03.18.08
Microsoft Apparently Invaded Vodafone to Made Deal
Another ‘inside job’?
On several occasions in the past we listed examples where Microsoft ’sends’ it departing employees into other companies, which in turn ‘massage’ these companies until they become Microsoft friends (or victims). Remember XenSource? This seems to also be the case with the latest announcement from Vodafone.
Microsoft and Vodafone Germany have intensified their cooperation for the development of Windows Mobile. Microsoft will partner closely with the Vodafone Test & Innovation Center in Duesseldorf in developing new versions of the operating system for mobile phones.
The new head of Vodaphone appears to be the head of Microsoft’s failing Mobile Unit (with an abysmal market share and losses). He left to join Vodafone just weeks ago after a very long service at Microsoft.
Microsoft seems to have applied and mastered a similar tactic in Nokia’s case [1, 2]. Apparently. it could be a natural side effect rather than an intended effect, but either way, this comes to show the danger that is ex-Microsoft employees altering the agenda of companies. Remember Yahoo and the proxy war which Microsoft openly engaged in? █
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.