14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has made its next comprehensive move against Linux. At this point in time, it seems that the Redmond company is lining up every last of its peons, building a consistent offensive that will accompany the official launch of Windows Server 2008. Microsoft's last 32-bit server operating system is currently scheduled to be made available at the end of February 2008, with Windows Vista Service pack 1 to follow it to the market. Despite repeated assurances from the company that the server operating system will be released to manufacturing by the end of 2007, the RTM date was postponed to early 2008, due to quality problems.
On the server market, Microsoft does not have the same dominance as on the client side, with Windows experiencing tough competition from Linux, UNIX and Mainframe solutions. While the adoption of Linux in corporate environments is now indicating signs of slowing down, Microsoft has long had to watch the open source operating system's market share increase top that of Windows by far. Linux is currently in the third position on the server market with a share of 8%, while UNIX accounts for 13% and Windows for 80%.
And with Windows Server 2008 on the horizon, Microsoft has expanded the role of its open source chief. Bill Hilf is no longer just the General Manager of Platform Strategy, but General Manager of Windows Server Marketing and Platform Strategy. Microsoft is in high gear getting ready for the Windows Server 2008 vs. Linux crank up, and an integer part of its strategy is to add responsibilities connected with the marketing of the Windows server platform to Hilf, the Director of the company's Open Source Lab. And it is not a coincidence that Bill Hilf is also the "official" face of the Windows Server Compare website, a Microsoft initiative designed to advertise the Windows server operating system, over Linux, UNIX and Mainframe.
"This expanded role is a natural evolution of the work Bill has led at Microsoft over the past four years - working together with Microsoft technology-development teams and the open source community to build interoperable solutions on top of the Windows Platform, and continuing the discussion around Linux and Windows," a Microsoft representative commented as cited by Network World.