[Linux-aus] If you could ask Microsoft a question, what would it be?

[Janet Hawtin]

On Jan 14, 2008 7:01 AM, Tim Bowden <tim.bowden at westnet.com.au> wrote:

> MS are also talking to Apache devs (and I presume other open source
> devs).  If the popular tech press is to be believed, MS has come to the
> conclusion that open source is here to stay, and they need to find a way
> to co-opt it.  From what I understand they have come to the conclusion
> they can live with open source so long as it is done on windows.
>
> Perhaps they are looking to build a relationship with those FOSS devs
> who are agnostic about platform (ie, are happy doing open source from
> the waist up so to speak, and aren't so concerned about the F in FOSS).
> MS are probably on the hunt for environments where such open source devs
> can be found and consider LUGs to be a prime candidate, hence the start
> of a relationship effort.

It is possible that some folk within MS are interested in interfacing.
It is also possible that it is a seasonal interest related to the ISO vote.
It is presumably easier to join a LUG than to buy into so many ISO
country groups over the last 12 months.
The new members joining the ISO process have managed to break the
process for all standards other than ooxml.
Its new fatter quorum only votes on ooxml and so no other standards
processes make quorum regardless of the effort the submitters have put
into making a real standard.
It is hard to see what the parallel is wrt LUGs but I expect the
process will be a learning experience for all.
The ooxml process has a large component of marketing and impression.
Australia is a useful country in the vote.

Janet