Microsoft "A Little Puppy". Really?
The Linux-Windows wars are far from over, but did Dewey beat Truman?
By Alan Shimel on Tue, 04/05/11 - 5:08pm.Friends, Romans, Countrymen. Lend me your ears. I come here today to bury Microsoft, not to praise them - Jim Zemlin, Executive Director of the Linux Foundation
My fellow Network World writer, Jon Brodkin has an article up today about an interview he had with Jim Zemlin, the Linux Foundation Executive Director. Zemlin is an unabashed Linux advocate and not a big fan of Microsoft. But even taking what he says with a grain of salt, you have to laugh when he says
"I think we just don't care that much [about Microsoft] anymore," Zemlin said. "They used to be our big rival, but now it's kind of like kicking a puppy."
Zemlin goes on to say that with the exception of the desktop, Linux has surpassed Windows in the server world and most importantly the mobile platforms. While he goes out of his way to praise Apple as a friend of open source, he does acknowledge "that they have a very closed system as well". Well thanks for the acknowledgement Jim. While you are still gloating over the last war, maybe you should take a look at the next battlefront. If mobile and tablets are the future, then that "closed system" may prove to be an even tougher foe than your last battle with Redmond.
But before we bury Microsoft maybe we should take a little closer look at some of Zemlin's points. What you may find is that Jim Zemlin is this generations Tom Dewey. The "little puppy" up in Redmond is not just dead yet. While Zemlin makes a big deal about how Microsoft's stock has been stagnant for the last few years while Red Hat has soared, maybe we should remember something else. Red Hat has been passing out cigars that it may finally break the 1B dollar revenue mark. Microsoft on the other hand had a decent quarter and did ALMOST TWENTY Billion Dollars! So who is the puppy kicking who here?
On the issue of the phone market, as Jon points out in his article, a recent IDC report says Windows phones will outnumber the mighty iPhone by 2015. Windows 8 may still yet be a player in the tablet market, but Linux isn't getting anything out of that market unless they come up with a real iPad killer.
On top of all this, Microsoft's Xbox is a success. Office continues to be the dominant desktop business productivity suite. Azure is moving ahead with their cloud vision. Microsoft Dynamics, etc, etc. Microsoft is even respected in terms of security these days (by people in the security business who know better).
So who is the puppy kicking who here? I love it when the Linux guys say Linux on the desktop is coming. Yes, this will be the year. NOT. The fact that Zemlin even spends as much time as he does bashing Microsoft and comparing Linux to Windows shows the long shadow that Redmon still casts on the Linux world. Nice try Jim, but fighting both Apple and Microsoft in the mobile computing world is going to take every thing Linux has and more.
Let me be clear. The Linux community has much to be proud of. They are a real player in the market and it is truly amazing what has been done with this OS. The fact that it is open with so many competing companies and interests involved is a testament to open source in general and the Linux community in particular. But lets not throw dirt on or kick the Microsoft puppy just yet. Otherwise Mr Zemlin you may wake up and find yourself the next Tom Dewey.
- About Open Source Fact and Fiction
As co-founder and Managing Partner at The CISO Group, Alan Shimel is responsible for driving the vision and mission of the company. The CISO Group offers security consulting and PCI compliance management for the payment card industry. Prior to The CISO Group, Alan was the Chief Strategy Officer at StillSecure. Shimel was the public persona of StillSecure as it grew from start up to helping defend some of the largest and most sensitive networks in the world.
Shimel is an often-cited personality in the technology community and is a sought-after speaker at industry and government conferences and events. His commentary about the state of security, open source and life is followed closely by many industry insiders via his blog and podcast, "Ashimmy, After All These Years" (www.ashimmy.com). Alan is now also a regular contributor to The CISO Group’s security.exe blog and podcast.
Alan has helped build several successful technology companies by combining a strong business background with a deep knowledge of technology. His legal background, long experience in the field, and New York street smarts combine to form a unique personality.
Disclosure: The CISO Group sells a software-as-a-service PCI compliance application called SAQPro. The company is independent and does not represent any other vendor's products as a reseller.
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