On Fri, 05 Nov 2004 13:10:50 +0000 Richard Smedley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Fri, 2004-11-05 at 12:02, RP McKay wrote: <snip> > Absolutely - though it needn't be as dramatic as starting > from scratch, a transition can be planned and implemented > over a number of years. > > > Every time I turn around another agency or government body in > > the US or mainland EU are switching to other OS's due to costs...to > > be fair it is mostly Linux > > And the reasons for switching to GNU/Linux are all side-effects of > its licensing as Free Software: > Specifically > 1. Cost savings from not being tied to one (expensive, monopoly) > vendor > 2. Security (not security through obscurity) - no waiting for > long-delayed patches. > 3. Environmental - hardware can be kept longer. > 4. Ease of use - Free Software can be configured by the admins to > work just the way it is needed. > 5. Local economy - local programmers can be employed to develop the > software - helping the balance of payments.
This all, of course, depends on who you talk to. Personally I'm getting a little fed up with MS only suppliers and 'experts' who only seem to know MS solutions making recommendations that are causing me hassle. I won't go into the problems I'm having with people wanting to upgrade ageing '98 machines and seeming to imply I'm trying to sell them more than they need when I explain the MS OEM licensing requirements that force purchase of a new OS and Office suite and potentially several other apps due to compatibility. The trouble is none of them seem willing to even consider Linux or Mac simply on the basis that "it's not Windows". Deep breath, calm down, stop typing, you're wife is having the baby not you.... > Most of MacOS-X is not freely licensed, so the benefits of such a > switch (in this context) would be purely technical. > > Rather than asking where were Apple in this, one might ask where > were Sun/ IBM/ Novell/ HPaq. > > Apple seem to have very little interest in UK government > contract, witness how schools switched from Acorn to MS :-( I wasn't really aware that Apple went after large contracts in any active manner. They've always seemed to follow the traditional approach of make a decent machine and people will buy it. That's as opposed to the MS approach of make something and find any means possibly to ensure that people have to buy it whether they want to or not ;-) <snip> > Apologies for straying a little off-topic for the list :-/ > > - Richard Yes, I did have to do a double take as to which list I was reading at the time. You seem to crop up everywhere, although to date I'd only notice the Linux lists - you'll appear on one of the Amiga ones I'm on next :-) -- Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/ -- Mac UK is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... 123Inkjets.com <http://lowendmac.com/ad/123inkjets.html> Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Mac UK list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/mac-uk.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-uk%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
