They are taking it quite seriously....

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...how/443465.cms

They have some support too, and that too when linux use is rising in India...

Thanks for the link man. Linux users in India has grown rapidly in the past couple of years. I can tell you this by the number of people attending the local LUG meets.

But this is pretty strange behaviour of M$.

Glad to hear that, but still it will create a lot of FUD for local companies in India...

To tell the truth, small companies in India are not into Linux at all. All the people were planning to try Linux because M$ has started targeting them into buying licensed copies(small businesses run pirated copes). Don't know if this would have any effect on them.

M$ is so tired of these users in India that they have even started targeting schools and such businesses. But, I guess I am taking this thread off-topic.

It'll be interesting to see what the Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) new Desktop Linux Working Group formulates in 2004 ........ some of the OSDL's members include:

Alcatel, Cisco, Computer Associates, Dell, Ericsson, Force Computers, Fujitsu, HP, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, Linuxcare, Miracle Linux Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric, MontaVista Software, NEC Corporation, Network Appliance, Nokia, Novell, NTT COMWARE, NTT DATA INTELLILINK, Oregon State University, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems, SUSE LINUX, TimeSys, Toshiba Solutions, Transmeta Corporation, Trolltech, Turbolinux, Ulticom, Unilever , VA Software and Wind River Systems

http://www.osdl.org/newsroom/press_r...erton_dci.html

........ be interesting to see whether Msft can counter their proposals effectively.

Good to see some concrete work being done for linux. But I think Dell is only interested in profits, and will back pedal if it thinks Micro$oft offers better options.

And you think the other companies are not into making a buck or two?
Nah...
Can't be , eh?

Now serious : Ofcourse they want to see money coming from their efforts ; That's what companies are about.
With M$ they KNOW the profit-marge will be slim , whereas with OpenSource the possibillities are yet to be fully explored and have all the looks of beating the aforementioned.
Plus : Happy Customers account for longterm income.
Try to get that with M$-product.
(Why is the move from M$ to O.S. speeding up so much "lately"?)

I was not mentioning about that...

Of course, I know that companies operate on profits, in dell it is only profits and nothing else. Why, they will be the first to run away if even a small loss is seen in the horizon. But take the case of IBM,HP,Sun etc., Though they are also in it for profits, they have contributed quite a lot to OpenSource and will stand by it even in bad times! That is what I like about them.

That should be corrected to this is pretty typical behaviour of M$.

Yep..... regards the Enterprise Desktop, its only just starting........ it'll be interesting to see what standards/proposals are formulated over the coming year re. Desktop Environments/models with the new OSDL Desktop Linux Working group - nice to see Trolltech have recently joined.........

More power to them!!

Yes but i meant that M$ has still not learnt that their stupid ad campaigns have no effect on the linux market. But, YES, it is pretty typical behaviour of M$.

M$ shall soon be over the ad that should have been.