Fighting Microsoft

[Starrunner]

One of my favourite computer news and info sites is theregister.  

I read there every day on things.  One thing that has been scaring me to death for a while now, outside of Vista, is the moves Microsoft is making.  In the specific, the deal between them and Novell/SUSE.

I am taking a quote from this article (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/20/microsoft_claims_linux_code/) to show the thing that really has me worried:

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said that every user of the open source Linux system could owe his company money for using its intellectual property. The statement will confirm the worst fears of the open source community.

Microsoft recently signed a deal for SUSE Linux, a Novell-owned distribution of the Linux operating system. The two companies pledged that they would improve the interoperability of their products. Open source advocates were amazed at the deal, but Ballmer's comments could vindicate the suspicions of some.

Ballmer said in a question and answer session at a technology conference that Microsoft signed the deal because Linux "uses our intellectual property" and it wanted to "get the appropriate economic return for our shareholders from our innovation".

Those claims to rights in Linux will set alarm bells ringing in the open source community. Some had argued that the deal was a sophisticated way of claiming rights over the software.

In a nutshell you can see what is going on.  I am not sure the impact this would have on anyone running AmigaOS4.0 and the older versions.  But you can see where this would affect the rest of users on Linux, MorphOS and some of the other fringe OSes out there.

There has to be a way to band together on this.  I do not want to live to see the planet taken over by Microsoft.  It would be a nightmare, with people being hunted like witches for doing anything without the official stamp of Microsoft approval.  

This is a very simple view on it I know.  I suggest everyone look about and do some research on the matter.  All thoughts welcome, and yes I look forward to being called insane, paranoid and/or delusional.:-)

[skurk]

You're not paranoid nor delusional, at least in my opinion.

Microsoft is using brute-force marketing techniques to take over all market on electronical devices.  In the near future, we will only have x86 Windows monocultures for hackers and spammers to thrive in.

(I actually wrote a 60 line rant about my frustrations over Xboxes, DirectX eating OpenGL market, Windows mobiles destrying for other actors, Windows being bundled with *every* PC, all keyboards with Windows keys, and lots more, but removed it to avoid a huge flamewar)

[PPC]

Agreed to that!
M$ will try everything to gain total control in every segment they can to preserve their monopoly position (see x-box and the novell deal,smart phone etc...)

But who is going to win that fight against one of the most, maybe the richest company's in the world ?

Amiga 'dropped the ball' long time ago,apple cannot and M$ will try to sue the pants off the linux community.

It's a sad world with computing these days, i hope i'm wrong and that the downfall of M$ will occure!

God that day would be good  :-D

And for that freak of nature called steve ballmer he should be dumped in the world's most ugly dungeon and have the key thrown away  :madashell:

[Amiduffer]

Sounds like the typical predatory business model these days. Merge or put them out of business.  :-x

[trekiej]

I have read about the merger.  I do not know what MS says they own in Linux.  Does anyone here know?  The Linux Kernel belongs to Linus T.  Is he going to get sued?  I do not know myself.  I believe that we need to do something.  I do not know what at this point.  



  :-D

[Piru]

@trekiej

What merger are you talking about?

[Starrunner]

Piru wrote:
@trekiej

What merger are you talking about?

The merger I think he is referring to is the agreement between Microsoft and Novell/SUSE.

[trekiej]

@ Piru
Oops.  I mean deal or agreement.  What is your opinion of that agreement?  What is the big deal with it?
I feel that Linux is getting to MS. :-D

[GreggBz]

Since Balmer is a spastic idiot, I'll be stunned if this is isn't just a slight embellishment, if not an outright lie.

And if some kernel module or the Gnome panel or something has 200 lines of stolen source, then what?

Sue Linux? That's a totally absurd notion. There are about 30,000 unique organizations that have their fingers in Linux. Which one are they going to sue? Red-Hat? Fine we'll just run postfix on Debian and call Ubuntu :lol: for support, since we will all hate you anyway.

In the grand end of it all, Linux isn't going anywhere, sorry Microsoft, it's not another company you can paint a bulls eye on.

I like Windows, really, I think it's the better desktop OS. But I like Linux also, use it all day at work, and I don't feel guilty!

[guest3217]

I do not want to live to see the planet taken over by Microsoft. It would be a nightmare, with people being hunted like witches for doing anything without the official stamp of Microsoft approval.

Yikes...Sorry to say, but as far as I can tell...that happened long ago...ago...ago... ago... (echo)
Micro$$oft not only has helped make almost every other OS obsolete, but has also used its own customer base as a testing ground for their own obsolete OS's....And now, those of us stuck with XP are now supposed to blindly follow (like Lemmings) over the Vista cliff? ...Not. I for one, am not going to play the "patch" game for the next year while Vista gets ironed out....
Wizardo

P.S. Didn't they try that in the Eighties? Something about having been the "first" to develop a "Windows" GUI?

[motorollin]

Ballmer said in a question and answer session at a technology conference that Microsoft signed the deal because Linux "uses our intellectual property"

Where, exactly?

--
moto

[Nycran]

Hi Starrunner, yeah I think you're being paranoid.  IMHO linux isn't going anywhere - there's simply too much momentum and too many companies to try to bring down.  Not even all the financial might of Microsoft can stop it.

Furthermore, MS's reluctance to specify exactly *what* in Linux violates their IP speaks volumes.  This is just a FUD campaign Microsoft's using to try to inhibit Linux growth.

It seems unlikely that Linux is going to dominate the desktop world anytime soon, but at the same time, it will still be here next year I can assure you, as will Amiga OS4 :-)

On an unrelated note, let's hope we get some hardware to play with this yeah eh?  I'll looking forward to playing with OS4.

Happy new year.
Andy.

[weirdami]

Ballmer said ... Linux "uses our intellectual property"

Isn't that also what SCO said? How's that going for them?

[Minuous]

It's just the usual Microfilth FUD, I'm surprised they have any credibility left with anyone after their repeated lies etc. Ah, well, there's one born every minute I guess :-)

There are plenty of reasons not to want to use Lamix but that is not one of them.

[AJCopland]

@weirdami
Well after it came out that even their own internal audit of the Linux source code proved that there was none of their UNIX code in it, and they then went ahead with the case after MS gave them huge wads of cash, things haven't been going all that well for them :-D

Shockingly! :lol: