Comments on: Linux CEO lashes out at Ballmer

After seeing Windows wedge its way into a deal with the Nigerian government, Mandriva's chief criticizes Microsoft's competitive tactics.

[Renegade Knight]

Does MicroSoft Ink Deals where Thier users...

Does MicroSoft ink deals where their users won't be sued over Linux claims?

[Griffse]

No need

It isn't open-source, so you couldn't sue the user only the maker.

[geoffsul]

Does Microsoft Promise Not to Sue?

Like many big software companies, and beter than most or all, Microsoft agrees to indemnify customers from any lawsuits against its software. It does not matter who sues the customer (and this is America, so you can sue the customer)the vendor takes care of it. Of course Mandrivia does not do that......

[tenbosch]

It's a competitive world out there...

I've read the letter from Mandriva, and I hate to say it, but the CEO seems somewhat of a sorry loser. My comment seems much more offensive than I mean it to be. Business is Business and it's extremely competitive out there. If he wants to be mad at anyone, it should be the Nigerian government. Even if it was an offer to difficult to refuse, they are the ones who ultimately made the decision. Besides that, we haven't heard Microsofts side to the story (yet).

[Griffse]

here here

Well said, it's just business. People like to rush to create (or perpetuate) a villain. The villain is the (insert relevant currency here) and what we will do to make/save one.

[Dachi]

RE: competitive

Windows is expensive, and you would think places like Nigeria would be the perfect place for Linux to gain a foothold, but Microsoft just rather give Windows to these countries than have them using Linux. "Competitive" isn't really the first thing that comes to mind.

[SneezingPanda]

Indeed.

If US allow such competition on their market, much bigger part of it's domestic industry would be in the ashes for now. Just look at the import regulations for the steel as an example and check how many companies are and where baned from US for "dumping"? What Microsoft did is even worse than plain dumping.
Of course, this happen somewhere in Nigeria, a country with lots of oil and the whole different rules for competition and lobby. The international companies playing by this rules there for decades and doing nothing to change them into something more civilized. This was working fine, but in recent times there are some other competitors emerging in the world outside the US and they are quick learners. Competitive world? You bet. Remember that next time when some American company get screwed in Africa by Chinese.

[joeDimagio]

Another CEO's knee-jerk reaction

It's comic to read another knee-jerk reaction from none other than a so-called "CEO". If you cannot stand the heat of competition, get out of the kitchen! It's called free enterprise. If I believe I get a better deal, I'll get it, whether it is from Lunux or not. It sure sounds like all sour grape.

[galacticcruiser]

Editorial mistake -- deal was already closed, not close to being closed

The open letter states "We recently closed a deal with the Nigerian Government. ... So we closed the deal, we got the order, we qualified the software, we got the machine shipped. In other word, we did our job. I understand the machine are being delivered right now."

Your reporting of it paints a different picture. Please correct it.

[Ina Fried]

re: editorial mistake

Actually, at the point at which I am writing about in that sentence, it was "close to a deal," not yet final. It was later sealed, as is clear from the part of the letter you quote from and as is stated in the blog. Have another look and see if that clears it up.

[Griffse]

What a whiner

Maybe Microsoft isn't the best thing out there, but Mandriva is certainly a crappy version of Linux.

[john55440]

What a childish whiner -nt

no text

[robwill53]

Paid for the software???

I thought Linux was supposed to be free? No wonder he lost the deal. Who would pay for his feature incomplete, partially documented, occasionally supported Linux distribution when they could get a proven OS for similar money?

[Dachi]

OS is free, support is not

This was also a modified version of Mandriva made to run on that laptop.

[ferretboy88]

They overcharge for free linux

I also thought the whole entire point was linux was to be free.

[3rdalbum]

Heh, Windows is a proven OS?

I don't think many people these days would seriously regard Windows as a "proven OS" ;-)

[Jkirk3279]

Reviews

Did you read the reviews? Apparently the Linux build the
Nigerians bought is really solid and fast.

And the review I read said that the deal came out to $10 per
license, with support.

[sjsobol]

Nigeria

There are an awful lot of people who live there who have zero ethics. The term "419", describing an advance fee fraud (we have money for you but you must give us access to your bank account first, plus a fee) - that's a section out of the Nigerian criminal code, and a lot of the perps are from there. I understand the government is rather corrupt too, and I wouldn't want to do business with them under any conditions, whether I was Mandriva, Microsoft or anyone else.

[gggg sssss]

money order in the mail

So they will give MS a money order for a million, say sorry, that was one too many zeros, please send us the difference by western union?

ROTFLMAO

[Kissonde]

Nigeria

... so next time you go to a gas station ask them where are they buying gas from, before fill up your tank... lol

[crue24]

Hmmm...

On one hand I definitely have to agree, business is business.
However, I do see the point on the other. For these guys to
agree to pay for the linux contract and still "purchase" from
Microsoft, MS must have made one hell of a deal! My guess is
that whatever the deal was would have gotten MS in plenty of
trouble if done in the states.

If a US company had already purchased a linux distro, there is
no way MS could have made an offer compelling enough that
they would honor the Linux contract and still switch to windows.
Dropping the price low enough, giving it away, or whatever it
took to land that deal would have obviously raised major red
flags and cause for investigation to anti-competitive,
monopolistic behavior. Microsoft has the cash to give away the
software or whatever it takes to seal the deal. They can afford
that type of loss leader. Think about what's at stake here,
they're setting a standard for the whole country basically.
Microsoft will get there reward at some point.

Business is business, but this definitely sounds a little shady. I
don't think our govt can say anything about though because it's
happening in Nigeria.

I'm not an MS hater, it's ok, for me it pays the mortgage, but
they do things like this and wonder why everyone hates them.
To me this clearly looks like a case of them doing whatever it
takes, flexing their "money muscle" to win the deal and
ultimately an entire country's business.

[gggg sssss]

money order too

so they will give Mandriva the money order and ask for the funds to be returned by Western Union.

[dm66]

being used...

The CEO probably doesn't realise that he was simply being used to get a better deal from MS all along.

Having an Open Source strategy in place is a great way to get a better deal from MS. Probably cheaper to sign the OS deal which then forces MS to give you their software for next to nothing...

Personally I find MS business practices to be abhorrent and will not send them a single cent of my own money, regardless of the 'deal'. You'll regret it in the long run...

[jscott418]

Like this kinda business practice is rare

Come on people. Businesses put the screws to each other all the
time. Linux people need to look at the facts and decide if they are
players or loser's. I don't like Microsoft bully practices myself.
But that's what it is so if Linux has customers that cave to
Microsoft pressure then you have to come at it from another angle.
Fight fire with fire.

[WJeansonne]

Can't Stand the Heath The Get Out of the Kitchen!

What a whiner! Business competition has always been brutal with or without Microsoft. The guy ought to consider himself lucky he made a sale at all considering it was Linux, LOL. For instance, an age old tactic is business is to simply sue your competitio (or upstarts) out of business before they even get started. Go visit any of IBM's for competitors (or competitors to be) and ask them how they were royally f**ked by the giant before they even got out of the gate.

[linuxfighter]

Shut Down Windows Permantely

I'll write my own distro, I wont comply. Politically bash Ballmer, Have my own DOD contracts, have my own Blackwater like company, and recieve the backing of Linux users to have Windows Shut down, permantely. Including have Ballmer convicted, with a life sentence in prison for aiding terrorists...

[ferretboy88]

I think you need help

I love how everyone thinks everything in the world should be free. Sure people who amounted to nothing in their lives want free software. What else is new. I use linux all the time and if you don't like windows don't use it.
p.s move out of your parents basement and get a job. We working folks don't want to pay for your welfare anymore.

[ferretboy88]

What about Apple? Evil or not ?

Steve Jobs has 6 billion and could not even find a dime to give his kid for many years. They are overpriced and very limited(locked the iphone) in their views. They wanted $600 for 2gb of ram for my macbook. The same exact ram that an IBM uses costs $300. I own Apple, Windows and linux computers and I love them all. Mircosoft is not the only ones in the world trying to make money. Don't use windows if you don't like it. Maybe some people do like it.

[Jkirk3279]

RAM

You know, for a while last year Apple was noted for having
CHEAPER RAM than the marketplace.

Adding RAM isn't difficult, feel free to shop around.

It's not like Apple HAS to be all things to all people, after all.

[mariusthull]

Interesting....

This story gives me a great idea for a business. We've all read about the special price deals that microsoft has for developing nations all over the world. I'm going to set up a company to buy copies of windows from those countries, import the legally purchased software and sell it online for cut rate prices.
Ridiculous? ....Yeah it is, but it's not really. Aside from language changes it's the same version of windows. What is the justification for the price difference?

If you think I'm being crazy let me suggest a valid analogy, this is for all my fellow Americans. Do you guys remember the uproar a few years ago about the price of prescription drugs here in the US as opposed to Canada or Mexico? Certain drugs here could cost as much as 15 or 20 dollars a pill yet up in Canada the very same drug would cost 5 or 6 dollars a pill? And no it didn't have anything to do with the value of the dollar compared to the Canadian currency. The drug companies we gouging their American customers.

So my question as a consumer is why am I being charged the amount I'm being charged when someone in China or god knows where is paying less than half of that for the same copy of windows?

[ceoballmer]

They can't Prove a thing! lol!

http://****************.blogspot.com
François Bancilhon, CEO of some little Linux company has
written an open letter on his blog:
An open letter to Steve Ballmer
He accuses me of bribing the government of Nigeria into
replacing their stupid little Mandrovia OS on an order of 17,000
computers with Windows! His deal was already complete, the
computers being delivered to schools, the monies paid: when
suddenly the Nigerians informed Francois that on delivery the
hard-drives would be reformatted and Windows installed!

He rails: "Hey Steve, how do you feel looking at yourself in the
mirror in the morning?"

Well Frenchy! I feel pretty good, pretty darned good indeed! I
wake up with any of several different ... never-mind. But, I am
carried to the shower but my assistants, dressed, groomed and
briefed every morning. I feel pretty good indeed!
I would normally ignore any such accusations from you people,
but for some reason this one disturbed me, so I told legal to
reply, this is their message:

"Microsoft strongly believes that individuals, governments and
other organisations should be free to choose the software and
other technologies that best meet their needs. We believe
Microsoft offers the best overall option of value, integration,
interoperability and support, without complexity or added
dependency on services.
We are seeing strong market demand for Windows on low-cost
devices to help governments in the areas of education, local
innovation, and jobs and opportunity. We find that the
government agencies are looking at the complete picture -
bringing the benefits of technology to more people requires
software, hardware, training, well-designed curricula, and
stimulating sustainable local business ecosystems.
Microsoft has a strong relationship with the government in
Nigeria and will continue to partner with government and
industry to help meet their needs."

In other words, it was our strong friendly relationships with
certain key government officials, their families and knowledge of
their personal "needs" that influenced these persons to scuttle
your little OS on these computers. Thats just the way business is
done Frenchy! If you can't take the heat get out of the Smoke-
hut!

[givmebackmymoney]

All that money

Hey Steve

All that money and you still look like a big fat hunk of trailer trash in an old beat up Lincoln Continental, you should of finished Harvard at least you would of had some class.

[evdenevenakliyatl]

Hi .. "Microsoft strongly believes that individuals, governments and
other organisations should be free to choose the software and
other technologies that best meet their needs. We believe
Microsoft offers the best overall option of value, integration,
interoperability and support, without complexity or added
dependency on services.
We are seeing strong market demand for Windows on low-cost
devices to help governments in the areas of education, local
innovation, and jobs and opportunity. We find that the
government agencies are looking at the complete picture -
bringing the benefits of technology to more people requires
software, hardware, training, well-designed curricula, and
stimulating sustainable local business ecosystems.
Microsoft has a strong relationship with the government in
Nigeria and will continue to partner with government and
industry to help meet their needs." .. http://www.evdenevenakliyatl.com