[ale] MS vs. Linux in Munich

[Bob Toxen]

SuSE Linux competed against Microsoft Windows to provide upgrades
for 14,000 Windows desktop systems for the city of Munich, Germany.
Linux won.  The city won too.

See the following for details from USA Today (not my favorite paper):

     http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20030714/5320229s.htm

Despite Microsoft eventually offering about 30% in discounts for software
and services, the Munich, Germany city government chose Linux.  The reason
given was less unknown costs.

During the negotiation, Microsoft "generously" offered to force the
client to upgrade only every 6 years rather than every 3-4 years and to
allow it to purchase only Word on some workstations rather than forcing
the client to purchase Microsoft's entire office suite even on systems
where it was not needed.

Thoughts: the world IS moving to Linux as being cost-effective on the
desktop as well as in the server room.

If your company policy requires you to stick with Windows on the desktop,
threatening your Microsoft salesman with switching to Linux likely will
get you some lowered prices.

Best regards,

Bob Toxen, CTO
Fly-By-Day Consulting, Inc.
bob at verysecurelinux.com (e-mail)
+1 770-662-8321  (Office)
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