More Linux Firms Standing Up To Microsoft
from the won't-sign-the-dotted-line dept
After getting a number of companies to sign its interoperability/patent licensing deals, Microsoft is finding that many Linux distributors aren't interested in these pacts. Red Hat, Canonical (the company behind the popular Ubuntu Linux) and now Mandriva have all stated that they want no part of these deals, and see no reason to sign them. As Mandriva CEO Francois Bancilhon correctly put it, the route to interoperability is not through deals, but through open standards. Of course, these deals were never really about interoperability, but about Microsoft looking to demonstrate that some Linux firms agreed with it about the need to license patents. Of course, the firms that have joined the Microsoft camp are seeing benefits, as Microsoft is sending business their way, particularly in the case of Novell. That being said, Novell has burned a lot of bridges in the open source community, while these holdout firms are likely to benefit from added love among Linux fans.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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OS
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Microsoft Haters
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Microsoft Haters
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Burned Open-Source Bridges
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Tight rope walking...
Notice how I never really said I was for or against the idea of all these deals? It's because a quetion like that cannot just be answered in one clever post or insightful comment (kinda like net neutrality).
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Actions speak louder than words
I don't know what the point of these deals are? If you want interoperability then make your product inter-operable, instead we have SMB2 vs SMB, over 200 mystery pattens and all sorts of other proprietary stuff coming out of MS.
I do not believe Linux Desktop will take over the world, but I am happy that its there, its like a cloud (a little one anyway) hanging over MS' ability to make the Desktop less and less under our control.
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hehe!!!
that reminds me of Open Source.
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patents...you forget about them so quickly
MS owns enough that just trying to match them is a quick way to get sued -- despite the benefit for users. And, open-source isn't, in general, designed to be profitable on its own (thus closed-source versions and donations), so an open-source company getting sued is a huge hit -- especially when MS is the plaintiff.
These deals save the linux distros from being sued because they want to make their desktop closer to Windows so more Windows users can switch easily. And, you still don't get the point of the deal?
Linux is NOT a good OS for the majority of people. Trying to implement Windows-like features, to make the transition easier, can be a point. Making cross-system networking easier is another.
Of course MS can use these to complete f#&@ over those who have made deals already. But once they release an MS-like feature, it's open within the open-source license. So, even if they get screwed, other distros will be able to quickly pick up and use anything these 3 companies release.
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patents... yeah right
The point is that all of this new interopability will be encumbered by patents. The companies signing up will be protected from lawsuits (until MS decides differently), but the non-signatories can't touch the stuff without it blowing up in their faces.
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sending business to others?
Example: MS distributes many linux distros via their shop for free, for some reason.
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reply to myself
turned out that was a 1 or 2 day thing.
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Re: patents... yeah right
The deals make it clear that anything released is available to the ENTIRE linux community. Of course, under license, but so is everything else in the community.
There's too much blind hatred towards MS, that I don't see them actually breaching their contracts; they can't afford that size of a class-action suit that would surely follow.
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Couldn't they sue MS?
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Re: Microsoft Haters
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Re: Burned Open-Source Bridges
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Re: Tight rope walking...
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Re: Burned Open-Source Bridges
Year you're right that is a no-brainer.
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Re: patents...you forget about them so quickly
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Re: patents...you forget about them so quickly
Linux is a good system for everyone who is not already stuck on Windows.
Considering the rest of the world will be plenty happy with hand me-down single core processors and the fact that XP support and sales will start ramping down means most of the people coming online for the first time will probably choose Linux over Windows.
It just makes sense. Linux is light weight, easy to use, and free. How does Vista compare to this? If MS wasn't still stuck in the 80's maybe they would have already understood that bigger isn't always better.
This has already starting happening in many countries in South America as well as Asia and Africa. While Windows may still be in the "calculated" majority it is losing ground extremely fast in many circles.
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Keeping the Windows Closed
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Re: sending business to others?
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