[NTLUG:Discuss] Microsoft takes on the free world

[Bob Netherton]

On Mon, 2007-05-14 at 11:34 -0500, terry wrote:

> I don't know for sure but I think it will be a futile effort on their
> part and they may know it too ...but just can't help using it anyway,
> as yet another FUD campaign. 

Oh sure.   How much has it cost them at this point ?   Nothing.
Any what's the downside ?   Probably nothing.   All the negative
comments I have seen in the various forums are from folks that
already have a negative bias against Microsoft.

> Maybe they hope that heads of IT departments will see articles like
> these in various news media and think it'd be safer to use [or stick
> with] Microsoft stuff rather than let their staff implement Linux
> machines [as servers or desktops] or to avoid using any more than they
> already have and / or maybe even do away with what they have now in
> order to avoid issues and problems with Microsoft in the future.

And I suspect it has impacted some projects.  If Linux is not a
strategic platform for your operation (meaning that you've already
researched the issue and are satisfied with your position) it
may well make newcomers tread lightly.  And since I work for one
of the alternatives to Microsoft, I'm not totally opposed to the
notion :-)

> After all, Microsoft IS the biggest bully on the block as far as
> software goes, 

Ahhhh, that's nothing compared to the way that Oracle is behaving
these days.   You may not like the way Microsoft is going about
total domination of the planet, but they are very rational and
predictable.   Oracle is anything but :-(

> Microsoft may feel like most of the IT department heads are all "fence
> riders" anyway, and this may just cause the majority, (or at least a
> great deal of them), to jump off on the side of Microsoft.

I'm sure it's worked in more than enough cases to be worth their effort.
It's like a good political campaign - you have to win the guys in the
middle because the fringes have already decided.

> They know it's a case that will stay in the courts for a number for
> years, and therefore the FUD campaign will last for a number of years
> as well. And by then, they will think of something else to squash
> competitors.

Maybe by then Vista will be mature :-)


> It will never end, they have been implementing FUD campaigns in lots
> of different ways every chance they've gotten for years, I don't see
> them stopping now. But I really don't think our courts should have to
> deal with all this. I don't think the courts should be used to help
> Microsoft keep it's market share. <IMO>

Agreed, although the courts are the proper place to fight for IP rights
and I sure hope they get it right.



Bob