[plug] Article on Microsoft's Perception of Linux

[Ryan]

On Thu, 2004-09-09 at 08:57, Marc Wiriadisastra wrote:
> Hey All interesting article of how Microsoft views Linux.
> 
> Not sure whether its just marketing or not.
>
> http://www.linuxworld.com.au/index.php/id;2085474257;fp;16;fpid;0

There was a SuSe advert on that page when I looked at it, how fitting
...

I'm an IT Manager for a small->medium ASX listed mining services
company, so I get phone calls offering everything under the sun on a
daily basis.

Several months ago I received a cold call from Microsoft.  It was a very
knowledgeable chap based in Sydney, who had rebuttals to everything I
raised and had the list of standard assurances to match.  Yes they now
had a more secure focus on software development, the new version of X
was bigger, better and had more lights, there was no reason for me not
to rip out everything and put M$ in.

Anywho, he sent me trials, sent me on a 2003 server course for free
(Which turned out to be useless because they sent me on part II of the
course which was the practical, so I had no idea what was going on as I
missed the theory) and made several subsequent followup calls.  I got
free beer though!  Even the trainers at the course were bagging M$ too.

Then just this week he called again.  Had completely forgotten our
previous conversation where I bagged out the training course and how
they went about it and a few other gripes.  He then started asking about
email.  I started talking about my Debian servers, sendmail, Evolution
etc etc, and he didn't seem phased.  We talked for some more about
common email problems and what M$ had to offer me.  Then I mentioned
Novell as a _possible_ solution and he instantly changed, told me that
he respected my decision and that there wasn't really anything they
could do for me - end of correspondence.

I found it quite funny ;)

Ryan