Forum name change request: "Micro-Who?"

I'm not claiming to be clarevoyant (sp?). But I did predict the fall of the USSR and the "loose confederation of independant states" before it happened.

But I'm gonna go on record as saying that there will be a hell of a lot more of [link|http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/11/27/021127hnerniball.xml?s=IDGNS|Ernie Ball Stories] in the future. And all those people (unfortunately like me) making a living with VB/VBA will have [link|http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/11/27/021127hnsuntools.xml?s=IDGNS|this kind of stuff] to contend with. I'd bring up Linux's success with [link|http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/12/02/021202hnunited.xml|scaling up] but Microsoft never was capable in that arena.

Microsoft is passe. It started its decline right after the DOJ case started. Years ago I wondered at why more small businesses didn't use Linux. I think that now the rest of the world has asked themselves the same question.

This ain't wishful thinking, folks. This is the way its gonna be and I like it.

bcnu,
Mikem

p.s. Why are my sources all InfoWorld? What do you think the PHB decision makers are reading?

[link|http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/02/11/25/021125opsecurity.xml|It's the OS, stupid]
[link|http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/02/11/25/021125opsource.xml|Buggy whips for India]
[link|http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/02/11/25/021125opestrat.xml|So long, Wintel]

InfoWorld's columnists are just tripping all over each other publishing "Microsoft is irrelevant" columns and articles. Sandy Reed's "Windows NT is clearly the future" seems a long time ago now.

eWeek (formerly PCWeek) published a consensus editorial proclaiming that "Microsoft has peaked" well before the DoJ case began.

Billy and Bally are flying all over the world giving away stuff and money to every country that threatens to move to Linux. Example: India - $400 million (now) to fight Linux, supported by the good PR from $100 million (spread over years) to fight AIDS.

Rumor has it that Microsoft sales people can now call home and apply for as much as 50% reductions in costs for License 6 if they feel an SMB (Small Medium Business) customer is seriously about to deploy Linux. I'll believe that rumor when it's confirmed by CRN (formerly Computer Reseller News), but three year no-interest License 6 financing is now the rule for SMBs.

Bill Gates got up before the stockholders a month or so ago, and told them Microsoft couldn't pay a dividend, because in the face of competition and legal issues, that $40 Billion in the bank was looking a bit thin. He was probably right.

The future for Microsoft specialists reminds me of a "Loser Group" (as opposed to a "Luser Group") chaired by a business associate a few years back. It was filled with former mainframe and minicomputer tech staff who just couldn't understand why they couldn't get a high paying job (or any job) in their technical specialty (or any job at all, for that matter). Some were so desparate they were thinking of learning about PCs.

IBM's mainframes and minis are still with us (although all the other brands are gone) but the skills wanted sure are different. "We run MVS on our box for legacy databases, bridged to our new Web enabled CRM apps, and we run 62 instanaces of Linux on the same box for server consolidation and e-commerce. What's your experience with our environment?".

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