Who Will Take Linux To The Prom?
Like a couple of adolescent boys who suddenly discover that ugly duckling, 15 year-old, redheaded Susan Linux, known to her friends as "Suse" or "Red," has turned overnight into a swan, Oracle and Microsoft have suddenly discovered that Linux has sex appeal. Those boys are falling all over themselves trying to be the one to take her to the prom.
Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, made the first cool move about two weeks ago, when he announced support for the gal he prefers to call Red, and his intentions of making her his own. Red, blushing furiously, has been all aflutter ever since. Such attention from such a rich, good-looking boy! As her friends warned her, he has a bad, playboy reputation, and her stock has gone down. No one believes her when she says she will retain her virtue now that Larry is in the picture.
Then last week Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced his intentions towards the young lady, who he a bit more formally, but still familiarly, calls Suse. Steve has been working hard to change his reputation for being an overbearing bully to that of a mature, slightly geeky, good guy who may be a bit clumsy but wants to get along with everyone. He told Suse he just wants to get to know her better and work together on building a proper relationship. The sensible side of Ms. Linux finds that very attractive. And he's rich too! Oh my!
Meanwhile, all of her girlfriends are very upset. They fear that the old Suse they knew seems to be gone forever. Sweet, playful, easygoing Red is growing up, and they don't like it. They don't know what her future will look like, but they know they are losing influence to the big boys. Ms. Linux is becoming a grown up woman and leaving her girlhood behind. What, they ask apprehensively, will the future bring?
Copyright © 2006 Philip Bookman
Technorati: SUSE, Novell, Microsoft, Oracle, Linux, Red Hat, software strategy
Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, made the first cool move about two weeks ago, when he announced support for the gal he prefers to call Red, and his intentions of making her his own. Red, blushing furiously, has been all aflutter ever since. Such attention from such a rich, good-looking boy! As her friends warned her, he has a bad, playboy reputation, and her stock has gone down. No one believes her when she says she will retain her virtue now that Larry is in the picture.
Then last week Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced his intentions towards the young lady, who he a bit more formally, but still familiarly, calls Suse. Steve has been working hard to change his reputation for being an overbearing bully to that of a mature, slightly geeky, good guy who may be a bit clumsy but wants to get along with everyone. He told Suse he just wants to get to know her better and work together on building a proper relationship. The sensible side of Ms. Linux finds that very attractive. And he's rich too! Oh my!
Meanwhile, all of her girlfriends are very upset. They fear that the old Suse they knew seems to be gone forever. Sweet, playful, easygoing Red is growing up, and they don't like it. They don't know what her future will look like, but they know they are losing influence to the big boys. Ms. Linux is becoming a grown up woman and leaving her girlhood behind. What, they ask apprehensively, will the future bring?
Copyright © 2006 Philip Bookman
Technorati: SUSE, Novell, Microsoft, Oracle, Linux, Red Hat, software strategy
Labels: software strategy
posted by Phil Bookman at 9:11 AM
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