microsoft

Those who can compete, do. Those who can't, sue

It's an old adage, originally applied to the teaching profession ("those who can't, teach"), but it's probably more appropriate to the software world. I'm a wee bit tired by patent FUD and other substitutes for real competition from Microsoft. Microsoft has built a great business on comparatively good products. Yet in its old age, it seems incapable of competing on customer value and instead keeps fetishing its patent portfolio, as if anyone but its lawyers care about those.

If Microsoft wants to compete in the 21st Century, it's going to have to build 21st Century value. Patents and copyright don't provide that value. They hardly even demonstrate it.… Read more

Linux patent lawsuit: follow the money

Mark Radcliffe hints at something that I hope isn't true: that open source's growth might make it a prime candidate for patent trolls. This is one of the primary things that has bothered me about the IP Innovation lawsuit against Red Hat and Novell, two Linux desktop companies:

There is no Linux desktop market, and comparatively little in the bank accounts of both companies. Why sue penny pinchers when you can instead sue the sugar daddy?

Still, Mark writes:… Read more

Buy the hardware, get the music for free?

There's a fascinating story in the upcoming Business Week about a new business idea being floated by Universal Music chief Doug Morris. Universal would offer some portion of its catalog under a new service tentatively named Total Music. Users would buy Total Music-enabled devices, and get access to this music for free. No per-download charges, no monthly subscription fee, no advertising. Apparently, Sony and Warner have signed on to the idea, which would give Total Music access to the catalogs of three out of four majors.

The labels and artists and copyright holders have to make money somehow, right? … Read more

Novell, Microsoft, and far too many coincidences in the Linux desktop patent suit

Thinking more about all those darned coincidences in the IP Innovation lawsuit launched against Red Hat and Novell recently over the Linux desktop, I decided to list them out:

One or more former Microsoft licensing execs join Acacia or one or its companies; Ballmer makes his most recent statement regarding Red Hat; Almost the same day, Red Hat (and presumbably Novell) receive notice of the alleged infringement from IP Innovation (Acacia); Before either company has a chance to consider the letter and respond, IP Innovation files its lawsuit in Texas;… Read more

Microsoft says Automatic Update not misbehaving

Blogs were buzzing this week with reports that Windows users who thought they had automatic updates set to either not install or get permission before installing nonetheless had their machines patched and rebooted.

Friday afternoon, the company posted a response to its Web site saying no changes were made to the automatic update mechanism nor did any recent updates change AU settings. The company is looking into whether customers might have actually had their settings changed by Microsoft Office or Windows OneCare, two programs that do have mechanisms that will change a computer's automatic update preference settings.

"We … Read more

Is the Wii a fad?

IGN News is reporting that Wii developers are becoming 'nervous' about the console's prospects and believe the device may be nothing more than a fad.

Nikkei Business Daily is reporting that anonymous developers are concerned that the Wii is only benefiting Nintendo and third-party developers are forced to play catch up in the hope their games will become a success. So far, some are claiming their games have been nothing more than expensive flops.

In fact, one developer explained that, "The Wii is like the 'Billy's Boot Camp' weight-loss program on DVD. People bought it out of curiosity, and it's likely a lot of them haven't used it."

So which is it? Is the Wii really a flop in the waiting? Or is it the video game savior we've all been waiting for? It's neither.… Read more

Crave TV: Microsoft pushes journalist out of plane

You can call Microsoft many things--but you definitely can't call it boring. Or sane. In a fit of undeniable lunacy, Bill Gates' staff invited us to jump out of a plane last week, so that we could experience some new features in Vista. It didn't make any sense then, and it makes even less sense now.

According to Microsoft's public relations guy, the idea was to film us skydiving, and then send our adrenalin levels through the roof by letting us edit the footage in Windows Movie Maker. Stupidly, we went along, and this accompanying video is … Read more

Patent troll launches desktop Linux lawsuit. Is Microsoft involved?

Sometimes you just have to sing. I read Groklaw's report on a new lawsuit launched by IP Innovation (subsidiary of Acacia) against Novell and Red Hat over Linux desktop infringements of its "a User Interface with Multiple Workspaces for Sharing Display System Objects" patent and just wanted to break out into Stephen Sondheim:

Isn't it rich? Isn't it queer? Losing my timing this late In my career? And where are the clowns? Quick, send in the clowns. Don't bother - they're here.

Why clowns? Well, the more Groklaw digs into this, the more it looks like the ultimate patent troll/clown, Microsoft, may be behind this all. Some might say that Ballmer always sings on cue, and surely his commentary about Red Hat last week may be coincidence or simply poor timing, but Monsieur le Troll must be smiling, regardless.

Groklaw writes:… Read more

An ode to Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Apple, and Linux zealots

As I'm sure many of you are aware, there are a number of factions in the technology world that seem to share extreme love for one company and severe distaste for another. Some side with Bill Gates and his buddies in Redmond. Of course, that group is met by a fierce resistance that genuflects at the altar of Steve Jobs. On the other hand, there is a cadre of individuals that believe Sony is the greatest company in the world, and still others that put Shigeru Miyamoto and his gang of creations on a pedestal. And yet, no matter what you say, every group will believe you're a member of the competing zealot faction. After a while, it actually becomes quite comical.

Take for example, this article I wrote just yesterday about Sony's desperation. You'll notice that in the comments, I was called all kinds of names. And while you get used to this as a writer, some really blow your socks off. For example, one commenter went so far as to say that I and the rest of the CNET writers are "typical." Why you ask? Because the commenter needed to ask us if "Gate's butt smells fresh today." In essence, I was a Microsoft fanboy for a day -- at least in the words of the cadre of Sony fanboys.

Unfortunately, my love for Microsoft must have been fleeting. For if you read the comments from readers on this day, I am nothing more than an Apple zealot that hates Microsoft. Even better, we even got some extra "typical CNET" comments which, for some reason, didn't reference the same smelling analogy. Can I be both? Can I be all five? Can everyone be all five?

No. And this is the issue we're left with today -- why can't everyone stop being zealots and realize that we all want the same thing -- the very best performance out of every tech company. We shouldn't be apologists -- we should be asking for a company's level best.… Read more