LAMP post

[Tom]

LAMP = Linux, Apache, MySQL, Php = 'How the open-source world plans to smack down Microsoft and Oracle.'

The founders are all young men and the older men are running scared. Steve Ballmer of MS recently interrupted his skiing holiday to try and persuade the city of Munich not to go open source. He failed. China likes open source too - and now has as many scientists as the USA.

[David]

I have read a number of articles recently describing the Open Source threat to Microsoft. It is very real - no wonder they are worried. Even the UK government are running trials of open source software in parts of the Civil Service.

This very forum is a good case in point. It is running on a Linux (RedHat) server using Apache; the data is held in a MySQL database and the forum software is written in PHP. This has enabled me to keep costs to a minimum and yet there is no need to compromise on quality.

The March issue of Internet Magazine has a major article on open source software.

[Tom]

How about this: Craig Mundie (a VP of Microsoft) has described the open source movement as 'software socialism'. I bet he converted millions with this remark!

[David]

Those of you looking for more information on Open Source should have a look at OpenSource.org (http://www.opensource.org/). This site gives a good explanation of what it is and how it works.

There is any amount of news out there about how the open source movement is affecting Microsoft. Try this Google search (http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22open+source%22+%2B+microsoft&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta=) for the latest.

Also, see this article (http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,4248,1527013,00.asp) for one argument why Microsoft should release their source code for Windows in the light of the recent "leak" of NT and 2000 code onto the internet.

I wouldn't bet on an open source Windows any time soon but things change and Microsoft will have to do something before the rest of the world catches on to the improving quality of open source software and the enormous potential cost savings. All it will take is for a major software house like Adobe to port its products to Linux and things will happen.

Corel tried this some years ago and lost a shed load of money in the process. They bought Word Perfect Office and along with it's own Draw products, ported them to their own flavour of Linux. It looks as though Corel might just have been 5 years too early. I think the time may now be right for this sort of initiative to work.

[Tom]

Also see http://sourceforge.net/ 'the world's largest Open Source development website' with information about 86,000 programmes in development. MySQL is being downloaded at the rate of 35,000 copies/day. In Seattle you can buy a Linux box for $199 (£105). They used to sell XP for $500 and they now sell it for $120. The writing is on the wall.

[francis]

I'd looked into a load of this stuff over the past few weeks for some reason (probably the forum :) ) , and then didn't post it because I'd get accused of being anti-Microsoft (again).

I'd read up on Germany and China: wasn't Germany mainly an issue of cost - the cost of outfitting all of Germany's schools, hospitals etc with new versions of Windows and Office was prohibitally expensive. China, from memory, was the first country to demand, and get, a look at the Windows source code. After that many countries, including our own, have asked for the same, but have to go on a waiting list and complete endless documentation.

The problem with *NIX systems is, as I understand it, that the OS' are good, cheap and secure, but there just isn't the software for it. If Adobe, Macromedia etc etc produced their products for *NIX systems there'd be a huge upsurge. But otherwise you're left with stuff like GIMP, a graphics package, which isn't a patch on Photoshop, Fireworks et al.

It's going to be a very interesting time - bring it on!

[Tom]

1) So what's wrong with being anti-Microsoft? I am always against big batallions when they abuse their power and kill little folk.
2) Good point re Adobe but did Corel make their suite work under *NIX OS? There really isn't much difference between Draw/Illustrator or Photoshop/Photopaint or Word/WordPerfect - and I have even heard it said that Mozilla is not too bad for email and browsing!
3) Animators are running Maya and Houdini on Linux because its faster and more reliable and cheaper etc
4) So, as with the barons in the late-middle ages, pressure for change is coming from above and from below.
5) IBM opened the floodgate when they moved to support Linux - and no corporation knows better what can happen when a monopoly is broken. They do not like Bill.

[francis]

IBM/Linux lawsuit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO_v._IBM_Linux_lawsuit). This was something of a hot topic a year or so ago.

The thing that amazes me is that *NIX distributions are so cheap and available (insert smutty comment here). Smiths had a Linux mag with a cover mounted CD containing an entire distribution (so it said) of the brand new Fedora OS. Imagine walking into Smiths and seeing a MS mag with "FREE ON THIS CD - THE COMPLETE VERSION OF WINDOWS XP!".

[Tom]

Re our future Content Management seminar on content managment, someone might like to look at Open Source content management software. (http://www.google.com/search?q=content+management+site%3Awww.opensource. org&btnG=Google+Search+opensource.org)

[francis]

EU, Microsoft talks collapse (http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,62711,00.html/wn_ascii). Another blow for Microsoft. Warning - exceptionally annoying Flash banner advert right next to the text you're trying to read.

[francis]

Microsoft and Sun in ten year deal (http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2004-04/sunflash.20040402.3.html). Who, if anyone, is wearing the panic-pants?

[Tom]

Prussia and Austria, bitter enemies for 2 centuries, entered the First World War as allies. Look where that led them - it could be a portent for the MS-Sun pact! If so, we can expect an Anchluss followed by the ruin of both empires.