496RA Is The “Microsoft-Free World” Realistic, or Desirable?
Author: Bruce Guptill
One of the hot topics at recent software and open source technology events has been the idea of a “Microsoft-free world,” one in which open source software more or less displaces Microsoft’s computer presence.
The idea became somewhat of an open-source software industry mantra earlier in August when IBM, RedHat, Novell, and Canonical (distributors of Ubuntu desktop Linux) all announced alliances with one another to develop and market what they promote as a "Microsoft-free" computing experience from the data center to the desktop. The four are pushing the use of Linux as an operating system for ultra-low-cost PCs (ULCPCs), sold with IBM-developed Open Collaboration Client Solutions (OCCS), which will integrate IBM’s Lotus Notes, Symphony and SameTime software with market-specific applications and installation services from VARs and other regional/local channel partners.