04.18.08
Microsoft Still Tries to Invade the Open Solutions Alliance
Camel comes ‘knocking’ on your tent
Several months ago we began to more systematically track Microsoft’s invasion into anything “open” and anything “nix”. A year ago we wrote to mention that the Open Solutions Alliance had rejected Microsoft’s attempt to join. Microsoft, as you already know, sticks its finger in any *NIX and OSS pie out there, hoping to become an integral part of it and then pull developers until they get entrapped inside the Microsoft stack, which is of course proprietary.
The Open Solutions Alliance has been struggling for a while for a variety of reasons, but those reasons are not the point worth focusing on. What’s worth looking at are Microsoft’s continued, relentless and seemingly never-ending intrusion attempts. it’s almost like a spoiled 5-year-old at the back seat yelling “are we THERE yet”?
Politics of a familiar sort has reared its head as well, according to Sartorio. While many companies want to integrate open-source elements with the Microsoft stack, that reality has clashed somewhat within the OSA’s ranks, he said. “They say, ‘Look, be careful what you do with Microsoft. … I don’t want to be part of an open-source movement that is working closely with Microsoft.’”
“The challenge at Microsoft is the old guard is trying to keep Wall Street happy and their revenues flowing in a predictable way,” he said, but the company is on the whole “not monolithic” in its thinking regarding open source.
“There aren’t any specific plans between OSA and Microsoft,” he added. “It’s a matter of ongoing dialogue.”
“Ongoing dialogue,” eh? You can read on by viewing the article as a whole. The article is about the OSA’s need for a momentum boost, which brings back worrisome memories of Microsoft’s attempts to ‘buy’ those who are frail, such as Novell and even OLPC (prepare for ugly news later this month, which follows Microsoft's systematic sabotage of the project, along with Intel).
“Microsoft rarely explains its goals, but those who listen carefully know the truth about Microsoft viewing FOSS as its to-be ISV.”Microsoft just loves to approach those who are feeble. Remember OSBC? If not, then you are strongly encouraged to look back at many posts that include [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. I seem to have finally opened up Matt Asay’s eyes a little bit because he has recently been more vocal with criticism about Microsoft’s real intent. He is no longer on the OSI’s board either, but this probably has nothing to do with Microsoft becoming part of it and more a question of time management (he publishes and communicates at a high pace). He sort of explained this himself last week. His relevance to this debate lies in the fact that he is the motor behind the birth of the Open Solutions Alliance.
There is a bunch of nonesense in the news at the moment about Ozzie uttering the term “open-source”, which foolishly enough, too many journalists and bloggers have fallen for. Microsoft rarely explains its goals, but those who listen carefully know the truth about Microsoft viewing FOSS as its to-be ISV. █
“I would love to see all open source innovation happen on top of Windows”
–Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft (2007)
“[If I ask you who is Microsoft's biggest competitor now, who would it be?] Open…Linux. I don’t want to say open source. Linux, certainly have to go with that.”
–Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft (February 28th, 2008)
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.