[plug] [link] Interesting ex-MicroSerf quotes on Linux

[Leon Brooks]

http://www.computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/storage/story/0,10801,76649,00.html

    When you joined Quantum, you told us that Bob Muglia, who heads
    Microsoft's storage effort, had suggested you get together. Did that
    ever happen?

    [...]

    But most of our products have been Linux-based. When you do an
    appliance today, the obvious answer is to take Linux. It's a very
    good operating system for those kinds of products. 

    So are you more of a believer in Linux now than you were when you were
    at Microsoft?

    I wasn't a believer in Linux at Microsoft -- I couldn't be a believer
    at Microsoft. But Linux is clearly the biggest competitive challenge
    that Microsoft has ever faced. It's unlike anything before -- there's
    not a company behind it. It's very elusive, in a way. I don't think
    Linux is going to be successful as a desktop replacement. But Linux
    is going to surround new appliances and new segments, and really
    affect Microsoft through prevention of Microsoft from moving into new
    segments effectively. 

    Would you consider yourself a Linux advocate now?

    I consider myself an advocate of whatever allows us to achieve our
    goals most effectively. And today, for us, that certainly is Linux
    because it's free; it has a good modular design; you can modify it to
    meet your needs. There is nothing else that can meet our needs like
    that.

`I _couldn't_ be a believer [in Linux] at Microsoft'. Hmm.

Cheers; Leon