The TCO question: Can Linux beat Microsoft? Part 2

Michael S. Mimoso writes “IT shops are warming up to Linux for a good reason: Linux offers companies an alternative to the licensing fees and other drawbacks of proprietary software. However, many IT pros caution against open-source’s “hidden” costs and time-consuming implementations. The ultimate cost of either choice, they say, may depend on the needs and resources of an individual business. In the first part of this Q&A, SearchEnterpriseLinux.com talked to three Linux professionals — Dirk Coetzee, Rodd Clarkson and Mike O’Donnell — about the total cost of ownership (TCO) of Linux and open-source versus proprietary software. Here, they discuss the way Linux is being used in real-world applications.”