Major Linux Migration Put On Hold. 841

Long time ago, I was a grunt in a major urban utility during the time at which PCs emerged as a business tool.

The gulf between management and the grunts on what to do opened up into a veritable chasm. Basically management wanted to "partner" with IBM. What a debacle! In retrospect, I'd say that the grunts were mostly on-target and management was in la-la land - just hanging on every word from the IBM marketing people.

One issue, for example, was the question of whether a PC was a consumable (like pencils: use it up and throw it out) or a durable (like bucket trucks: buy a good one and maintain-upgrade it forever). The grunts saw the truth almost from day one. It took management *years* to catch on. I personally configured-upgraded ad-nauseam basic PCs into which the company had sunk a minimum of $7,000 each - sometimes $10,000 or more.

So, based on personal experience, I wouldn't take it for granted that management possess all that much wisdom.

I wouldn't turn it all over to the grunts either - but mainly because there's value in having one person in charge... but that one person can get their decision making input from many sources.... and when they get it all from some marketing team from another corporation and ignore their own people it's not always in the best interests of the company. -- PeteCresswell