Jack William Bell's Journal: HP offering $25,000 get users to switch from Sun

Apparently HP is offering $25,000 to corporate users that switch from Sun to HP Linux systems. Also here. It seems HP is taking advantage of the rumors Sun is on the rocks and are positioning themselves as the Microsoft alternative. Quoting an HP spokesman: "What we're doing is extending a lifeline to customers who are saying, 'Do I have a future, and do I have a place to go? We're saying, 'You have a solid place to go. Here's how you get out of trouble. Here's your get-out-jail-free card.' "

Submitted to /. front page.
Update: Rejected...

$25,000 cannot be paid to SCO

[ThreeFarthingStone]

That's not $25,000 in cash. That's $25,000 in "services and other incentives" to switch to HP Linux, meaning if you need to buy a SCOsource Linux license [sco.com] you'll need funds from somewhere else.

Actually, I thought HP was trying to protect its customers from SCO [slashdot.org].

Re:$25,000 cannot be paid to SCO

[Jack William Bell]

It could be that HP is doing both things. But this new one is definately all about getting new customers out of Sun's current customer base. They are pretty damn up front about it.

And a $25,000 decrease in the total on a bid might make the difference for a current Sun customer getting ready to upgrade. Especially if that customer is nervous about what is happening at Sun right now...