Gates charms techies, dismisses Linux threat

BANGALORE: Microsoft Corp chairman Bill Gates coaxed Indian engineers on Wednesday to use his firm's proprietary software, as he dismissed threats to his Windows system from rival Linux in the battle over network computing.

Microsoft officials say India is "strategic" for the giant, a reference to its role in making software based on its tools. While .NET tools help connect network computers, Windows-based software that runs in them faces a challenge from Linux.

Microsoft's Windows has dominated desktop computing for years, but modifiable Linux has been making inroads into the market for servers, the machines that manage computer networks. Analysts say Microsoft could get hit if "open-source" Linux turns popular with cost-efficient Indian developers.

Indian officials say they will grow to 1.3 million from 400,000 now in four years, making them the world's biggest software army. But Gates dismissed fears of Windows being hit by Linux, saying Linux, not owned by any company, could raise costs from maintenance that requires more support workers.

"There has always been free software going back 20 years but the success of the Windows platform has come from the overall richness of the platform," Gates told reporters.

"Software by being comprehensive can save money by avoiding having to buy other add-on pieces of software. You can save money in terms of speed of development (and) less expensive hardware."

Prasanto Kumar Roy, Group Editor of India's "Dataquest" magazine, which is unrelated to the U.S.-based group of the same name, told Reuters only two to three percent of developers in Indian firms now focused on Linux but freelancers would take the share to six to seven percent.

"That could be a significant," he said, adding that tight-budgets in mid-sized firms and the government could hit Windows. "What is true is that all these guys have limited budgets and Linux can stretch the budget. New PCs available today for Rs 10,000 ($207) are running on Linux," Roy said.






© Reuters