by Paul Locander - Manager, NSS
Don’t look now, but there’s a quiet revolution going on in the PC industry, and you won’t have to look too hard to find it.
For some time now, PC manufacturers have been quietly offering computer systems that give you the opportunity to cut the cord with Microsoft, basically enabling you to be ‘Microsoft Free’. However, can you truly be Microsoft Free? Well, the answer is yes - if you’re willing to make a few concessions and have a good idea of what you’re getting into - and no, as Microsoft has indelibly punched its stamp on the computing world as we know it. In one way or another, our lives and businesses have been touched (for better and for worse) by the behemoth residing in Redmond.
Until just recently, Microsoft enjoyed a 90 percent share of the PC marketplace. But by the end of 2008, that percentage of market share had eroded. This has been fueled not only by the self-inflicted black-eye Microsoft received as a result of the problematic Vista operating system, but also with viable, alternate operating systems like Linux and the Mac OS X operating system from our not so quiet friends at Apple.
So the better question to ask is: Can I ‘run’ Microsoft Free? And the answer is a categorical yes. However, much of that depends on the non-Microsoft path you choose, Linux or Mac (Commodore-64s and Apple II’s not withstanding).
The Penguins of Linux
For those choosing the Linux path towards Microsoft freedom, the cost savings are hard to ignore. But, this road can be paved with potholes large enough to consume your sanity. Linux users rely heavily on programs created in the Open Source community, including a very good application known as Open Office. Open Office, in brief, is a Microsoft Office compatible suite of software that provides word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications. And, the best thing about Open Office is that it’s free and easy to use (for the most part).
Beyond Open Office, however, options in the way of available applications for the Linux operating system get scarce. Essential applications such as Quicken and Photo Shop are not available, thus forcing Linux adopters to rely more heavily on hosted applications from the Web (e.g., Quicken Online, etc.). Networking Linux computers can be a complicated endeavor as well, a task that could easily gobble up any IT savings one may be looking for in getting off the Microsoft licensing treadmill.
Hi, I’m a Mac
For those choosing the Mac path of freedom, your world is a lot broader as more and more mainstream applications commonly found in the PC world become available to the Mac platform. The Mac OS X operating system (which, in itself, is a variation on Linux) has been steadily creeping into the business arena as businesses begin to recognize the value the Mac platform offers. For example, Macs are generally immune to problems with viruses and malware (but that doesn’t mean the hackers haven’t been trying). Additionally, OS X as a platform is generally stable and tends not to be as problematic in the context of crashes, freezing and the need for constant updates (although that does happen sometimes…I crashed mine yesterday, twice).
Like all operating systems, however, Macintosh OS X does have its quirks and much like Linux, an adoption arc to a Mac can be challenging to one’s patience and those who have only known Microsoft. Also, like Microsoft, Apple does have its own self-inflicted problems, including an unfriendly pricing structure that, until recently, has been prohibitive for most. But, as with Linux, with a Mac you can truly be Microsoft Free in the sense of applications.
So, there you have it - a brief primer on going Microsoft Free. You can even build a Microsoft Free network as well if you so desired. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. A good solution, regardless of the operating system or the software manufacturer or even the hardware builder, has to meet your needs. Microsoft has an impressive menu of world-class solutions in its portfolio that is hard to beat, so it really shouldn’t matter if your computing answers come from our friends in Cupertino, Redmond or that Wild West expanse known as the Internet.
Listen Up!
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