The Hidden Cost of Using Microsoft Software 691
Posted
by
kdawson
from the badware-tax dept.
from the badware-tax dept.
Glyn Moody writes "Detractors of free software like to point out it's not really 'free,' and claim that its Total Cost of Ownership is often comparable with closed-source solutions if you take everything into account. And yet, despite their enthusiasm for including all the costs, they never include a very real extra that users of Microsoft's products frequently have to pay: the cost of cleaning up malware infections. For example, the UK city of Manchester has just paid out nearly $2.5 million to clean up the Conficker worm, most of which was 'a £1.2m [$2million] bill in the IT department, including £600,000 [$1 million] getting "consultancy support" to fix the problems, which including drafting in experts from Microsoft.' To make the comparisons fair, isn't it about time these often massive costs were included in TCO calculations?"
First Thoughts... (Score:5, Funny)
fw;dr (Score:5, Funny)
But seriously, 2 MILLION to clean up some viruses? I need to move to Manchester and become a consultant!
Re:First Thoughts... (Score:5, Funny)
"Oh my god, not this AGAIN!!"
Since when does a bowl of petunias have a Slashdot account? Did the sperm whale get one before or after you?
Oh yeah (Score:3, Funny)
Oh yeah? What about all the time I spend clicking that little update button that keeps popping up on my Ubuntu Desktop? Huh? What about that! That takes away from my .... um, web surfing time! :P
Re:You cannot use viruses/bugs as an example of co (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Only Proprietary? (Score:3, Funny)
Tbere is theory and then there is reality. How likely are you to encounter that Linux malware? Properly admined, not likely. On Windows? The odds are near 100%, no matter how effective your system administration skills are.
Nonsense, I have never once ever had a virus or trojan or anything. That's why I've never had to use an antivirus.
Re:You cannot use viruses/bugs as an example of co (Score:5, Funny)
No, it submits passively.
Re:You cannot use viruses/bugs as an example of co (Score:5, Funny)
Self-fulfilling prophecy (Score:5, Funny)
You've done your part!
Pedantic (Score:5, Funny)
Douglas Adams' bowl of petunias thought "Oh no, not again". "Oh my god" was not part of the petunias' thoughts because it's widely known that petunias are, by and large, atheists.
Re:Sadly, I don't agree. (Score:3, Funny)
Say goodbye to target audience..
Re:You cannot use viruses/bugs as an example of co (Score:3, Funny)
waitasec... #4, www.bing.com, runs on *LINUX*? Man, the kool-aid in Redmond must SUCK.
Microsoft doesn't want bing.com to get attacked by the same malicious entities everything else they run does?
Re:You cannot use viruses/bugs as an example of co (Score:5, Funny)
Careful, your Microsft uniform is showing. Ratchet back the shilling for a couple posts, then try it again more carefully. Also, "Windows anti-exploit code is insane" is not an approved meme. We don't want people thinking Windows drools on itself, now do we?
Re:You cannot use viruses/bugs as an example of co (Score:1, Funny)
Sounds to me like something a shill would say!