2013 February 05 archive at Robert Pogson

Archive for February 5th, 2013

Tradeoff: Desktop OS v Office Suite

Published by Robert Pogson February 5th, 2013 in technology. 5 Comments

"heard this weekend in #Brussels that #Microsoft might release a native #Linux version of #Office in 2014."

see [Phoronix] Microsoft Looking At Office For Linux In 2014.

What it means is that M$ is willing to sell expensive licences/subscriptions of its office suite to addicts who plan to leave M$’s desktop OS rather than let them be lost forever. Since the chief cost of migrating to GNU/Linux may well be escaping the office suite, this could result in less net blood-loss to M$’s cash-cows.

- Robert Pogson

Leveraged Buyout of Dell Planned

Published by Robert Pogson February 5th, 2013 in technology. 7 Comments

Well, M$ is just going to be a creditor, not a shareholder in the new Dell. That’s good unless Dell dies under the burden of debt. If Michael Dell can revitalize the company with enough growth to pay back the debts, Dell can finally be free of “conventional wisdom” that locks Dell into Wintel.

“The transaction will be financed through a combination of cash and equity from Michael Dell, cash from investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake, cash invested by Michael Dell’s investment firm, MSD Capital, and a $2 billion loan from Microsoft (MSFT_). The deal will also be financed by a rollover of existing debt, and debt financing from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Credit Suisse and RBC Capital Markets.”

see Dell to Go Private in $24.4 Billion Deal (Update1) – TheStreet.

This is another form of diversification for M$ and it should not interfere with M$’s relationships with other OEMs. If I were Dell, I would pay back M$ ASAP before M$ sets the hook.

See also The Register’s Take and an astute comment there …

- Robert Pogson

My Mission

My observations and opinions about IT are based on 40 years of use in science and technology and lately, in education. I like IT that is fast, cost-effective and reliable. I do not care whether my solution is the same as yours. I like to think for myself.

My first use of GNU/Linux in 2001 was so remarkably better than what I had been using, I feel it is important work to share GNU/Linux with the world. I have been blessed by working in schools where students and school systems have benefited by good, modular software easily installed in most systems.

I have shown GNU/Linux to thousands of students and hundreds of teachers over the years and will continue in some way doing that until I die in spite of the opposition.