The Hidden Cost of Using Microsoft Software

[Akash Deep Shakya]

"Detractors of free software like to point out it's not really 'free,' and claim that its Total Cost of Ownership is often comparable with closed-source solutions if you take everything into account. And yet, despite their enthusiasm for including all the costs, they never include a very real extra that users of Microsoft's products frequently have to pay: the cost of cleaning up malware infections. For example, the UK city of Manchester has just paid out nearly $2.5 million to clean up the Conficker worm, most of which was 'a £1.2m [$2million] bill in the IT department, including £600,000 [$1 million] getting "consultancy support" to fix the problems, which including drafting in experts from Microsoft.' To make the comparisons fair, isn't it about time these often massive costs were included in TCO calculations?"

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Regards
Akash Deep Shakya "OpenAK"
B.E. (Computer) | Kathmandu University
http://www.akashdeepshakya.com.np
akashakya at gmail dot com
P.O.Box: 8975 EPC: 4235

~ Failure to prepare is preparing to fail ~

[Hempal Shrestha]

Hay Akash, 

Great point indeed, Infact HLCIT is also looking forward for calculating the TCO for their software. Wouldn't it be great if you add some of your valuable cents at http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dd3bchbk_28gpq6xzcg&hl=en. 

Further, anyone else who is interested to underline their views or join the work in progress, please write back. FOSS Nepal is working on this initiative to finish it by Ahasd 2006

Hope many of you might be able to made it, welcome on board

Best Regards,

Hempal Shrestha

[Akash Deep Shakya]

Hello Hempal dai,

I am already contributing to that document, but due to some official work I am not able to contribute to it wholeheartedly.

Regards
Akash Deep Shakya "OpenAK"
B.E. (Computer) | Kathmandu University
http://www.akashdeepshakya.com.np
akashakya at gmail dot com
P.O.Box: 8975 EPC: 4235

~ Failure to prepare is preparing to fail ~