Google "capitalism" no different than that of Microsoft or Apple

Ed Miliband 's rant against Google busniess practices in the UK should be tempered with the reality of practices from both Microsoft and Apple in the same accord. However since the extreme "Tax avoidance" practices are of little concern tor paid-for-allegience politicians here in the USA, it is unlikely his objects will gain any reasonable support in UK, since Google, Microsoft, Apple and almost every other large US company will have bought and paid for Members of Parliament as well.

Good luck with securing fair tax incomes for Brits from the ultra greedy capitalist corporations.

The commenter "Mage" is correct in citing mobile and flex use products from Microsoft many years ago before Apple. However one needs to be technically experienced to a deeper level than most average consumers to understand more fully the "real" reasons that these Microsoft ventures failed.

One is that Microsoft did not have mobile technology software, or indeed even desktop or server software that was modern or innovative to support such advanced technologies. Remember, Windows was until recently based on PC DOS initially and then DEC VMS which was strictly designed for lower end minicomputers.

Software such as Java primarily, Javascript, Ruby language and other newer programmer developments along with the relentless miniturization of processors and circuits made true mobile experience a reality.

Even today in 2013, Microsoft lacks the innovation in software and microelectronics to be a dominant player as they were in the past, when monopolizing and bullying tactics were more advantageous to their efforts.

It has become impossible for Microsoft to escape the sleazy marketing tactics used in the past in lame attempts to discredit Linux, and other GPL licensed Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) with disastrous results. This is not politics Ballmer, where spewing feces sometimes works. People want reliable, secure "workable" technology.

Whenever a company of that size, and bank roll resorts to throwing crap against the other guy to show your crap is less distasteful, something is seriously wrong. Microsoft needs to spend those gazillions of dollars improving their software, so that Windows 8 users are not going nuts in frustration as well as getting Internet Explorer (IE), Windows security Essentials and Windows OS overall - desktops and Servers to "not suck so much".

Such honestly should surely get them some credit from customers.

The problem for Microsoft is that the company has never had to directly face harsh, and mostly accurate criticism of it's products in the past, and therefore seems unable to handle and mitigate negative reviews on such a large scale.

I would suggest Mr. Shaw concentrate his energy and vitriol on the development departments of Microsoft, in an effort to dramatically improve Windows 8, Internet Explorer , Microsoft security Essentials and even their Windows Server to an acceptable level of reliability and security. All the blowback in the world won't make Windows work satisfactory or pleasingly, and his denigration of reasonable and legitimate - although sometimes strong - faultfinding of Windows is unacceptable and stupid.

He need to get with the realities of the technology world in 2013.

Debian is for more than a gee-whiz! desktop

Most of the negative comments on Debian 7 - aka Wheezy - in the article and in following comments center on "desktop usage". However there is a significant percentage of Debian usage that is in Server configurations, particularly in Europe, Asia and South America - even for large installations and government, but less so in USA. After all, Debian is not sexy and gee-whiz! as is expected by the techno-amateur masses here in America.

None of the"leading edge" or "bleeding edge" functionality matters in this server scenario, and therefore the conversation on new Debian features should be more broad and diverse.

Microsoft "capture" Mobile - laughable!

Article writer Andrew Orlowski is obviously not living in the real world as a Microsoft propagandist, like many of his compatriots at ZDNet by stating "How Microsoft can capture the mobile market - properly". Even though Microsoft has improved it's mobile smartphone marketshare from 2.x 5 it has six months ago, both Apple iOS and Android mobile OS are "ALSO GAINING" market share and together control more than 91%, according to at least two of the larger and more reputable Market Research firms.

Does he mean by "capture" - gaining the similar dominance Microsoft controlled in the PC desktop sphere? If so, he is not only dreaming, but delusional and loony, and should be allowed to publish in any media that considers itself viable and relevant.

Very unfortunately there is a growing awareness of the increase in Microsoft dupes who disregard any facts or reality in order to support the company propaganda mantra. This is not only sad but sick.

While the Japanese as a whole have generally been conservative in regards technology adoption and use, this recommendation by prefectural government of Aichi is asinine in the most descriptive sense.

If exorbitant costs of upgrading to newer Windows OS, which would most certainly required newer hardware purchases is not possible, why can't these people consider a wholesale move to Linux as was done very successfully by the cities of Munich, Germany, Vienna, Austria and several other municipalities and even large countries' governments.

After all, very careful evaluations and studies by those migrating to Linux have shown that Windows 7/8 upgrade is not only ridiculously costly without any appreciable productivity gains, but also provide very little additional security functionality over that which Aich has presently.

Not jumping into the latest technology trends is one thing, but mired mentally in the nineteenth century in regard lack of common sense and innovative thinking is something else all together.

dubious analysis basis

Is this analysis based on "real world" developments that show very large Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE selling tens, possibly hundreds of millions of Android phones - presently their phone software of choice, in Asia, Africa and South America?

Furthermore with Amazon and Facebook in USA bringout out their own Android based phones and software overlay respectively, it would seem more prudent to project that Android would be making continuous gains in percentage of phone OS sold against all others, particularly Apple.

Exactly on what credible information is Yankee group basing these assumptions?

(Windows) Desktop PC sales plunge

Since both IDC and Gartner have both produced similar results study reports on the terrible decline in PC sales, it behooves the many Desktop (Windows) PC fans commenting in technology media to refrain from stating ad nauseam and incorrectly that the PC market is strong and gaining every day, simply because they cannot accept that Microsoft has a weak presence in the booming Tablet and ChromeOS Netbook (re: Amazon stats) sales and marketshare – which are significantly outperforming traditional desktop PC sales including Windows 8 notebook sales to a large degree, and Microsoft is therefore also not projected to be a force in pending Phablet (Smartphone/Tablet) segment.

This is one of the many times that personal anecdotal experiences of Windows PC users have no relevance to the realities taking place with respect to technology use world wide.

Major changes to technology procurement policies and practices in China, Russia and much of the European Union (EU) as well as South America - away from the desktop and even Windows 8 notebooks toward mobile devices on Apple iOS and Android are also ominous for the continuing precipitous PC and Windows based computing sales plunge.

Microsoft's pathetic desperation

This particular complaint againstb Google by the three stooges and a few others has no merit as formulated.

Amazon's Android based tablets and forthcoming smartphone are perfect examples where Google has absolutely no control over the search, ads, GPS, mapping or any other functionality of the Kindle series devices. Ditto for B&N Nook taablet and pending Facebook smartphone.

Microsoft and their dupe Nokia need to get competitive by "innovating" their mobile technologies, since the tired tactics of spreading Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD), what most people call lies and secunding others' creativity has not produced any worthwhile marketshare. It is obvious why Oracle is stringing along, to get revenge for Googles use of Java without having to fork over billions in payments under Federal Court decided spurious claims.

There is nothing that Microsoft can do legitimately inout performing Google's Android or Apple by imaginative originality in technology, which clearly demonstrated their intellectual bankruptcy.

Nokia's "Sugar Daddy" money

The business concept of buying friends and influencing people is limited in 2013, particularly if Nokia is attempting to buy "mobile device" sales in places like Kenya, where most of that cash will go into the pockets of corrupt politicians, and not to offer reasonably prices smartphones to citizen Kenyans.

It is sad that Nokia, as Microsoft's dupe is resorting to 1990s stale and ineffective tactics of their overlord that does not produce or offer superior products and services at very competitive rates. The company might just as well donate those funds to aids and HIV healthcare support in that troubled African Country.

Cynicism about Blackberry

If the transaction between Telefonica and EDC is legal and ethical, and is not a precedent in their business relationahip, what is is the issue with the cynical "false" claims and groundless projection of failure from commenters, unless these know-nothings are supporters of or work for a flailing and not very successful mobile competitor like Microsoft.

These nay-sayers have no inside knowledge or insight into the future of moile technology market any more than they can accurately predict the weather next week.

Who copied who?

Since Microsoft and Facebook have cooperative agreements on several technology fronts, there is no reason to think that Microsoft could not have taken it's "Put People First" mantra from concept presented by Facebook personnel during their joint internal discussions and planning sessions. After all, it is Microsoft that has the "world's record" for copying and using ideas and even (absconding with?) technology from everybody else.

About the only thing the company has not seconded is providing clients and the public with factual and honest technical performance results of it's products and services, relative to those of competitors. That honor lies elsewhere.

The significant growth of the tablet market with Amazon Kindle series and B&B Nook devices based on Android kernel, and no the introduction of specialized smartphones from Amazon and Facebook must place an enormous burden on potential Microsoft Windows 8 smartphone sales, further exacerbated by the successful sales rollout of new Blackberry 10 phones.

I look forward to even more smartphone OS choices introduced into USA based on FirefoxOS and or Ubuntu Mobile mobile operating systems that were exceptionally well received in Europe and by the behemoths of Huawei and ZTE of China. This would certainly create a bonanza for purchaser choice, which would complimented by more mobile Carrier selections and more reasonable subscription rates.

Will Facebook and soon Google become direct Mobile carriers to compete with the big four?

ZFS choice on Linux

It's good to know that Linux users now have another great choice of World Class File Sytem in ZFS in addition to fledgling btrFS. I have been using FreeBSD with ZFS with very satisfactory experiences for past year or so.

In 2012 when I indicated in comments on technology forum covering file systems the major functionality and features advantages of ZFS over older EXT* file systems and compared to Windows NTFS and their newer ResFS file systems, many Microsoft supported went ballistic and fabricated all types of very inaccurate 'technically' and nonsensical claims of (even) NTFS being years ahead of and superior to ZFS.

It was interesting to learn that ResFS has adopted (actually copied) many of the features set of ZFS, with Microsoft attempting at one point to "license" ZFS - without success, for recently released Windows Server 2012. However ResFS has come up short in many of the more enterprise or large clustered and "Supercomputer" critical file system requirements that are long proven in ZFS.

Expected gibberish from Microsoft supporter.

If, as 'anonymous coward' proclaims, Windows mobile is indeed selling well - the numbers, compared to iOS/Android sales numbers, but just that Android and iOS are generating more 'profits' (sick logic), why then does the IDC report cover market share as percentage of sales - 2.9% Windows versus 91% for iOS/Android, not profits for which IDC would have no knowledge.

Next, the Microsofties will be blaming the hapless windows mobile sales on gremlins or the North Koreans.

when will the idiocy of illogical thinking from technology dreamers stop?

CrAPP policies and practices

Microsoft and it's supporters just cannot seem to get good news about all the security and reliability problems in it's software. This is unfortunate for them (both), but was somewhat predictable by the business/technology strategy taken by the company many years ago when it chose not to start from scratch to create a truly superior Operating System (OS) software, but instead kept patching and making superficial improvements to the same tied, old OS so that billions of dollars in applications investment won't be lost.

This is one time when Microsoft may be reaping the consequences of excessive greed, oppressive (and sometimes illegal) business practices against all others, lack of innovation and weak software technology skills, and laziness.

More dire news for Microsoft

No doubt Microsoft fans of Windows Phone 8 and new Tablets will dismiss Samsung as some unknowing "Asian" upstart that has no appreciation or understanding for the 'genius' of Microsoft's products, and that Redmond will still achieve the dominance these minions predicted sometime in the near future.

Apparently they also rejected a recent report from IDC Market Research firm which placed Microsoft smartphone market share in February time frame at approximately 2.9% and the Apple iOS/Android duopoly at approximately 91%. Domination from pittance presence to supplant almost the entire present smartphone OS base.

The news of strong interest in Mozilla FirefoxOS mobile in Europe and now that Samsung, in alliance with Intel will besoon releasing smartphones based in Tizen, 'another' Linux mobile OS is probably enough to send these Microsoft worshippers over the edge of sanity.

OS Merger mania at Google

If the information I received about Chrome OS on new Google Pixel being Gentoo Linux based, then for one I am anxious for any "sensible" merge of Chrome OS with Android which would those like myself considerable power and flexibility in new mobile/notebook computing capability.

At long last Linux, in it's most rudimentary forms of Android, ChromeOS, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble (BN) Nook, combined with the great potential of emerging mobile FirefoxOS, Ubuntu mobile and the Intel/Samsung backed Tizen mobile - all linux based, have actually achieved "world domination" as once joked by Linus Torvalds, probably never once considering that it could be true.

Never ending security problems for Microsoft

Added to this list of software security woes that Microsoft is attempting to "patch" - most appropriate word, since a real fix is unlikely - on Tuesday, "Windows Security Essentials" very recently failed testing "twice" at testing labs in Europe.

It is unfortunate that many Microsoft supporters will inundate The Register and other technology media with every type of lame excuse one can imagine for these failures, and divert the subject to how Linux, Mac OS X and maybe BSD ( if they even know what BSD software is) has no market share, is hard to use or some other inane off-topic issue that they hope will take attention away from the growing travails of their heroine in Redmond.

Microsoft obnoxious behavior

Microsoft has repeatedly demonstrated contempt for the regulations in the European Union (EU) that govern business practices "there" regarding technology use and services.

The company does not deserve any lenient consideration, particularly by their very arrogant and dismissive attempts to have US Federal Government State Department diplomats (determined to be on their payroll via lobbyists connections) to actually "threaten" the EU about sanctioning a US company, irrespective of the reasons. How contemptible and idiotic is this.

Microsoft were (wrongly) calculating that many millions of US citizens would be appauled and resentful that a "foreign" government(s) organization would dare to punish them for willful wrongdoing, and thus back down in the face of the "almighty" American wrath.  Again how idiotic and stupid a gamble, even with the irrational patriotic sentiment of many fellow countrymen. (sic)

This last statement is proven by the response from several commenters questioning what the EU will do with the money. It is none of their concern and has no relevance to the issue involved.

Microsoft's flagrant actions merit no relief, and their total disregard for any of the laws and regulations of other 200 plus countries in the world  - for doing business in "their" jurisdictions, needed to be adequately addressed in a strong and serious manner.

De Icaza distorted US only view

It is obvious that Miguel De Icaza is very upset that the Linux development community - and that includes many large industries as well as corporations like IBM, Oracle and others, did not follow his lead into adopting many Microsoft patent encumbered software technologies like Mono, Moonlight and C#.

In regard the Linux desktop being a "Cherbnobyl fail", he maybe partly right - acept for use of word fail - in that the Linux desktop has not garnered a significant percentage of the general PC desktop use - in the USA - and a few other places as he and many of the Linux ecosystem would have liked.

However he is absolutely wrong and off base on this aspect of Linux desktop use in regard many other continents and countries of the world, even thought Mr. De Icaza and so many other North Americans (USA really) think - by self deception - that the rest of the two hundred plus countries and territories in this world do not count or are of no consequence. Several European Union countries and the EU overall , Brazil and other countries in South and Central American, Vietnam, much of the Chinese communist central government , even little South Africa have adopted and are implementing Linux with what-ever desktop - primarily KDE - as the formal standard.

Therefore Mr. De Icaza can be best described as delusional.

PC manufacturers dilemma

Linux Torvalds does not understand that most of the PC Manufacturers have very small profit margins on the "crappily made" hardware, since they must sink significant $$dollar and other resources into supporting all the calamities of the Windows Operating System (OS) software that purchasers expect of them, not of Microsoft.

There is also no incentive to make a great laptop like the Google Pixel if only to run a second rate OS that does not justify the investment. Sort of like building a luxury and beautiful home, only to furnish it with less that really good appliances, furnishings and fittings.

Google Pixel Linuxed

It is my clear understanding that Google has stated the easy technical possibility of installing one of the premier Linux distributions on the Pixel. If so, then a Pixel purchase, even at $1300.00 with a great Linux configuration might be worth comparing with the MacBook Air on a more level playing arena.

Does the article writer or readers have any opinion on this aspect?

Microsofties, please refrain from adding your Windows 8 two cents, since in many ways there is no room here for propaganda about devices from Redmond, particularly on non-factual technical basis.

Microsoft's (deliberate?) browser choice gaffe

The only way, under God that Microsoft in particular or any of the other very large aggressive and bullying USA technology corporations will retain any semblance of respect for and cooperation with the European Union (EU) is if the EU imposes the maximum penalty for regulations violations in this case of Browser Choice omission, even if the fine amounts to $$billions of dollars.

Nothing less will stop their shenanigans and idiotic, illegal behavior.

Microsoft has consistently shown disdain for the European Union and every other civilization on earth in it's attempts to dictate the terms and conditions of technology sales and practices of how it uses any technology to it's ultimate financial gain. To hell with the consequences of disadvantages and detriment to every one else, even on a legality basis.

tougher yet for Microsoft

Neil McAllister' description of Mozilla's HTML5 mobileOS "developer" issue as "half baked" is non-sensical in that Sony, HTC and several other Asian and European handset manufacturers feel the release is timely and stable enough for them to start serious application development, even without networking fully implemented.

Unfortunately all the Microsoft fan base technology writers are quite disturbed that their favourite gods in Redmond are not getting the traction, good publicity or respect that was though as forthcoming to make any credible dent in the Android/iOS market dominance, and now must deal with these "side" intruders of Blackberry, Mozilla and Ubuntu Mobile efforts.

What is a once dominant, draconian bully with all it's media warriors to do?

I would not be surprised if many of these Microsofties start throwing themselves out of their Windows 8 mobile public relation offices buildings.

Dells Windows desperation

Dell may claim great quality in their hardware, but delude themselves by expecting savvy technology decision makers to opt for their Win8 tablets over better quality Android and Apple iPad devices with far superior, and particularly more secure software base.

Even Dell's push of clients toward Microsoft Azure Cloud services to host these Win8 devices will be met with great skepticism. One, because MS cloud has faltered badly on at least three occasions, the last being a few days ago, and two, Azure has not shown competitive functionality, reliability and (again) security when compared to the overwhelmingly popular and growing Linux based OpenStack Cloud Services usage, to which even Dell was committed before seeking servitude to Redmond in their private sale venture.

expected commenter excuses and distraction

The commenter "nuno Transcoso" makes valid if redundant and boring obvious points that no software is totally immune from attack - as if anyone claims so, and that in many cases computer vulnerbilities can result from "human" error.

If Microsoft swiss chess software were removed or replaced completely by UNIX/Linux based software, for example, tha would still result in an approximately 10,000 percent drop in security vulnerabilities as well as significantly increase reliability of computer use overall. Much more happy and less frustrated technology users.

It is unlikely that Nuno Transcoso" has any expertise or knowledge beyond all those agencies and Richard Clark noted in my comment, and probably much less than most professional technologists not limited to Microsoft only technologies.

Part of the problem here in USA is delusion of the masses as well as many business leaders, politicians and others in thinking that because the USA is the "greatest nation on earth", therefore everything from here, especially from Redmond, Washington is beyond reproach and danger.

Ignorance and stupidity in any nation constitute national security threats.

USA & Cyber Attacks

While President Obama may be the most "tech savvy" president to-date, he is unfortunately getting a lot of incomplete and bad advice from all the "corporate heads" in his administration about the risks of Cyber Attacks against the USA.

As long as many, if no most of the corporations, academia, State and Federal Government agencies and many organizations here in America continue to rely on and prefer software technologies that have proven time and again to be poor in reliability and security, then all the diplomacy, get tough" bravado and piece meal/bandaid tactics will not secure the USA infrastructure any more than now.

Not long ago, Richard Clark - Federal Cyber Czar under both Bush and Obama administrations, who coordinated and oversaw such national security operations between the Department of Homeland Security, Dept. of Defense, Fortune 100 Corporations, Technology giants and the National Security Agency - concluded in federal reports that one of the critical technology threats to the USA in the twenty first century was Microsoft software and the proliferation it enjoys in use throughout the country.

The conclusions reached in this comprehensive report, are borne out weekly and monthly by the details of the vast majority of successful Cyber attacks, and the dilemma faced every day in all aspects of life by the disaster of quality and security in Microsoft's very popular software ecosystem.

Microsoft maybe one of the most successful and richest corporations in USA, but these achievement have little if anything to do with any technological creativity and competence, or any "real" innovation from them. That history won't pass muster in this new age that requires incredible technology chops and fore thought.

Unless and until Americans come to grips with this reality and address the problem face on, all the other measures as put forth by the President and Congress are just fly swatting.

The USA is paying the price of subservience and acquiescence to Redmond, Washington.

unknown details on Microsoft Nokia deal

Because Andrew Orlowski has no intimate knowledge of the terms and conditions of the Microsoft-Nokia deal, he should not speculate as to whether Microsoft or Nokia received the benefits "supposedly" promised or calculated, since the usual business practices may not apply.

Several long time experts in the field of business cooperatives of this nature speculated some time ago that it would make no difference to Stephen Elop if Nokia got shafted in the deal and remained unprofitable, as he was very well $$compensated by Microsoft directly to ensure that the Nokia Windows 8 smartphones got produced, irrespective of any worthwhile Nokia sales gains.

Under those circumstances Stephen Elop comes out smelling like roses financially, no matter Nokia's future. He can always quit and move elsewhere to another company that Microsoft wishes to exploit through his servitude to Redmond.

waves of Blue to Red

The planned move by Microsoft - called Blue - to subscription base model for it's Operating System (OS) software and applications income, similar in concept (I guess) to Office 365 offering has the potential of also producing much more Red (from $losses) since the whole concept of Software-as-a-Service or Cloud Computing also puts Microsoft at a disadvantage of "reduced reliance and dependence" on the Microsoft brands and products by all computer users, particularly thousands of enterprises .

Already this is happening where many entities - corporations, governments and academia can be just as or more productive with no or much reduced Microsoft Windows and Office purchases and maintenance fees. That also means much less revenue to tune of hundreds of millions or billions of $dollars.

Just today, I learned that Microsoft Bing has fallen behind the Russian Yandex Search services to fourth place, that further exacerbates their online ad revenue stream. How sad is that. Redmond's dominance and automatic cash cows of yore are disappearing quickly, and except for the $multi-billions invested in the company by large pension funds and "paid for" politicians in Washington (via 90+ lobbyists), they may have gone south before now.

Microsoft $$ infusion in Dell

Several large banks have stated that there was "no neccessity" for Microsoft's $2 billion "loan" to the provate equity buyout of Dell, so one can "assume" the the Microsoft acts was just a friendly gesture, as if that company has ever do such a deal out of altruism.

Balony. Microsft intent to steer Dell to Microsoft base "only" in every sector of the technology marketplace. Whether it will ultimately be successful is anybody's guess.

technical knowledge and clarity

Note to Microsoft know-nothings

The New York Stck Exchange and "all" the other major stock exchanges in USA and Internationally run on Linux.

Quote:

"The conversion to Linux followed the acquisition of the Euronext exchange in 2007, and the open source operating system is now powering the NYSE's mission-critical trading systems."

See here:

"http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/02/01/windows_server_2012_reader_reaction/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/238068/how_linux_mastered_wall_street.html

http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/new-york-stock-exchange-moves-to-linux.html

http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/news/1254860/NYSE-undertakes-IBM-mainframe-migration-to-Unix-and-Linux

This information is for the moro that thinks the word SQL stands for Microsoft SQLServer, thus N Stock exchane runs on Windows (sic)

It stands for "Structured Query Language" that was developed by IBM and is a sandard in all SQL databases, not just Microsoft's "rip off" from Sybase.

This article ponders "Who's going to lose" in the Microsoft-Dell deal.

While Dell will certainly have an advantage for Windows 8 Slates and smartphones if it goes in that direction, it is not certain that sales of the Slate will grow to any discernible degree to compete satisfactorily - at least for Microsoft - with Apple iPAD or the sales of Android based tablets that come in a myriad of sizes, form factors, and has been recently (and officially) reported to be Chinese government preference.

It is also questionable whether the "obligatory" Microsoft Windows 8 based Dell tablets, notebooks (and smartphones?) will be a bonanza for Dell in the Asian Market, where it's pricing structures, similar to that of the iPads as a necessity, are significantly higher and much less competitive with Android tablets and even Android phones if Windows 8 Phones are offered. Don't forget the exploding ChromeBook sales as a factor.

Like China, several other Asian nations - think several billion people, er sales - are stanardizing on Android, that now leaves Dell completely out in the cold.

Other Potential losers from the deal are Nokia, if Dell makes Windos 8 phones, and Dell itself for servers, since there is much greater demand and uptake in Fortune 500,and Web/Internet Windows entities for Linux/UNIX based systems, where dell once thrived. They will be completely cut off from the many lucrative Dell-Oracle Linux large scale contracts.

linux choice list

I owe an apology to readers of The Register in my last comments on article about “Windows Server 2012 kicks ass”, which came across as incoherent and convoluted.

This was a result of my extreme frustration with several obviously Microsoft partisan commenters, responded to my comment with totally illogical , devious and flat out technically false statements that would turn any calm person blue.

In my initial comment, I indicated that the entities listed below had selected Enterprise Linux over “any” iteration of Microsoft Windows - from 2003 through 2008/2008R2 to 2012 for very high priority major projects and/or for their general Operation System (OS) infrastructure as well.

Not one of the dissenters challenged these entities as their reasons for choice of Linux or *BSD/UNIX over Windows OS, or could they, only rushing to attack me personally as a “UNIX Zealot”. Shooting the messenger without addressing the message seems to be a serious affliction in the American society.

.

Criteria most always cited included by those in list - Reliability, Flexibility, Performance, Scalability, Security and to to a much less degree better Return on Investment (ROI)/Total cost of Ownership, or some combination thereof.

IBM - Watson Super computer – winner of the Jeopardy Game Ultimate Challenge

Z-series Mainframe Computers

PowerLinux and Power 7 Servers

Cisco - “Unified Computing” Servers, plus all medium and some higher range Routers

NASA - Mars Curiosity Mars Mission, costing over $400 million, as well previous Mars and Last Mon rover Missions.

Stock Exchanges - NASDAQ, NY Stock Exchange, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, London Stock exchange, Singapore Exchange, National Stock Exchange of India, Deutsche Borse, Tokyo Stock Exchange and others. The London Stock Exchange made unflattering statements after several very high profile failures of Microsoft technologies (and OS) in 2010.

Top500 - The top 500 most powerful Supercomputers in existence, of which approximately 94% run Linux or UNIX/BSD.

Cern - World renown Swiss Particle Physics Laboratory that recently discovered the “Higgs Boson” or “God Particle”.

Amazon - All of Amazon On-line Services infrastructure and EC2 Cloud Services. Windows customer cloud services are run in Virtualization.

Facebook - The entire foundation of Facebook technology is Linux OS based.

Netflix - FreeBSD based appliances stream millions of movies to customers per week.

Google - The entire infrastructure of Google is Linux OS based.

Oracle - Runs Solaris and their own “Unbreakable Linux” for the entire company.

Yahoo - Yahoo has for many years run it's network on FreeBSD and Linux OS.

Twitter - The complete back end operation of Twitter is Linux OS based.

Linked-In - Similar arrangement as Twitter above.

US Dept. of Energy

National Research Laboratories - Oakridge National Labs, Lawrence Livermore and others.

Airlines - Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, others.

Boeing - Linux and UNIX for advanced Aircraft design and development.

Animation studious - Pixar, Disney Studios, Industrial Light & Magic, DreamWorks and others.

Most all of the Animation movies since Toy Story were created with Linux design and rendering.

US Dept. of Defense & DARPA - weapons design and testing, Naval vessels, Artillary. Satellite and Space equipment and technology, Cyber Security.

A portion of the many dozens, even hundreds of companies relying on Linux OS for major projects and in many cases all of their infrastructure: http://www.linuxfoundation.org/about/members

There are probably two hundred plus more bug guys and many hundreds of small entities that could be mentioned.

They all can't be wrong

Many experts in the field of analysis for technology companies controlling their hardware and software stack, like Apple or Oracle (for their server line), caution that independant OEM companies like Lenovo and HP will "probably" be at a distinct disadvantage in dealing with a Dell focuses Microsoft, and therfore move more quickly to a more secue position of flexibility by supporting Google ChromeOS and possibly Ubuntu Linux on desktops, smartphones and servers as a hedge.

Good luck to all of Microsoft's OEM hardware partners looking to Redmond to be ethical, fair and honest in their arrangements and dealings with the behemoth, since trustworthiness and integrity has never been a hallmark of Mictosoft's practices for far too long, according to seasoned and wise technology observers

Beware the old and true saying: "Those who lie down with snakes are almost guaranteed to be poisoned"

Madness with Windows supporters

Have you Microsoft folfs gone mad? Why is that not one of the commenters: ShelLuser, Anonymous Coward Tom Maddox and misterbombastic.

I gave a list of (repeat for last time) "all" the Stock Exchanges in USA and Internationally, Cern Particle Physics Laboratory in Switzerland the God Particle folk, IBM with Watson Computer - won Jeopardy game Winner, Top500 Super computers, Cisco Unified Computing, Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter. They all have reported and documented superiority of RedHat Enterprise Linux, Suse Enterprise Linux and FreeBSD in categories of reliability, flexibility, performance, scalability, security (very critical area) and lower Total Cost of Ownership than any, repeat any iteration of Windows, including Windows Server 2003, 2008/2008R2 and very recently for Financial Services firms evaluations of 2012.

In all those areas, not just HPC in regard Top500, all. Look up London Stock Exchange statements about "getting a divorce from Microsoft Windows" and why. Look up Netflix's decision to use FreeBSD apliances over any consideration of Windows for streaming millions of movies each week. Look up IBM decision to not consider Windows under any corcumstances for the Watson Super Computer Project Jeopardy Game challenge, Look up NASA's decision to use Linux over Windows for Mars Curiosity Mission, Look up why Cern never considered Windows over Linux for ther Particle Physics "God Particle" project. Look up if you can, reasons the US Department of Energy laboratories - Lawrence Livermore, Brookhaven Labs, Fermi Labs and others have only considered Linux and *BSD against Windows for major research even up to today. Look up why Cisco chose Linux over Windows for standard OS of their "Unified Computing" servers.

I could provide many more references from all over the USA and all over the world on selection of UNIX/Linux over Windows for all types of technical reasons, but if you cannot absorb

and accept the truth and reality, what's the point.

You guys are living in la la land.

expect FUDD from Microsoft dupes

The response to my comment from Anonymous Coward, saying "Linux is cheap. That's why." does not address, nor could that person or any other Microsofty address the Unix/Linux adoptions reasons over Microsoft indicated in my comment.

For example - Anonymous Coward, how do you address "facts" of Cern, and NASDAQ, NY Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, Cern, Top 500 testing results that "officially" have reported Windows Server less reliably, less scalable, Les Secure and less powerful than their ultimate preference of Linux or *BSD (UNIX)?

Another tidbit of technical information for Anonymous Coward:

Microsoft wished at one pointto "license" the ZFS file system from Oracle for their new "resilient" ResFS Windows 2012 . Why? Because ZFS (and Linux "BtrFS" file system) have functionality not available in Windows software - like very robust large Data Files "storage pools", drive hot swapping and backup, very sophisticated Cyclic Redundancy Data File Checking and other advanced modern features that are either completely absent in new Windows ResFile system and/or are severely limited or not robust as compared to Oracle ZFS. In the end, they could not license and therefore use these technologies since ZFS license Open Source which restricts or prohibits use by software license and policies of companies like Microsoft.

This, and other facts quoted in my comment have absolutely nothing what-so-ever to do with "cheap" or low cost or free, but everything to do with world class functionality, great performance (a la Top500), exceptional stability (a la Cern Particle Pysics laboratories) of UNIX/Linux.

Cloud services like Amazon EC2, Eucalyptus and OpenStack Cloud (collectively comprising about 90 plus percent of major Public and hybrid Cloud Services) have been "tested" to provide greater reliability, security and scalability than Windows 2012 based V-sphere Cloud serviices.

Please provide a sane, "factual" (very important) and technically accurate response if posting.

Those that cannot face or accept reality are doomed to live in confusion and ignorance.

greatness?? of Windows Server 2012

Windows Server 2012 maybe great in comparison to older Windows OS, but still remains significantly behind newer Linux and FreeBSD Server iterations that retain more advanced and unique functions against the new Windows, and is a fraction of the costs to deploy, maintain and upgrade.

For example, latest Windows Server failed in all three critical tests for minimum reliability, flexibility, scalability and security for US and foreign Stock Exchanges "expansions and consolidations". The OS also failed evaluations at Cern, the famed Swiss research institute that very recently discovered the "God Particle". These entities chose RedHat Enterprise Linux.

Much more recently, in 2013 Netflix deployed FreeBSD Server OS based appliances to all the major Internet Service Providers to serve their tens of millions of movie downloads per week. Windows Server 2012 "literally died" under testd loads, and was considerably more flaky in regard reliability during the tests, not to mention security or scalability comparisons.

Why does 94% of the Top 500 most powerful super computers in the world (meaning 220 plus countries) - see www.top500.org info - run Linux and/or UNIX? One supercomputer on the list out of Japan was submitted for list inclusion with Linux test results, even thought the University/corporate project was financed and sponsored by Microsoft? The super computer also ran highly configured Windows - with Microsoft expertise involved - and could not achieve near equal results as Linux configuration.

Cisco chose Linux as Operating System foundation for their "Unified Computing" server families. So does Google, Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter, IBM, Fujitsu and almost everybody else who wants only the best.

We use the "exact same" features/functionality super powerful Linux and FreeBSD capability in our very small organization, at absolutely minimal costs and easy to use/administer.

So much for "greatness" of Windows Server 2012 - compared to Linux or FreeBSD super power!

Microsoft & Linux - some facts

The commenter "dogged" probably deserved the "Fail" label with statement about Microsoft being contributor to Linux "as if an altruistic gesture". In regard the Linux kernel, and with RedHat KVM virtualization, Microsoft contributed "only" the code that will allow Linux applications and VMs to run in a Microsoft V-sphere Cloud with their virtualization. They have never, repeat never contributed anything to any Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) project that was not to the advantage of Microsoft only, and "to hell" with the other users of FOSS.

Even in their contributions to Blender graphics/animation software and the Apache HTTP projects, Microsoft's "contributions were for these applications working better on Windows only, and not at all for the "general" improvements of the software that benefit all user, especially for UNIX/Linux users.

How draconian and utterly selfish is this of Microsoft , since the company is benefiting from the very hard work of possibly hundreds of developers offering their efforts "without" costs to the projects over many years.

A final example, Microsoft had been, and probably still is using the FreeBSD ip4 and ip6 TCP/IP and OpenBSD Open SSH protocol stacks, without which they would not have any "functioning" network stack at all. Have they contributed "anything" back to FreeBSD or OpenBSD - No!, Nada!. Zilch! Parasites!

The ignorant and stupid people who support Microsoft under any and all circumstances, no matter how illegal, unethical or draconian their actions need their heads examined.

explanation for commenter "dgharmon"

To: dgharmon

Very easy to answer your question. Windows developers have traditionally be lost without 10 years of age cild's understanding of a point 'n click GUI application prompting in their development processes.

Even efforts by Microsoft to introduce "superterminal " which according to Microsoft "expert" associates is a terminal whereby one can execute pre-configured batch file processes instead of using a brain-dead GUI, which was unsuccessful.

How in the world then will these Windows developers content with Git?

Microsoft using Git!

I do hope Microsoft will abide by the Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) license of Git and not abuse the terms and conditions of use as they so often have done in the past, like with Java.

The Free Software Foundation [FSF] needs to closely monitor every aspect of Git's use and development entension by the Redmond giant to help prevent (almost) inevitable illegal and un-approved use of the DVCS.

The company has never proven to be trust worthy.

Power systems weak sales

IBM are reverting to their 1990s mentality by thinking that just offering the very powerful and capable PowerSystems, they and their VARS would inevitably get good sales. However, without offering and providing a broad choice of compelling "third party" business software solutions that are compatible with this hardware, the plan was doomed to poor results.

In New Jersey, one of the larger solutions providers who are IBM PowerSystem partners, sell and promote considerably more "less costly" business solutions that are Microsoft based - as a platinum Microsoft partner, and therefore more Windows based X86 IBM or other brands hardware for these Microsoft only solutions.

IBM should be pushing viable non-IBM "cost effective" business software solutions that run on the PowerSystems via AIX or Linux. Many of these partners for PowerSystems are being financially rewarded for advocating Windows solutions "first", before considering IBM PowerSystems software solutions as a secondary option or not at all.

Some of my 'potential" PowerSystems clients have experinced this disconnect.

Who are these people that Simon Sharwood refers to as those "widely considered" in opinion re: his statement "..... the Hyper-V and attendant virtualisation management products available with Windows Server 2012 widely considered to rival VMware’s offerings."? Pure Bunk on his part.

Very recently a collegue has stated emphatically that technology officials from several large corporations, including Oracle, Cisco, several financial service firms and even companies like Amazon consider VMWare to be significantly superior - in features, functionality, performance and most especially reliability to Microsoft Hyper-V products.

Mr. Sharwood would therefore need to clarify and support his vague claim, less he be discovered and branded by credible and knowledgeable technology public as a Microsoft propagandist or worse their dupe.

This technical article has a great of "but.." regarding compromises for missing features and functionality normally found in the other more popular, more robust and more secure Cloud software technologies, meaning non-Microsoft based.

Which begs the question. Why would any competent, knowledgeable and astute technology professional recommend and or use Microsoft Cloud technology over OpenStack for example, thus sacrificing reliability, scalability, security and costs savings - just to say it's from Microsoft? Remember, Microsoft is an "also ran" and far less competitive or of good value in this segment of technology than any other entity.

To-date, January 14-2013, every major Microsoft Internet/Networking technology including Exchange, SharePoint, Active Directory and support services of SQL Server, and Windows Server 2012 can be quite literally replaced with alternatives, mostly Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) that has proven superior in every respect. Even for runnnig Microsoft Office with Outlook. Strange !

Apple FRAND Licensing

It is my clear understanding that the US FTC ruled - from their three year investigation - that Google was bound to license their technology under the FRAND process which involves "fair and reasonable" rates.

How then would the FTC turn a blind eye to Apple "demanding" that they will only pay Motorola (now Google) "$1.00" - one dollar - for licensing patents. This is a ridiculous and insulting gesture from Apple, and literally sticks their finger in the eye and anus of Google, The FTC, the Judge in this case or anyone else they see as obstructionist to their world domination.

Has the USA gone mad to allow these guys any stupid, infantile behavior?

Confusing aspects of quotations in story

In this article, if Neil McAllister is the one saying ..." Hopefully, Google will wake up to a New Year with a resolution to change its ways and start to conform with the antitrust laws.", then he is pre-judging Google in that Microsoft' claims are true, which is stupid position to take at this stage, unless he also is a Microsoft stooge, like Ed Bott of ZDNet.

If computer users purchase or "like" Microsoft Windows 8 devices because of endorsement from supermodel/actress Heidi klum, the public is more brain dead and stupid than one could imagine.