The Register reports that: “Microsoft and the Newham Council have signed a ten year agreement – worth at least £5m – making Microsoft the council’s software provider of choice.”; after Newham seemed to be interested in replacing some of there applications with open source software.

Helping in this decision was an IT audit from the ~`independent’~ consulting firm CapGemini, which concluded that Windows would just be cheaper and more secure to use. Interestingly enough, the register states that the study was in fact initiated and paid for by Microsoft.

The article reports that the tech journalists burst out in laughter when they were told the decision and the reasoning in the press conference (the author later confirmed the loud laughing later). Nice to see that tech journalists aren’t buying the usual FUD anymore. But the report from an independent consulting found that out, right?

Let’s have a look at the independence of the company by looking at a CapGemini press release from July (additional emphasis mine, press release can be found here: http://www.capgemini.com/news/2004/0719Microsoft.shtml; unfortunately CapGemini’s Terms of Use dissallows direct links to their website):

Capgemini and Microsoft Expand Global Alliance

REDMOND, Wash., and PARIS â