07.17.07
Microsoft Leaves Linspire Robbed, Naked
Well, well, well…
That’s what ‘partners’ are for.
Just shortly after Microsoft had betrayed Novell, Microsoft decided to move on to Linspire. DinformationWeek, which has been Microsoft’s pet for delivering endless FUD recently, has the report.
Microsoft says software that’s licensed under a new version of a popular open source license isn’t covered by the patent protection deal it recently signed with desktop Linux distributor Linspire.
If we get this straight, and only if (that’s a big if) Microsoft’s claims are legally valid at all, Linspire faces two choices (or scenarios) now:
- Linspire has no access to GPLv3-licensed software, of which there will be plenty.
- Linspire achieved nothing with its deal. It is not supposedly ‘protected’. It spends money building a so-called ‘translator’ to serve a convicted monopoly abuser. It also propagates the myth that Linux requires protection and at the same time drives many of its existing customers away.
This might be the perfect punishment to the man who called certain Linux distributors “high-brow pirates” and, as a Linux distributor, spread FUD on behalf on Microsoft (for profit).
A question remains here. Are Novell and Xandros affected by association/inference?
Have a look at this discussion at Digg.com and the pointers it contains. It says it all.
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.
elkosmas said,
July 18, 2007 at 7:09 am
Here in greece the we had Microsoft-Goverment “agreement” one year later the Goverment doesn’t report to the public about the context of this “agreement”…. sometimes i don’t know what’s worst. “M$Agreements” with OS software companies or with Goverments
Roy Schestowitz said,
July 18, 2007 at 7:42 am
Here in Britain we have some similar problems with BECTA, which always procures Microsoft software for education. The Open Source Consortium is looking into it.
Example articles:
Becta’s schools software scheme reported to EC
,—-[ Quote ]
| An advisor to Becta, the education technology quango, has complained
| to the European Commission about its procurement process for firms
| to provide online learning platforms and content to British schools.
`—-
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01…_ec_complaint/
OSC joins criticism of UK education’s attitude to open source
,—-[ Quote ]
| Open Source Consortium president, Mark Taylor, has been in contact to
| voice its opinion on the controversy surrounding Becta’s purchasing
| frameworks and the adoption of open source adoption in UK schools.
|
| In short, it doesn’t make happy reading for Becta. “The essence of
| our concern is that they’re saying one thing and actually pursuing
| policies that are exclusive,” he said. “Becta’s own research shows there
| are major benefits [with open source], however the reality of the
| framework is that it excludes both products and services.”
`—-
http://www.businessreviewonline.com/…ins_criti.html
UK Government criticised for stifling open source in schools
,—-[ Quote ]
| MP Pugh reckons shcools should support independent or open source
| software firms. He says, “In my experience a school is a key part
| of the community and as such has a role to play in the economy of
| that community. By supporting SMEs the local high-technology
| industry will be encouraged which will benefit everyone.”
`—-
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36464
Becta under fire for procurement framework
,—-[ Quote ]
| Nineteen MPs have accused a government agency of restricting the
| procurement of software in schools.
`—-
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11…nt_criticised/
MPs criticise government roadblocks to Open Source adoption in schools
,—-[ Quote ]
| The UK Government’s own studies have shown savings of up to 60% can be
| made by schools and colleges using Open Source software. Despite this
| clear advantage, some MPs believe the software procurement frameworks
| from Becta and official advice from DfES effectively locks out the us
| of free, Open Source software.
`—-
http://opensourceblog.itproportal.com/?p=220
Among many more…
Gopal said,
July 18, 2007 at 8:22 am
If OpenOffice moves to LGPLv3, would M$ pull out of the OOXML converter deals also ? If so where wiould it leave the likes of Linspire .
Rickie Stallman said,
July 18, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Hey, weren’t you reported to your ISP for crapflooding USENET groups with “advocacy” flamebait? How did that go?
Larz said,
July 18, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Who the hell are you, Rickie? M$ rabble-rouser?
Steve said,
July 18, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Are we really surprised?
______________
http://www.FreeOpenMoko.com
Balmbag Balmer said,
July 18, 2007 at 1:16 pm
C’mon… How can Micro$oft protect distributors from threats that do not exist? These distributors signed deals with M$, when there was no need to, and now they will pay a price for it. I will not shed a single tear and, by the way, who gives a fly’n phuck about Linspire or Novell? There are better distributions out there.
Jonathan said,
July 18, 2007 at 1:18 pm
What’s with the vitriol in the articles and in the comments? You’re not helping your case.
And for that matter, writing “M$” just screams “from the heart of my Mom’s basement, I stab at thee!” Try working for the EFF or groups actually defending Linux and open-source if you really want to burn Microsoft.
Fred said,
July 18, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Here in Missouri we don’t need Microsoft or Linux. We use “Jesus OS”, pronounced “jeez-os”, for short. The Lord is our chipset and our compiler. He writes the code that makes the whole world sing. He writes the code. He writes the code.
David Ponce said,
July 18, 2007 at 2:40 pm
M$. I like it, not a single tear for me too. Microsoft is continuously proving that we need to get out of the proprietary software, change the copyright institution that is working against progress and enroll the open source revolution.
Yes M$, you will die slowly…very slowly.
Shawn Q said,
July 18, 2007 at 2:52 pm
I wish most companies got this kind of attention. If we even scraped a smidgen of how criminal most of the worlds corporations can be…we might have a straighter world.
Roy, I believe Linspire’s efforts were partly due to the “strange new” attitude Microsoft had. Microsoft seemed to “give up” and start unifying with other companies like Novell - which, perhaps was a nice ploy to knife a couple enemies in the back (keep your friends close, enemies closer), but, I couldn’t blame a single head at either Novell or Linspire for at least trying.
Karl L. Gechlik said,
July 18, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Come on! I mean really, who didn’t think Microsoft was capable of doing this? We are going to continue to see these types of shananagins until the world goes open source! And Good Luck With That!
Good story though from your friends @ http://www.askTheAdmin.com
mike said,
July 18, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Some people have to realize that you cannot make deals with the devil and continue keeping your soul. Everyone who dare making deals with M$ will be doomed forever.
Roy Schestowitz said,
July 18, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Mass grave of Microsoft ‘partners’: Lotus, WordPerfect, Corel, DBase, Netscape, Novell (pre Linux)…
Kennon Keoseyan said,
July 20, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Heh…most of you are like old hens. I am still waiting for SOMETHING bad to happen from the Novell/M$ deal. 6+ months later nothing. Novell made a boatload of cash off M$ and other than the FUD mongering here and a few other places no real damage to Linux is reported. You guys need to go find another jihad cuz this one is just getting silly. So Linspire was stabbed in the back…big shocker there. Businesses make good and bad decisions every day. It is part of the market. It blows me away that the owner of this site has put so much effort into criticizing one that has had zero tangible effect on FOSS other than the FUD that itself helped spread. You want a cause? Try starting a blog called boycottchina.com or boycottimperialism.com. you really want to help the FOSS community? Contribute some code or convert a company from IIS to Apache or something useful. Losers.
sailor said,
July 20, 2007 at 4:02 pm
“effect on FOSS other than the FUD that itself helped spread.”
That was it’s purpose…because that is all the MS can do…make threats to steer business users away from linux.
Roy Schestowitz said,
July 20, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Kennon,
Novell has already been betrayed by Microsoft as well. See:
http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/10/novell-and-microsoft-meet-gpl/
Linux distributors must begin to understand that sidling with Microsoft is never an option, no matter how much Microsoft pays (which is does, because it knows the death knell is worth that money).
Chris said,
March 17, 2008 at 4:26 am
I dunno what Linspire is, but I bet if you install it, there’s no mention of GPL. SUSE makes no mention, that’s for sure.
I contribute to what these people are distributing - so they’re taking my code, removing the GPL references they’re required to show, then selling it on.
What insane hipocracy - calling other people thieves and pirates, when they’re in fact the worse offenders…
Roy Schestowitz said,
March 17, 2008 at 4:42 am
Linspire you are only allowed to install on one single PC. It’s right there in the licence. Linspire is not free. Needless to say, many developers are rightly pissed off.