Ernie Ball goes Microsoft-free

Ever since the BSA raided made an example of Ernie Ball (the guitar string maker), they’ve gone Microsoft-free. Sterling Ball, the CEO, says that they’re a real-life example of a company successfully using open source and that analyst estimates of the cost are too high:

What support? I’m not making calls to Red Hat; I don’t need to. I think that’s propaganda…What about the cost of dealing with a virus? We don’t have ’em. How about when we do have a problem, you don’t have to send some guy to a corner of the building to find out what’s going on–he never leaves his desk, because everything’s server-based. There’s no doubt that what I’m doing is cheaper to operate. The analyst guys can say whatever they want.

Organizations that don’t treat their customers with respect or provide quality product at a fair price will always lose out in the end.