[Linux-aus] Microsft a Reality? Get Over It?? - A followup

[David Ruwoldt]

Dear All,

My two cents.

Microsoft have a marketing machine that is second to none. Novell, Sun, 
Digital are good product that have advantages as well and have tried the 
"our great product will shine through". All of these companies have good 
products that are not selling as well as MS products. In fact in a 
number of instances MS products are replacing these products. MS 
marketing gets to senior management. Management listen to MS and tell 
(read they have right to tell techs, sys admins etc what to do) their 
staff to implement a MS solution. This leads to MS marketing listing the 
company as a great example of the benefits of their products and the 
cycle perpetuates itself. Another company that wants to compete against 
MS needs to have a marketing machine that is just as devious and just as 
good if they want to start winning serious market share. Linux can be 
included in this. Just because it is free does not mean anything in 
regard to marketing. People will often pay for a bad solution because 
they have comfort that they have spent a lot of money so it must be 
good. On the other side people will often go with a free solution 
because of cost ("Linux"). The people who go with a free solution need 
to be marketed to senior management that the solution is stable and 
works. The free solution has to be marketed as a good solid solution to 
senior management in companies otherwise it will never be accepted as a 
choice by larger companies. Certainly Linux sneaks in because of techs 
that run it outside of management's knowledge but until senior 
management can start to see it as a choice rather than that free 
software it will not gain mainstream acceptance as a solution.

Yours sincerely

David Ruwoldt

Brent Wallis wrote:

> 
>Ah well, I suppose I should follow my instincts more closely. I really hope the "feel" of this campagn will hold true to Steves comments,
>it would be a terrific opportunity for us to accelerate our acceptance in corporate Australia don't you think?
>We would not have to do anything really, just carry on with the same robust installs and function, disseminate information on each success story,  let the reality shine through..:)
> 
>Comments?
>BW
>  
>
-- 
David Ruwoldt
Team Leader, Operating Systems & Services
Information Technology Services
Level 7, 10 Pulteney St
ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY SA 5005
AUSTRALIA

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