04.07.08
Microsoft Tries to Fight Libre with Gratis
Fighting water with fire
The last time we wrote about Microsoft’s ‘dumping crusade’ against GNU/Linux was just under a fortnight ago. This collective item included a new incident and references to our previous writeups about Microsoft’s DreamSpark [1, 2] — essentially another attempt to further close the World Wide Web, making it more Microsoft Windows-dependent.
DreamSpark is more of a NightmareSpark and it’s not gone just yet. You might wish to know that Microsoft is seen dumping ‘lock-inware’ again. This time it’s spotted in Greece.
They’re at it again…
“Microsoft is the first company that will offer free development tools and design software to the Greek academic community through new service Anafandon of the National Research and Technology Network (GRNET).”
All those tools that Microsoft gives away for ‘free’ (gratis) are typically weapons of dependency. They betray all known standards and are very rarely cross-platform (unless you go by Microsoft’s own definition of “cross-platform”).
“Those wishing and successfully mimicking that ’standard’ get extinguished by Microsoft.”It remains very important for Microsoft to make Windows a de facto standard, if not an ISO standard now that ISO is just a shop. Those wishing and successfully mimicking that ’standard’ get extinguished by Microsoft. We were reminded of this just last night thanks to this blast from the past from a reader.
As reader “CoolGuy” wrote just moments ago, “Microsoft has done more harm to the industry than any one else. They have killed a lot of excellent products and companies just to maintain their monopoly status.” Let’s keep an eye on all these latest moves. Microsoft found itself trapped in an increasingly hard situation and it just copes with its poor shape in this fast-changing market — a shape which it skillfully hides. We will shortly post links to damning evidence about the latest vapourware stunt. █
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.