Why switch to Linux desktops? More secure and cheaper?

Skynet September 30 news Linux has gained a firm foothold in the server field, and its supporters now want to expand its base field to the desktop field. But why does the customer experience the pain of changing the desktop operating system?

A senior IT officer from a large pharmaceutical company summarized the challenges Linux faced at the IT priorities conference on Tuesday. He raised a simple question: what are the benefits of switching a desktop platform from windows to Linux? He said, what is the motivation for my platform conversion? Our company has 20,000 million users in the UK. Except 12 users use Mac, other users use Windows. I don't like Microsoft software and tend to change the software I use, but I don't find the value of doing so.

In February June this year, tutada, the technical director of the Norwegian city of belgen, WHO deployed a large number of Linux, gave a simpler answer. He said that economic and security benefits will encourage IT managers to seriously consider transferring desktop platforms to Linux. The security costs may increase the cost of purchasing Microsoft licenses by 10%-20%.

Chris, vice president of R & D at Novell, believes that costs will be a great advantage. He said that customers who dare to use Linux will save a lot of cost in the next few years.

Adam, global Linux Strategy Manager of IBM, pointed out that the Linux operating system is safer in part because Microsoft's Windows operating system is more favored by virus writers. He said, but basically, Linux has a safer architecture, which is manifested in the development of open-source application software. Because more people review the source code, the open source code development mode can generate more secure code.

Mcglass, head of Microsoft's platform strategy department, has other opinions. He does not agree with the following statement, that is, the customers who buy windows have received unfair treatment in terms of price and security. He admitted that some users may be more suitable for Linux, but the customer should evaluate according to their own needs. Mcglass also said Microsoft was able to quickly fix windows defects, but admitted that there may be problems with the complexity of the patch software, and Microsoft is working to solve the problem.

Other advantages of Linux discussed at the Conference include improved task-based functions, multi-user environment support, and open standards independent of a vendor. Chris said the customer said they needed task-based functionality to improve employee productivity. Novell has invested a lot of resources in customized Linux to include only the application software that the company expects its employees to use.

Mcglass has different opinions on this. In this regard, Linux has no advantage over Windows. Since Windows 98, the customer has been able to reduce the features in the operating system.

Tota indicates that it is very easy to build a Linux desktop that can be securely used by multiple users, because it is born out of Unix.

IBM and Novell officials stressed the importance of Linux's open source code features. Adam stressed that openness is important for interoperability and independent software vendors. Chris mentioned the risk of companies reading Microsoft software documentation in the future. He said only open source software can ensure that users can access their information permanently. Microsoft was aware of this issue, says mcglass, so it provided support for XML standards in Office 2000. (End)

Full text source: Skynet