12.12.07
Quick Mention: Why Microsoft Goes Litigious Against GNU/Linux
A few days ago we mentioned the UNIX ownership question and Microsoft’s refusal to comment on it. The following essay goes further and explains Microsoft’s motives.
But if it’s not important, why is Microsoft folding its arms and closing its mouth? Obviously they’ve “lawyered up” - there is some reason that they don’t want anyone shooting off their mouths. And it has to be pretty serious too, because otherwise they’d prep the people they were sending out and say “Just don’t mention xyz, ok?”.
Microsoft is in trouble. Vista is a flop; Mac is chipping away at the power user base (I see more and more Windows tech folk carrying Macs) and low end Linux PC’s are starting to bite their toes. They aren’t doing as well overseas as they’d like, particularly in the more socialistic countries. Yes, yes, they are still Number One without question, but there is real danger of slipping and they know it. Our question is, what are they going to do about it?
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.