Iman I think this one is going to be the

[Jawge]

"neo" of opensource. It's already gaining some ground. I can recall in 07 I did an interview and after I spoke about servers, routers et al. I was casually asked about UBUNTU. I said excuse me?

Turned out the the admin job I got had Ubuntu server there (it handled the database with some sensitive material via some perl scripts). I downloaded it and loaded the server version (gutsy gibbon or 7.0 not sure) but I was impressed. Easiest linux I've ever installed. Did some stuff with it too. Now they have the 9.08 version which is way more advanced (cutting out a lot of command line activities) This Ubuntu linux is what the "regular " users want. I won't be surprised if some day it faces down the giant on the pacific coast (Seatle) . It's growing in the corporate world and that's scary (well to you know who LOL). I think only MS OFFIce stands in it's way and admins. will start to use the apps on the client PC and let UBUNTU store and serve up the file. Printing is a foregone conclusion. Maybe just maybe this could be the soft spot in the armour.
9.08 is cloud ready, speaking of which: Flash disks maybe on thier way out. Try dropbox. you will love it, aah the infoage.

[Za]

another Linux convert...Just a side note I am not sure MS Office will stand
in its way. OpenOffice is very good an powerful alternate to MsOffice,which is also compatible. But other proprietary software will. As for Ubuntu, it's gaining market share. You can now buy laptops/PC from companies like Dell
with it pre-install and it just work right out of the box(which was unheard of years ago). I am not a fan though I prefer Fedora, more cutting edge.

[Islandman]

Heard a lot of good things about Ubuntu too but haven't done anything with it personally. Linux is my primary O/S at work these days but its been a while since I installed a desktop version .

Microsoft is not going to stand still and be slaughtered though. They seem to be in a transition process from thier old model which is not sustainable to a new cloud-based model. So I expect MS Office for example to be around but to be priced much differently, cloud based with probably a free basic version and a sucscription-based version with more features.

[Jawge]

Not really seeing that I once made a living by doing
some Admin on a freebsd server. Now to the UNIX purist (Sun sparc architecture or say vax) anything on Intel 386 arch. is linux. (learned this from a school friend). Hence I was linux man long time ago. LOL

yes open office maybe nice but trying weaning the CEO's admin assistant off excel and powerpoint (this is where Microsoft is entrenched). Most of those cert. schools teach MS office and not open office. In time though.

See I'm a command line guy and back in the days when I would get a call from a dept. I had to to use Vi editor. In ubuntu you can use gedit, and use finder to run all over. vi is the stick shift of editing. Yup Ubuntu may be the one Knew of Fedora but never worked with it.

[Jawge]

Iman if Msoft goes cloud Linux will take the leftovers and that's another 6 yards on the US football field (inching their way to the touch line). Try the
Ubuntu desktop you may never come back . did you check out dropbox? very coooool to me.

[Islandman]

No but I know of it too. So little time.

Msoft have to go cloud in some way, as does anybody else who does desktop software. The trend is clear.

[Jawge]

true dat but the big corps won't leave their spreadsheets on a msoft server in the cloud and that's where opensource may step in. Too many secrets boss, these spreadsheets carry a lot of info.

[Za]

Microsoft is already going cloud. You should check out Microsoft Office live(www.officelive.com). It's in beta right now,but it's impressive. It offers a nice workspace for your documents and collaboration and let you view them from your browser. As the months go on they will add more features.

[Jawge]

about time they have been saying this since 2002. I still don't think you will see a GE or Boeing Excel spreadsheet on Msoft cloud.

[Islandman]

Takes time to adjust but it will happen. Storing them on servers at a secure site is safer than on some accounting clerks local disk or flash drive.

When the web just came around people were afraid to use thier credit card on websites . Eventually they realised that giving your credit card to a restaurant waitress while they go in a back room is much more of a security risk than sending its data across the web encrypted.

Open source will be on the cloud too by the way .

[Za]

Open source will be on the cloud too by the way .

no doubt I have been exploring some open source cloud platforms recently like eyeos (http://eyeos.org/) and google chromeOS.
I still haven't got ChromeOS to work properly yet though.

[Jawge]

True but just like in the western movies; it's moving the strongbox by stage coach to the "secure site" that's always the problem.

[Islandman]

Heh heh I know what you mean.

I don't expect everything to be in the cloud but I think for most companies that do not require military level security it will be the rule rather than the exception.

[Jawge]

Yuh done know; competition fierce these days as the market gets leaner. It's not just military alone finance, Insurance (especially medical) in the future ones employment could hinge on their health and prognosis drawn from database.If you notice these days in hospital s the nurses are moving around with a laptop on thier carts. Watch out

[OJ]

yes bur what corporation do you know have gone cloud. Do you think BAC will put thier spread sheets in the cloud????