Amazon Says It Reduced Tech Costs by About 25%

Amazon.com Inc. said it cut technology costs by nearly 25%, or $17 million, last quarter as it reaped the benefits of falling telecommunications prices and a shift to the cheaper Linux operating system.

Amazon’s adoption of Linux mirrors experiences among other companies that are increasingly using the open-source system as an alternative to costlier software from companies such as Sun Microsystems Inc. and Microsoft Corp.