Circumventing Microsoft

By Kevin Tolly, Network World, 03/14/05

 Start a discussion    Print article

 Comments (1)    Print article

Notwithstanding the fact it will be many years before very many corporate users might be able to work in a "Microsoft-free" environment, there appears to be significant effort being put forth to make it a reality. From the geekiest tech pubs, like the Java Developer's Journal to august ones such as The Wall Street Journal, circumventing Microsoft is a hot topic.

I choose "circumvention" deliberately, as many of the strategies intend not so much to eliminate Microsoft from the equation but to limit our dependence on Microsoft and limit the payments users make to same.

Some circumvention techniques are endorsed - and even sold - by Microsoft, whereas others are completely outside of its control.

In the former category, we find both "terminal services" and "virtual PC" technologies. Microsoft sells terminal services licenses directly and indirectly via its agreements with Citrix Systems. Virtual PC (and virtual server) technologies are sold in Microsoft boxes.

With terminal services, clients running on non-Windows operating systems - including Linux, Macintosh, Java and Solaris - can run native Windows applications remotely (and efficiently) using thin-client technology. While it doesn't eliminate Windows (and you have to be online to use it), it provides for client-side flexibility.

Where one needs to have full Windows available locally, virtual PC technology can be had from Microsoft or EMC's VMware division. With this approach, one can load and boot one or more Windows systems running "virtually" on "top" of a base operating system - usually Windows, Linux or Macintosh - that actually controls the hardware.

Again, while one ends up paying Microsoft for both the virtualization software and an operating system license, one gains the flexibility of using a different base operating system, thus circumventing Microsoft's stranglehold on your desktop.

The rise of the browser as the ubiquitous client portal has already loosened Microsoft's grip on the desktop. After all, if I use applications like Salesforce.com (and myriad others) that are built with the browser, I can get my job done from any browser-enabled computer - which is to say any computer.

Featured Whitepapers

True Enterprise-Quality Linux Support: Edison Group White Paper

Grid Computing White Paper: Oracle Grid Solutions for the Next-Generation Data Center

Manage your data more efficiently, economically, and ecologically with zero risk-start saving today.

LinuxCast Listen to the latest Linux news.

About Us | Contact Us | Advertising Info | Terms of Service/Privacy

Copyright, 2006-2007 Network World, Inc. All rights reserved.