[Desktop_architects] H&R Block: Looking at Linux desktop to keep it simple

[Bastian, Waldo]

http://www.forbes.com/archive/forbes/2006/0918/102_3.html

 

Despite chintzier budgets, the new barbarians can reap a fortune on this
fourth wave. Once companies start rebuilding their back-end data centers
other changes become possible. H&R Block (nyse: HRB
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jh
tml?tkr=HRB>  - news
<http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=HRB> - people
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&tick
er=HRB> ) first replaced costly Hewlett-Packard (nyse: HPQ
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jh
tml?tkr=HPQ>  - news
<http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=HPQ> - people
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&tick
er=HPQ> ) Unix servers with simpler Linux machines; now it is rolling
out easy-to-use open-source Zimbra e-mail for 100,000 seasonal
employees. It may switch to Zimbra for its 18,000 full-timers, dumping
Microsoft Exchange, says Marc West, chief information officer at the
tax-prep firm. 

Worse yet for Microsoft, West says he has no plans to upgrade anytime
soon to Vista, the much-delayed overhaul of Windows. He is looking at
scaled-down Linux desktops and open-source database software to replace
software he now buys from Microsoft and Oracle. West desperately seeks
simplicity, yet the incumbents keep piling on features and complexity.
"We're spending lots of our time just keeping components operational,"
he says.

 

Cheers,

Waldo

 

Intel Corporation - Channel Platform Solutions Group - Hillsboro, Oregon

 

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