The Adventures of AlisterComputeron

IBM announced at LinuxWorld that it wants to offer a complete package of Linux for corporate desktops integrated with Lotus Notes and Lotus Symphony software that would compete with Microsoft’s Windows and Office suite. According to an article at Ars Technica:

IBM hopes that disillusionment with Vista and uncertainty about Microsoft’s long-term roadmap will create an opening for Linux to emerge as a stronger contender in the desktop market. The Linux and Lotus bundle will give consumers a low-cost desktop productivity option that is built around open standards from the ground up.

I would love to see a viable alternative to Windows. For one, the Windows platform is old and stodgy. A Linux desktop would be refreshing, and I’ve heard great things about Lotus Notes. And of course Windows clients have those notorious security and infection problems. Our company, with 200ish users, spends about $15K per year for various layers of virus protection and maintenance contracts for our AV software.

If any company has the resources to chip away at Microsoft’s hold over the corporate desktop, it’s IBM. But at least two major hurdles stand in IBM’s way.

Compatibility and User Resistance
Platforms are much more open today than they have been. The same PDF file can be read on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux machines. Macs and Linux machines can be joined to Windows Active Directory domains and can access Windows files as seamlessly as a Windows client. But there will always be that one application or that one file that a user can’t work without that will keep IT departments challenged. And you know those sales guys are gonna get pissy when the “cool” animation in their slide presentation doesn’t play in PowerPoint.

IT departments will also need to review how to get users trained and up to speed with Lotus Notes and Lotus Symphony. Many users are resistant to change; it’s probably one of the reasons Microsoft is dominant in the enterprise environment. Who’s going to tell the sweet old receptionist that she’s going to have to start using Word Perfect instead of Word. And oh my gosh! You’re going to get pelted with that bowl of hard candy when she finds her desktop icons out of place.

Experienced Linux Support
And speaking of IT departments: The IT world is filled with a lot of Windows administrators, but not as many Linux admins. Organizations can’t simply decide to roll out Linux desktops without first looking at their IT staff’s expertise with Linux. In mixed environments, companies will need personnel experienced with both platforms. To make the transition easier, and as a show that IBM is really serious about being a genuine threat to Microsoft, IBM should offer free Linux training to support personnel and administrators.

CTOs and CIOs are going to have to weigh the pain and cost of migrating platforms to the continued cost of support a Windows environment. Sure, the Windows environments may have security issues, virus issues, stability issues, and so on. But these issues are known, and IT departments are comfortable combating these issues daily. Migrating to Linux may solve some of these, but what are the unknown issues that are sure to arise?

I’m sure the brain trust at IBM has thought about these issues and has a strategy to overcome them and a host of other obstacles. This isn’t something that’s going to happen quickly, of course, so IBM needs to be prepared for a long war with Microsoft. Microsoft, for it’s part, is deeply dug in, with enormous resources of its own. IBM gave away desktop computing to Microsoft a long time ago. Now may be the best and last chance IBM has to win some of that market back.