01.24.08
OOXML Sins and “Charity” Against GNU/Linux
Yesterday we carried on a discussion about the use of so-called “charity” to starve or eliminate one’s competition. We also mentioned what seemed like a strategic donation aimed at affecting a vote on OOXML. Two days ago we mentioned Microsoft’s voyage to Europe, which includes Bill Gates and a Microsoft pet analyst, Gartner. It happens to have a lot to do with OOXML, so the following new article struck a nerve.
But the final ISO vote, scheduled to conclude March 31, could take place under a cloud for Microsoft, which finds its business under renewed attack. European antitrust officials opened an investigation last week into whether Office Open XML, which the company said would be compatible with all rival document formats, is truly open and can work freely with competing formats…
[…]
Lobbying of ISO delegates by Microsoft and its rivals has been fierce before the final round of voting.
Microsoft’s co-founder, Bill Gates, planned to speak Wednesday to 403 European government representatives attending the Berlin conference, where he also planned to announce that the company was helping finance a new computing center in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The center will work to create and upgrade government Web portals on the Balkan peninsula.
The article moves on to explaining the role of such gestures. It’s a case of trying to show goodwill while at the same time promoting an agenda of that keeps Linux away and helps OOXML. Make no mistake. These are not coincidences. Microsoft realised that it loses popularity in Europe, so it responds in a variety of questionable ways. Speaking of OOXML, our suspicion was correct and the Foundation is at it again. Hiser et al continue to poison journalists’ minds. █
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.