Linux takes a dose of reality
"Many of the most vocal open-source evangelists have been pinning their hopes on the public sector to gain a foothold against Microsoft.
So the news that government users can now purchase Microsoft licences at an even lower price - thanks to the latest NHS contract invoking a new volume discount level - will be seen as a blow to their hopes.
The commercial argument has long been a weak spot for Linux. There is a lot more to a decision than whether the base software is 'free' or not. Novell and Red Hat can bring some extra contractual nous to bear, but Microsoft is tying up the lucrative deals in the meantime."
