[Linux-aus] Curse Microsoft - THEY JUST DON'T GET IT

[David Lloyd <lloy0076@adam.com.au>]

After having carefully read the license agreement for downloading the
XML Paper Specification (Microsoft's Answer to PDF), I decided to
download it.

Having fallen over their IDIOTIC user interface, little did I notice
that the actual download is:

 * XPS_085.exe

Hello, Microsoft. I want to download the damned standard so that I can
write your empire building blasted documents using Linux. That's because
I want my LINUX products to INTERFACE with Microsoft's STUPID
products...

Their confounded license actually says that I am actually allowed to do
this:

1. You may review these Materials only (a) as a reference to assist You
in planning and designing Your product, service or technology
("Product") to interface with a Microsoft product, specification,
service or technology ("Microsoft Product") as described in these
Materials; and (b) to provide feedback on these Materials to Microsoft.
All other rights are retained by Microsoft; this Agreement does not give
You rights under any Microsoft patents. You may not (i) duplicate any
part of these Materials, (ii) remove this Agreement or any notices from
these Materials, or (iii) give any part of these Materials, or assign or
otherwise provide Your rights under this Agreement, to anyone else.

I want to build a web technology that is capable of writinx XPS to a
Microsoft Vista Server. it might run on Linux, it might run on Windows
XP - I don't care and apparently they don't either. it is by definition
a 'service or technology to interface with a Microsoft product'.

So why do I need to understand Windows to damn well do this?

/me sigh

DSL