04.19.08
Posted in News Roundup at 10:55 am by Roy Schestowitz
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What Else is New
Links 01/12/2008: FreeBSD 6.4 Released; City Moves to OpenOffice.org
Links for the day
IRC: #boycottnovell @ FreeNode: November 30th, 2008
IRC Log for November 30th, 2008
Antitrust Complaint About Microsoft, a So-called 'Pirate'
Microsoft is reported to the EC for overcharging, media contains a lot of Microsoft-imposed daemonisation
Boycott Novell Leaps
3.2 million hits this month
Microsoft's Forecast Suffers Fresh Blow, Online Problems Linger on
Microsoft pressured by pessimistic analysts, profitability online remains a struggle
On Lipstick, Pigs, and Windows
Problems for Windows Mobile (ridicule of the idea of a Microsoft phone) and continued demise of Windows Vista
Stuffing It Up, Microsoft Edition
Microsoft sneaks its way into various consortia, events and press via familiar pressure groups and known 'loyals'
Eye on Microsoft: Another Messy Week for Security
Summary of large-scale, high-impact security issues in Windows
Microsoft Hijacked Yahoo! from the Inside (Updated)
Microsoft is stepping up to buy Yahoo!, but history must not be neglected
Mono Critique Goes a Long Way Back
Quick look back at criticism of Mono
Links 30/11/2008: GNU/Linux Consistency; Netbook Summit Coming
Links for the day
Mono Tries to Enter KDE
A person tries to promote Mono in KDE
IRC: #boycottnovell @ FreeNode: November 29th, 2008
IRC Log for November 29th, 2008
Microsoft Imprisons the Ukraine and a South African University
More secret deals and more lock-in that's targeted at young people who are given no choice
Is Silverlight About 'Killing' GNU/Linux?
Breaking a session because of this thing called Silverlight
Patents Roundup: Patent Failure, Rambus Ambush, and Death by Patents
News about patents with limited focus on software patents
Why Journalism is Junk
New examples from the press of the sad state of reporting
Do-No-Evil Saturday - Part III: Managed Objects Managed by Novell, Identity Management, and Lots More
The Managed Objects acquisition is done, Novell's proprietary software products make several appearances in the press
Do-No-Evil Saturday - Part II: SLED at Lenovo and Wyse, SLES, Xandros
A summary of GNU/Linux-related news from Novell and Xandros
Do-No-Evil Saturday - Part I: Old OpenSUSE EULA Dies, Yastie is Born
Some of the main developments this week involve stripping of a bad EULA and addition of a mascot to YaST
SCO Death Watch
A roundup of news about SCO's loss to Novell
Links 29/11/2008: Java+GNU/Linux; KDE4 Screencasts
Links for the day
IRC: #boycottnovell @ FreeNode: November 28th, 2008
IRC Log for November 28th, 2008
Respecting AstroTurfers?
Have Microsoft or Novell personally corresponded with Boycott Novell about their efforts? Here's an answer
New in Boycott Novell: Site FAQ
A new page addresses FAQs (Frequently-Asked Questions)
More Microsoft Abuses in Italy and Europe
Microsoft's mischiefs in Italian universities and a few more stories from Europe (Holland & Portugal)
While the World is Asleep, Mono with Microsoft-patented WinForms Slips into Ubuntu 9.04
Mono boosters push a little more Microsoft "IP" into the next Ubuntu
The OOXML Trap Bites British Parliament
Another lesson about Microsoft's inability (possibly deliberate) to keep its own office suite compatible
Microsoft 'Extends' Open Source Scope
Once again, Microsoft seems to be leading to confusion around open source
Novell Linux: Another Platform (as in Kernel) for Windows?
An analysis of the role of Mono in Novell's GNU/Linux distribution and possible Microsoft motives
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.
Yuhong Bao said,
April 19, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Note that the worst part of MS-Novell deal only comes into play if MS is actually suing Linux users for patent violation, then, and only then, is Linux made non-free software. The real problem with this is that it increases the incentive for MS to sue and MS could bribe free software developers to keep the patented tech in other to collect royalties. So probably not worth a boycott, but be careful.
Roy Schestowitz said,
April 20, 2008 at 12:29 am
Not exactly. Allow me to explain this the way I view it, but please feel free to disagree. Microsoft does not need to sue if it can rattle a sabers and then:
1. Extract payments
OR
2. Scare vendors who might wish to include ‘dangerous’ components (c/f recent story about Red Hat and codecs dilemma)
OR
3. Scare customers (businesses in particular), who might view such things with uncertainty in mind.
Fear is a strong driver. Lawsuits are more about a reality, as opposed to perceived risk, which can be more effective.
Fear is costly because it can harm business or lead to irrational spendings.
Yhuong Bao said,
April 20, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Indeed, part of being careful is not believe the FUD.