[Discussioni] [NEWS] How Microsoft Can Embrace Linux

[Andrea Glorioso]

Ciao a tutti.

http://businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2004/tc20040726_9378_tc120.htm

   When Microsoft (MSFT  )  announced earnings  for its  fiscal fourth
   quarter on July 22, the after-hours markets  sent its stock down by
   5% (see BW Online,  7/23/04, "Microsoft: Hot Results, Cool  Outlook
   "). Investors clearly had already finished celebrating the Colossus
   of Redmond's bold announcement two days earlier that it would issue
   a   $3-per-share  one-time dividend, part  of   a total $75 billion
   stock-buyback and dividend plan over the coming four years.

   Why is the stock being  punished? Because the market sees something
   different from the upbeat picture  CEO Steve Ballmer painted on the
   day of the  dividend   announcement. It recognizes   that Microsoft
   faces increasing  competition in both  PC operating  systems and in
   desktop applications, the software giant's key product areas.

   [...]

   Here's  a solution, a tad  radical, perhaps, but one that Microsoft
   really ought to consider: How about selling a proprietary, low-cost
   version  of  Office   designed  for  computers running  the   Linux
   operating system? As open-source software, Linux  is free to anyone
   who   wants  to can   download its  source code and   run it. While
   prepackaged  versions sold by Red  Hat (RHAT )  and others that are
   easy  to use  and offer  support  cost extra, in  the  realm of  PC
   operating systems and  desktop  applications,  Linux-based products
   cost much less than their Windows counterparts.

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Ciao,

--
Andrea Glorioso             sama a miu-ft.org         +39 333 820 5723
        .:: Media Innovation Unit - Firenze Tecnologia ::.
	      Conquering the world for fun and profit