[TriLUG] Xandros joins the MS patent gang.

[Marc]

Funny the article makes everything sound vey benign with phrases such as:

1.  meant to help the patent-protected Windows operating system work more
smoothly with open-source

2.  will license server code from Microsoft and develop software tools that
work with Microsoft's systems

3.  The companies also will work on technology to translate between two
types of documents


Any average businessperson reading this, or real light-duty windows-only
types will think only good things reading this.  I would like to know
*exactly* what these implications are.  Which protocols and apps are going
to 'work more smoothly'?  It seems to me the M$ strategy includes things
such as:

1. presenting ms software as unchangeable - therefore all problems,
incompatibilities, etc. are due to OSS.

2.  (obvious) spread FUD throughout the business community.  In the case of
Xandros, I am sure it took more than suggestions and hints of future
problems - probably outright bribes.

3.  muddy the water between 'open standards', 'interoperability', and
related topics.  This is so that later, when they decide to make their
software work well with SuSE and Xandros, but NOT with other linux distros,
it will make those who cave to pressure (hereafter referred to as cavemen)
seem like heroes - their sw works with the Redmond junk!

It's a shame that Xandros became run by cavemen.  :)  Honestly until I read
this, I was seriously considering running out and actually buying a copy of
it, just because I read an article a while back about it being good for
business users on the desktop.  All of this just makes me want to create a
new distro for non-cavemen, aimed at the business laptop user particularly.



Marc







On 6/4/07, David A. Cafaro <dac at trilug.org> wrote:
>
> Any case anyone missed this:
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-Microsoft-Xandros.html
>
> "SEATTLE (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. said Monday it will share technology
> with Linux distributor Xandros Inc., the latest in a string of deals
> meant to help the patent-protected Windows operating system work more
> smoothly with open-source programs."
>
> "Key to the agreement is a clause that protects Xandros customers from
> running afoul of Microsoft's legal machine for patent infringement."
>
> Each one of these "agreements" brings me closer and closer to seeing the
> value of GPL3.
>
> -David
>
> --
>
> David Cafaro <dac at cafaro.net>
> Cafaro's Ramblings: http://www.cafaro.net
>
> --
> TriLUG mailing list        : http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> TriLUG Organizational FAQ  : http://trilug.org/faq/
> TriLUG Member Services FAQ : http://members.trilug.org/services_faq/
>