Comments on: Microsoft and open source: Welcome to the Borg?

Microsoft has an offer open-source startups are having a hard time refusing. Should they?

[doctorpacket]

Microsoft's ruthless business tactics are so ingrained into its culture that it cannot consider any other way of operating.

[RamboTribble]

"This isn't because Microsoft is a bad company but rather because it is a strong, growing company."

MS is a strong and growing company, but that doesn't explain or excuse their conduct, which stems not from their strength or growth, but from the fact that they are a parasitic company. They drain the industry and society, impeding progress and encouraging the "digital divide", simply to advance their mercenary interests.

[john.mark]

Microsoft should be careful what it wishes for. If lots of open source starts pouring into Windows users' hands, MS might suddenly find that they've eaten from their own lunchbox. Of course, they really have no other choice, so they have to hope and pray that there is enough open source to keep them relevant but not too much open source that they lose their MS Office and Windows revenues.

[stephenwalli]

Good commentary. Never sure trackbacks capture here. Here's what I blogged along these lines: http://stephesblog.blogs.com/my_weblog/2008/02/microsoft-partn.html