[kwlug-disc] free MS software for 3 years

[john at netdirect.ca]

kwlug-disc-bounces at kwlug.org wrote on 09/24/2009 12:09:46 PM:
> From: unsolicited <unsolicited at swiz.ca>
> 
> I suspect that may be the wrong way to look at it.
> 
> Rather, particularly given your own statistics from the presentation 
> (Apache use over IIS) ... let's see if it stops them from continuing 
> to lose market share.

It's not IIS they are trying to sell. It's their platform of technologies. 
The SharePoint/Exchange/Unified Communications/etc/
 
> Or, reduces the rate of loss at all.
> 
> Even more so ... in 3 years ... how many people paid the first $100 
> and the next year's $1000?
> 
> And, in that 3 years, did more acquire Apache than the MS software, 
> and how many switched from the free MS to Apache.
> 
> See you in 2012.
> 
> 
> The problem with all of this (MS giving out free software) - you'd 
> think that MS hired some seriously market/ing savvy people before 
> putting out the program. And would probably have a reasonable shot at 
> gaining / retaining market share and/or protecting their server 
> revenue amounts. Or they wouldn't be doing it.
> 
> Unlike, say, Vista which would appear to be, at the least, a marketing 
> failure, despite all the user-friendliness gurus.
> 
> Could MS be getting more effective marketing wise?

Microsoft is where they are because of good marketing. They sold to the 
developer first and were probably the first "dot com" model (where market 
share means more than profit.) Okay, so Vista tanked, badly, They have 
slipped up in the past but the always come back strong. They are very 
smart with marketing despite the occasional very public blunder.

I think they are reacting to the free software movement. They need to 
provide free software, but they can't. The compromise is that they offer 
it free for a period. 


John Van Ostrand
Net Direct Inc.
 
CTO, co-CEO
564 Weber St. N. Unit 12
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john at netdirect.ca
Ph: 866-883-1172
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Linux Solutions / IBM Hardware
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