[Linux-aus] Interesting spin

[Anthony Towns]

On Sun, Nov 30, 2003 at 09:26:12AM +0800, Leon Brooks wrote:
> On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 05:31, Con Zymaris wrote:
> >> "Copyright-style open-source licenses such as the BSD license are
> >> best for research purposes because they provide the most options for
> >> licensing derivative programs, said Todd Needham, manager of
> >> Microsoft Corp.s research programs group. "
> 
> Translation:
>     "Please use something we can effectively steal and incorporate
>     with nothing worse than a copyright acknowledgement. 

Fair enough, although that's only one of the results, it's not what
he's actually saying.

>     Anything that we can't co-opt is The Enemy, and if it's our enemy
>     we can probably paint it to be the enemy of truth, freedom,
>     justice, free trade, free enterprise, the great American Way Of
>     Life, business and development in general, plus your mother and
>     her apple pies. Not to mention any opportunities we get to lable
>     them 'pinko Commie terrorist sympathisers'."

But, uh, if you're really reading all that into the rather staid comment
from Microsoft above, take a pill. One of the calming ones.

Anyway, AIUI, Windows Services for Unix [0] actually does include some
GPLed stuff, so presumably that comes under "stuff they can co-opt".

Personally, I'm more interested in building good software (and being
paid for that) without having to try and demonise the alternatives --
whether they be free software, or owned by Microsoft.

Cheers,
aj

[0] "SFU". Makes me want to have a Peter Russell-Clarke moment: "But,
    where's the T?"

-- 
Anthony Towns <aj at humbug.org.au> <http://azure.humbug.org.au/~aj/>
I don't speak for anyone save myself. GPG signed mail preferred.

               Linux.conf.au 2004 -- Because we can.
           http://conf.linux.org.au/ -- Jan 12-17, 2004
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 307 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.linux.org.au/pipermail/linux-aus/attachments/20031130/05439f52/attachment-0001.pgp