Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

A Microsoft backed "study" (isnt is ironic how its called a "study") due out soon will report that Windows and .NET development has a cheaper total cost than J2EE/Linux. Quite the revelation, again, being that the study is FUNDED by Microsoft.

I guess these things actually work on some people, but I never buy anything purported to be logical, analytical and FAIR when its paid for by the same entity its supposedly evaluating.

And for the record I may have a bias toward open source and Linux (say it isnt so), as I am and admitted advocate of such, but that bias comes from EXPERIENCE. That bias is LEARNED, really more of an educated viewpoint than a bias, if I may be so bold (although I admit that the human mind ALWAYS has bias involved to some degree, IMHO). I have worked with Windows AND with Linux in all manner of applications and services and in my FIRST HAND, PROFESSIONAL experience (on many projects both large and small) Linux often, but not always makes more sense. Its the same old matter of the right tool for the job. That said, cost wise, there is no comparison, Linux has always been SIGNIFICANTLY less expensive, even over the long run, even with support factors and so on, than windows. That said again, if the job is Internet related application development and hosting, J2EE/Linux is the right tool. If security and reliabilty matter, and are factored into cost, then Linux wins hands down. There is just no truth to the "Windows cheaper TCO" line that Microsoft is trying to sell, again, IMHO.

For more on this latest, non study-study, see the linked ZDNet article.   Study: Windows cheaper than Linux: ZDNet