Linux leaders plot counterattack on Microsoft

Leading names in grassroots software phenomenon meet debating whether they should fight or ignore the world's largest software maker.

The story "Linux leaders plot counterattack on Microsoft" published June 14, 2007 at 4:03 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from Reuters expires after 30 days.

[Commander_Spock]

Water, water every where....

... and none to drink. As this article states "There are as many as 360 rival flavors of Linux, known as distributions, according to Distrowatch.com. This factionalism fuels rapid innovation but splits the energies of developers....". Now, from a development banking standpoint... which of these "360 rival flavors of Linux" have truthfully sat down with the development banker and determined what tools this development banker and his colleagues in the that sector of the industry need for them to focus on tasks at hand. Moreover, how is it that on this same CNET Web Site folks are reading a story about the International Space Station occupants being unable to restart the Russian computers that presently control some vital functions of that International Space Station. Come on Penguinistas, let the world see how you can use your collective wisdom and help solve some real problems like the present one at the ISS. There is one reason why some still believe in/on IBM's OS/2 WARP; and, that is like being able to obtain that "Rolls Royce" engine/car (or that Super-Sonic Aircraft, really sparkling bottle of tonic water....) from a single manufacturer.

[lesfilip]

Commander_Spock is a talkbot

For those who do not already know, Commander_Spock is not
human. It is a chatterbot.

Have a nice day!

[MSSlayer]

MS is the beggar here

Microsoft is the one following OSS and Apple, not the other way around. MS is the one that needs to embrace OSS to stay relevant.

This gives the OSS community the advantage and they should use it. Let MS in, but make sure that it is on the terms of OSS, not that of a desperate company with no ideas or direction.

Microsoft can play by the rules and perhaps gain some of its former importance back, or it can just slowly rot away into further irrelevance.

Either way, OSS can not be harmed, unless they fall into the trap that MS is trying to ensnare OSS companies and software in.

Call MS out to put up or shut up in a very public manner and move on.

[t8]

I am glad.

The Open Source community shouldn't roll over and take this kind of abuse. They need to not only defend Open Source, but also attack Microsoft in any way they can. After all Microsoft is trying to divide the community and take away the incentive to do Open Source by demonstrating that Open Source code will end in as money in Microsofts hands.

Open Source needs the correct license for such protections and the community needs to attack Microsoft where they can.

[RompStar_420]

MS Sucks

That's all I got to say. My last computer that I have purchased was a Apple Mac Book, beautiful machine (got it 1 month ago), built in camera and only $1000 bucks brand new from the Apple store. You go download BootCamp, install it easy, as pie.

It partitions the hard drive, makes one for Windows XP and one for OS X, if you want Windows, then at boot you hold down the Alt key and bammm, choose which OSS to boot right into.

Apple program even burns all the Apple hardware dirvers you will need, and you install that after you install the Windows XP (cause Vista is a shame).

My wife loves it, addicted. I previously got the PowerMac G5 Late October 2005 model, dual-cpu 2.0Ghz each and I love it too, but because it is the PowerPC CPU I can't install XP.

There is also parallel software and other options as well. Why would I need stupid Windows, it sucks big time.

That's why Bill Gates is sucking up to Steve Jobs lately, probably to get closer to him, to steal ideas and to back stab him.

[feranick]

What does this have to do with Linux?

Nice Apple commercial the one you did. Too bad it has nothing to do with Linux.
Oh well, every occasion is good for some apple fanboy...

BTW, if you hate so much MS, why did you bother to install BootCamp?

[ColdMast]

Apple has stole form Open Source

and given little in return

BSD anyone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mac_OS_X

when are we going to see Version XI, the aqua interface is getting a little old.

[DrakeLoneStar]

Microsoft does not oppose open source

Microsoft has given away some applications via open source. Have you seen Allegiance? They gave away every bit of source code. What about their treasured .Net CLR? Gave it away... also standardized it. There are a lot more examples.

Microsoft is a company that makes its money by creating IP. If there are contributers to Linux that knowingly or unknowingly use patented IP from other companies, then those companies have a right to ask for license fees. It's the law.

Don't kid yourselves. Google, Dell, IBM, Sun, HP, etc. are in this for their OWN good - not for the sake of Linux and/or open source. They might find that siding against MS is a double edged sword - to their profits. (And not because of any alleged/supposed MS retalitory dealings noted by conspiracy theorists)

Windows is a great franchise - it brings money to these companies in either direct or indirect ways. If the world turns Linux and/or open source, will Dell/HP/Gateway be able to profit as much? Will they have to write hundreds of different drivers and support hundreds of different distros?

Will buying applications/games from 3rd parties once again become fragmented such that they only run on 1 or 2 different distributions - and then create a single Linux vendor that is dominate?

Well who knows...

[asdf]

A law made by criminals

QUOTE: Microsoft is a company that makes its money by creating IP.

IS that a joke? I think every *single* person on this forum knows MS buys small companies and resells the IP.

QUOTE: "patented IP"

OK that IS a joke. Software patents are NOT settled law IN THE LEAST and they have problems in their basic conception big enough to drive a truck through. Specifically, software and business method "patents" are patents on ideas, not implementations or embodiments. Furthermore, they DO NOT promote the advancement of the useful arts and sciences which is a REQUIREMENT for patentability. In point of fact, they retard it.

The current state of affairs with "software patents" is a temporary glitch and loophole that some companies saw and are exploiting. Oracle and others have gone on record to Congress to testify against their existence. The EU does not permit them and does not enforce them. They are intellectually dishonest (no specific embodiment is needed ... they do NOT promote the useful arts and sciences) philosophically rotten (they are patents on ideas)and economically injurious (they retard progress).

This too shall pass, and it's not going to go the way the IP lawyers wish it would. There's a thing called "reality" and you can only suppress reality for so long, no matter what laws you pass, what think tanks and "studies" you create and what politicians you buy.

MS et al should enjoy their little party while they can; it's not going to last.

[ColdMast]

They have in the past

Their switching their strategy to one on intelligence, they now see Linux as a real threat to their monopoly, and rather then being quietly removed they are acting smart and hopefully reducing the amount of FUD and EEE that they have done in the past.

Anything that Microsoft gives away is just PR like zune desktop them. Sysintervals software was pretty good.

M$ is also starting to understand that these companies they buy out have some really smart people, and they need to let them speak instead of that idiot Balmer.

Anyways Microsoft has always been against open source in the past, locking up windows and then extorting money for the "Technology": NTSF anyone? how about SMB2, and IE; just a few.

DrakeLoneStar do you work for Microsoft's Evangelism program? are you one of their paid monkeys or are you just a victim?

alt+tab=WOW?

[mwendy]

Where's the "plot"?

A - I'm missing the plot line here.

B - These types of meetings always make me wonder when they're reported "Why is it OK from an antitrust standpoint to get a bunch of competitors together at a place like Google, and then hatch a plot (albeit, we don't know what it is from the story) to destroy another competitor? I did not know that was OK by US antitrust law. Or, is there some general "behemoth-slaying" exception in the law that I haven't read?

C - This story reads like a press release - nothing critical in here, and again, no plots.

[sokorie]

There's NO plot . Windows franchises LIVES on.

F.Y.I - MSFT just celebrated its 30th anniversary .
Let Google and Co., hatch out all the master plans they want . MSFT is wisely diversified and The windows and Office franchises will continue to thrive for the next 30 yrs. Look at the facts and the market place .MS is slowly supporting open source and will continue to integrate some parts of its online services with open source codes and embrace the Linux community .

[Commander_Spock]

Hello Houston! We Have A Problem....

... restarting these Russian Federation supplied computers on the International Space Station and yet we have Linux leaders in a Google "Situation" Room planning a "counterattack on Microsoft". What a crying shame that so many can waste so much time and resources (If left alone, will not market forces resolve any adoption issues? Why try to force the horses to eat grass). What was so wrong with over 360 and counting (Linux) distributions failing to convince the Russian Federation on "the best-of-breed Linux distro for suitability for the International Space Station!

[Too Old For IT]

The problem with Linux uptake is ...

I think you hit the nail on the head: Over 360 and counting (Linux) distributions.

There needs to be consolidation, and say 355 or so distros need to fade quietly into the night.

[Stomfi]

Who is being attacked

Linux only has a 1.5% market share, but Google and Yahoo, and to a lessor degree, IBM and HP, depend on it for their profitability, and MS wants to dominate their market so one must assume it is they who are the real target.

Linux is just a weapon.

MS can use an approved SLES Linux to run their own and others super robust server farms, and tax all the recalcitrants, gaining a cost advantage.

Ms can get all the agreeing distros companies to do all the interoperabilty development with MS's own patented document formats for free.

Ms can get out of sharing their APIs as you can buy an approved OSS version which will do iinteroperability already, soon.

HeHeHe laughs the richest OS company rubbing their hand with glee at how clever they are, while the penguin's fans think FLOSS is the target and fight the wrong battle.

Microsoft has always maintained that it's always all about winning the money made by market competitors and FLOSS companies don't make any to speak of so it cannot be them who are the target.

What FLOSS needs to do is things like producing Open Source clones of the MS format weapons and seamlessly adding KDE and Gnome to their desktop. ie disguise the differences from Linux by changing their look and feel.

[ben::zen]

...They've mostly done this.

Actually, I can use a lot of their formats if I need to, and as for disguising the differences, what do you mean? Replacing Explorer with GNOME/Nautilus? or KDE/Konqueror? (As shell, filemanager, etc.?) They have done this with OPENSTEP, so I guess it could be done. With Qt4 coming soon on both Windows and Linux, the shift would probably be easier.
Assuming, of course, that anyone wants to mess around with their OS that much.