Apache market share as netcraft presents it, is not interesting. There is no competitor, only a competing product. If you divide the web-server market, things get more interesting. A typical division is:
- Web hotels: Many domains on a server.
- Big sites: One or more servers for only one domain.
Apache is king of web hotels, because of security and ability to control resource usage. And its TCO is incredibly low for webhotels. There is no reason for MSFT to compete, since the optimal product is cheap and small, and that is not where MSFT is best.
Windows 2000 seems to be competing with Unix vendors for most big sites. This is an interesting market, because it includes middleware producers and heavy gear. Any comparisons in this market should exclude free software, because free software has different measures of success than commercial software. Windows 2000 is very strong in this market.
Then there is an issue, that Microsoft would like to control, but probably never will: Standards. Since MSFT will never beat the price/performance of Apache in Webhotels, the Apache product will be common denominator. Microsofts sales arguments have to be improved value compared to Apache, and the ability to run Windows programs is such one. The more cross-platform middleware we get, the less important Windows will be. |
