Linux and open source is used by numerous organizations as a preferred alternative to proprietary choices:
| Proprietary Choice | Open source choice |
Open Source Advantages
in addition to cost savings, etc. |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows file server ("shares") | SAMBA | Samba has excellent performance - often better than Microsoft servers. Result: Samba can be run on less powerful hardware to support a larger number of users with better performance. |
| Proprietary databases | mysql | Mysql has the best performance of all databases. |
| Microsoft IIS web server | Apache web server | Most widely used, stable web server. Runs on all platforms. |
| Microsoft Active Server Pages | PHP | Very powerful, widely used. |
Microsoft Exchange Alternatives:
On the desktop, there are many alternatives to proprietary software as discussed here.