[Linux-aus] Microsoft is a reality, please just deal with it [Was: SMH and The Age :)]

[Con Zymaris]

On Wed, Feb 26, 2003 at 12:23:26PM +1100, Jeff Waugh wrote:
> 
> > 2) By applying for a patent on some parts of the .Net framework,
> > regardless of which parts and regardless of the merits or success of the
> > patent application, Microsoft is making its intention of proprietal
> > demarcation very clear. One cannot claim, in the same breath, that a
> > technology is an open standard and also encumber it with patents. This is
> > totally disingenous, and smacks of the RAMBUS wrangle of last year.
> 
> To you, coming from a particular perspective on the patent argument (which
> Microsoft obviously does not subscribe to), perhaps this is disingenuous. To
> others, it is perfectly reasonable and honest. See the W3C 'Reasonable and
> non-discriminatory' policy discussions. It's not black and white.

Nothing is ever black and white when investigated in detail, but sometimes
decisions made by those who make decisions are based on cursory or shallow
analysis of complex topics, resulting in perceptions which are often black
and white. My point is that if Microsoft trumptets its framework as being
'open' often enough, then that is what will settle as the predominant
perception. If their framework is not open, then this needs to be pointed
out, and loudly. 

> 
> > 3) We, who are well versed in the nuances of licencing and of details
> > within technology, need to speak out when Microsoft claims adherence to
> > 'open standards' yet patently does not do so.
> 
> Do we? It's always good to have a few arguments to hand, but on the whole,
> your average punter (on the street, or in the CIO's office) won't care. Far
> better than having a smoking gun argument is having a smoking gun product.
> 
> Again: We have to compete on actions, not on words. Microsoft realised this,
> and put the executive sock in Mundie/Ballmer's mouths. The "GPL is a cancer"
> arguments were as childish and uninformative as "Windoze" and "Micro$haft".

Concurr.

> 
> So if Microsoft's marketing people grok it, what on Earth is going wrong in
> the Free Software community, and closer to home, on linux-aus? :-)

No issues here. 

-- 
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