[Am-info] MS, open source, The Facts and the fit-ups

[Fred Miller]

""In this [the press] session they brought up the relative cost of ownership 
figures for Newham and claimed that Microsoft solutions offered better value 
for money.

"Richard Steel, head of IT at Newham, the week after both KPMG (who were 
funded by Microsoft to produce a report detailing the benefits of a Microsoft 
only solution) and netproject gave the findings of our studies to Newham 
Council's IT committee. The findings in our report were accepted by the 
committee 'subject to negotiations with Microsoft'.

"Richard Steel then went to Redmond and negotiated directly with Maggie 
Wilderotter, Senior Vice President, World Wide Public Sector and got an 
extremely favourable deal for the purchase of Microsoft software which also 
included a very large amount of free consultancy from Microsoft.

"Microsoft are now claiming that for Newham Microsoft produces 'potentially 
double the productivity associated cost savings of an Open Source solution.' 
If this is the case then they are virtually giving the software to Newham.

"So if anyone wants really low cost MS software - get us in to install a pilot 
Linux desktop project.""

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06/28/ms_mugs_the_facts/

-- 
"Running Windows on a Pentium is like getting a Porsche but only being
able to drive it in reverse with the handbrake on."