1.) Barrons: ORCL: Credit Suisse Sees Q3 License Revs Missing Ests
2.) Computerworld: Microsoft slashes software leasing prices in bid to keep cash-strapped corporate customers
Oddly, neither article discusses whether or not open source software plays a role in these stories, but I have no doubt that it does. A big role. Customers realize they have a better alternative. Supported, standards-based open source software is enterprise ready, lower cost, more secure and much easier to procure.
Here is a list of a few proprietary software products, and their open source alternatives. Click on the name of the open source product to visit their site and download for free.
Type Proprietary Open Source
1.) Productivity Suite: Microsoft Office / OpenOffice
2.) Operating System: Windows / OpenSolaris
3.) Database: Oracle / MySQL (community)
4.) Virtualization: Parallels / VirtualBox
5.) Application Server: WebLogic / GlassFish
Free speech lost one of its biggest champions today with the death of Tim Russert. He spent much of his career standing up for you and me, and taught all of us that not only is it OK, but that, in a democracy, it is required for all of us to hold our leaders responsible for their decisions and actions - and that accountability, ethics and the truth will always win (and the lack of those traits will expose the pretenders).
Sunday mornings will never be the same. So long, Tim, and thanks.
Gateway, a company once poised to take on Dell and HP as a major, innovative supplier of PCs and laptops for home and office, is soon to be no more. Ten years ago they were on a roll, landing customers as the hip alternative to plain-old Dell, expensive IBM, and sub-par HP. (Well, in the PC market, anyway. The first iMacs were just about to be introduced to the world)
After hanging on for the last few years, it was announced today that Taiwan's Acer Computer, a virtual no-name in the PC market 10 years ago, is acquiring Gateway. And for only $710 million.
This is billed as a shot across the bow of Lenovo, the Chinese company that bought IBM's PC unit in 2004. It will certainly up the ante in the computer marketshare wars, but more importantly it is another sign of the emergence of formerly smaller economies and markets becoming competitive on a global scale, and outstripping American rivals with better management, marketing and prices in the PC market.
Acer is able to acquire Gateway because the company stayed focused and patient, and delivered quality products for many years. At the same time, Gateway tripped on almost every step, trying to move into markets where it had no experience or brand recognition - especially TVs, where it copied Dell (who had its own problems trying to break additional markets, and has since pulled out of many as it tries to right its own ship in light of intense competition from outside the US). I am sure Gateway tried hard to recapture its former glory, and honestly I had not thought of the company in a couple of years, but to me this news is another nail in the coffin that will hold the US PC industry.
And another reason to consider buying a Mac. ;-)
After posting my blog this weekend (Why is no one in PR talking about this?), the San Francisco bureau of PRWeek (the industry trade rag for the PR set) sent an email saying they read my blog, were going to write a story about the issue, and wanted to talk with me about it. Not wanting to bring my current employer or any of our vendors into this issue, I passed on the opportunity. I guess I will have to wait for another opportunity at industry recognition. ;-)
It's great to see the industry talking about this, and kudos to Aarti Shah at PRWeek for his concise article (SIIA lawsuit places a PR practice on alert, PRWeek, Aug. 23, 2007), and for asking SIIA questions they still don't seem prepared to answer. Keep pushing, guys. This definitely needs to be resolved, and we are the only ones who can or will work with SIIA to resolve it. I hope this article pushes others to voice their opinions on the issue and demand SIIA clearly define their program and who they mean for it to affect.
Yahoo Mail is down....AGAIN.