Tech News - CNET.com Rockin' on without Microsoft

Great story on Ernie Ball (they make guitar strings), in 2000 they got jacked by M$ and the ever-evil BSA to the tune of $100,000 for having nine computers on the network that didn't have properly licensed software. Facing a $500,000 legal bill just to start the fight, Ernie Ball settled rather than litigated even though the CEO, Sterling Ball, believes to this day his company was compliant.

During the settlement negotiations, Ball made a courageous decision. He said "Fuck Microsoft"... well not literally (though on reading the story you get the feeling he did actually say that at some point), what he did say was "I don't care if we have to buy 10,000 abacuses, We won't do business with someone who treats us poorly." And then he dumped all M$ software. All of it. He's been running RedHat for three years now.

This is a great article that really cuts through all the FUD M$ puts out about Linux. Linux according to Ball has lower TCO, requires less support, increases productivity, and uses less expensive hardware. No shit.

He's also dumping Unixware because of SCO's assinine litigation against IBM over Linux:)

In close:

Sterling Ball == Hero