03.27.08
Microsoft Monopoly and OSBC: The Before/After
Yesterday we commented on Microsoft’s attendance at OSBC, which was tactless and unnecessary. It gave Microsoft a lot of positive press, despite its real intentions. This really ought to stop, but this has got to start somewhere. Groklaw response to Microsoft’s talk at OSBC was interesting. PJ says:
Now that they built a monopoly before there were software patents to hinder them, they believe in a well-functioning — for them — patent system that excludes GPL software. Nice doubletalk.
Remember this old quote:
“If people had understood how patents would be granted when most of today’s ideas were invented, and had taken out patents, the industry would be at a complete standstill today… some large company will patent some obvious thing… take as much of our profits as they want.”
–Bill Gates
Bill is not quite the same guy anymore. Secured in the comfort of the fort (or Cathedral), Microsoft has other things on its agenda.
“Other than Bill Gates, I don’t know of any high tech CEO that sits down to review the company’s IP portfolio.”
–Marshall Phelps
“If seems unfortunate if we do this work and get our partners to do the work and the result is that Linux works great without having to do the work. Maybe there is no way Io avoid this problem but it does bother me. Maybe we can define the APIs so that they work well with NT and not the others even if they are open. Or maybe we could patent something related to this.”
–Bill Gates [PDF]
Well, yeah. It figures. It was last acknowledged by Microsoft only weeks ago that GNU/Linux is the company’s #1 competitor. Can’t Microsoft compete like a gentleman? █
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.