Gartner: Companies Weigh Microsoft AlternativesGartner: Companies Weigh Microsoft Alternatives

Unattractive licensing, security breaches, and the desire to use Linux and other open-source software are driving businesses to consider alternatives to Microsoft, Gartner said Tuesday.

Governments in Asia/Pacific, including China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, and several in Europe and South America, are encouraging government departments and businesses to support Linux, open source, and local vendors, Gartner said. These countries are seeking to drive local business and avoid having to export money to U.S. companies, Gartner said in a special report titled "A Look at Alternatives to Microsoft."

North American companies are less concerned about Microsoft dominance than in other regions, but Microsoft faces backlash there nonetheless, Gartner said.

Linux and other open-source software are the most popular alternatives to Microsoft, Gartner said. Perceived advantages include lower initial costs--sometimes no initial costs--freedom from lock-in to a vendor that can raise prices, potential to help drive local IT economies, and perceived better security, the report said.