I have been pretty quiet about the "Big Software War" recently but this article, Fast-Emerging Thai Market Favors Linux seems to confirm the kind of effect I was arguing that we should expect, given the economics and demographics in many developing countries.
The article mentions price cutting by Microsoft in Thailand. It seems to me that that is a strategy likely to cause customer dissatisfaction elsewhere. Why, for example, should someone in other geographical locations pay, say, $100 for a Microsoft Windows licence that costs, say, $37 in Thailand?
The parting comment in the article about an anticipated featuring of "exit costs" in Microsoft marketing is an interesting one. Time will tell but it seems to me to be a much healthier strategy for Microsoft to emphasise the benefits of continuing to use Microsoft products.
Posted by Andrew Watt at November 17, 2003 05:52 PMI live in China. I couldn't even buy a real version of Windows here if I wanted to. Oh I take that back I did see one copy for sale in the biggest computer district in Beijing. It was about $220 for XP Pro. I bought my copy of Windows for about 98 cents (I bargained him down from $1.20). I don't really have a point just useful info I guess. :)
Posted by: jeremy at November 28, 2003 03:54 PM