IP Convergence: Beyond VoIP, Beyond Cost Savings

No matter what you buy, you're going to be stuck supporting it.

If you get Linux, think about all those times when you'll have to explain why your son can't play that online game he wants or why he'll need his teacher to provide the microsoft word document in an "open standard format." Indeed, even for the short time that we did not have MS Office on any of the family computers I had to hear about it constantly...I broke down and spent the money for it.

As much as I would love to ditch the Microsoft OS completely, the realities are harsh. I have to keep my systems on MS OS's and Microsoft Office so that my family can use the computer for the everyday tasks that they have to accomplish. My FreeBSD system is relegated to a headless server that happily purrs away in my laundry room, invisibly providing services such as personal email and a family server.

That's just the way my family likes it, even if I don't.