04.30.07
C|Net Gives the Soapbox to Anti-GPL Lobbyists, Again
This is becoming tedious. Yet again, as we have mentioned before, a lobbying arm for Microsoft gets to throw dirt in the GPLv3’s face [rel="nofollow"]. Never once has C|Net enabled the other side of the debate to bring balance. They have been doing the same thing — on several occasions even — when the Microsoft legal battles in the EU were hot in the press. Perhaps it is time to just ignore C|Net altogether.
Do not be misled by the press and also check the affiliation of those who speak. There is a coordinated effort to get people scared of the GPLv3. This licence is bad news to Microsoft and Novell and they won’t take the transition without resistance, however aggressive it might be.
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.