Advocacy Case Studies and Press Coverage Here you can learn what third parties have to say about the power of the open-source model. Much of this material discusses Linux, but the lessons are not specific to Linux; they apply to open source in general. White Papers Ganesh C. Prasad has written The Practical Manager's Guide to Linux. In Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX, a Microsoft Certified Professional makes an extremely powerful reliability, features, and cost-of-ownership case for Unix over NT, focusing on Linux and other open-source Unixes. The paper concludes with an interesting list of Fortune 500 deployments. You can also read The Halloween Documents, an annotated version of an internal Microsoft white paper on Linux and open source that attempts to define Microsoft's competitive response. In the process it makes some rather astonishing concessions ... Mission Critical Experiences with Linux. John H. Terpstra examines several cases of Linux adoption in mission-critical business systems. For a perspective that is both sharp and entertaining, see The Last Dinosaur and the Tarpits of Doom: How Linux Smashed Windows. More white papers are available from LinuxCare and Bynari. Case Studies and Trials Replacing Windows NT Server with Linux: Quinn Coldiron of the University of Nebraska Press explains what he learned when they replaced a Novell Netware server with NT, why NT was impossible to live with, and how Linux saved the day. Must-read for anyone planning a departmental or enterprise network. In 1995, at United Railway Signal Group, Inc., Novell Netware and Windows NT and Corel SCSI were interacting to produce a system administrator's nightmare. Progressive Computer Concepts replaced all that with a Linux enterprise network that works, and proved that Linux Means Business. Jazznet: a case study of a networked cluster of Linux PCs used as a poor man's supercomputer at NIST. The study highlights the high performance, high stability, and excellent cost-effectiveness of the Linux solution relative to a more traditional configuration. Must-read for anyone managing scientific or engineering computing. This letter to TechWeb described a rather typical history of a Chief Technology officer, badly burned by NT, who found a rescue with Linux. Many, many more examples of Linux in business are collected on the Linux Business Applications page. Yahoo! and FreeBSD: a co-founder of Yahoo! explains why they gave up on closed Internet platforms and made Yahoo! a success with FreeBSD. We welcome references to other case studies and trials. Market Analysis A major market analysis by Datapro find Linux has the highest satisfaction rating among IT managers, and is the only OS other than NT growing in market share. SRI Consulting's "Business Intelligence Program" takes a look at The World After Microsoft – and sees open source. Press Coverage FocusOn Freeware InfoWorld's roundup of its many stories on the Open Source phenomenon. Linux: Not Just For Geeks And College Kids Anymore (Smart Reseller, 11 Feb 1998): General introduction to Linux from a bottom-line perspective. 1997 Best Technical Support Award: InfoWorld explains why open-source users make a better technical-support resource than most vendors. 1997 Best Network Operating System: InfoWorld zeroes in on the power of open source. Freed Software Winning Support, Making Waves (Wired, 30 Jan 1998). Bonk! A New Windows Security Hole (Wired, 9 Jan 1998): Excellent explanation of the superior security of open-source OSs. NT? "No Thanks," say pro-Linux rank-and-file The 35th Design Automation conference in June 1998 reveals a strong groundswell of support for Unix among engineers. Engineers Speak Out: Linux vs. Windows NT, Part 1 More news from the Engineering Design Automation world, revealing that many Linux-loving engineers would rather quit their job than switch. The Value of Free Software (Byte, Dec 1997) Linux Focus: The Borg takes on NASA multi-processing Explains how and why a university in England opted to replace their Cray supercomputer with a Linux-based system of networked PCs. Web Review's roundup of its open-source stories, including not just current developments but the history and personalities behind them. Railroad Boards the Linux Train Explains how Canadian National Railway uses the reliability and remote-administration features of Linux to framatically cut expensive on-site maintainance on a distributed network of 100 servers.

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