchase and deployment of software products - - To the extent open source software gains increasing market acceptance, sales of our products may decline, we may have to reduce the prices we charge for our products, and revenue and operating margins may consequently decline - - We are devoting significant resources toward developing our own software-as-a-service strategies - - Our competitors range in size from Fortune 100 companies to small, specialized single-product businesses and open source community-based projects - - Open source software vendors are devoting considerable efforts to developing software that mimics the features and functionality of our products - - Throughout the world, we actively educate consumers about the benefits of licensing genuine products and obtaining indemnification benefits for intellectual property risks, and we educate lawmakers about the advantages of a business climate where intellectual property rights are protected - - In March 2004, the European Commission determined that we must create new versions of Windows that do not include certain multimedia technologies, many of which are required for certain Web sites, software applications and other aspects of Windows to function properly, and we must provide our competitors with specifications for how to implement certain communications protocols supported in Windows - - The availability of these licenses may enable competitors to develop software products that better mimic the functionality of Microsoft’s own products My take: So, _now_ Linux is a risk? Still, you don't understand opensource development. License-based is better for your customers, but you'd still want SaaS. Security and productivity lower TCO, is it ? Security where? You'll have to compete with everyone, not only the big players. Please define "actively educate consumers" on the benefits of licensing genuine products. So there're 'certain' technologies that you own which are required for web sites. Right! It's called bad design. - -- Vitor Domingos Paradigma.pt -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFGzHY8zLeQsaqPtNIRCk12AKCOge0kTC0GwVnMPeS4Ibu6HzjxwgCfV4Gl fDzpNZRWG3G7Ju9+4jNmIH8= =URZR -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- _______________________________________________ tce mailing list tce@lists.paradigma.pt http://lists.paradigma.pt/mailman/listinfo/tce
