05.22.08
Microsoft: World’s Open Source Heroes Are… Silverfish
We previously mentioned the Microsoft “open source heroes” propaganda, which they have been plastering in the form of advertisements even in blogs with an established tradition of being open source-oriented and quite Microsoft-hostile (or comprising Microsoft doubters, to put it more gently).
At the beginning of this month I stated clearly that I had never clicked on these ads (they circumvent AdBlock), but those who do might find themselves forced or encouraged to swallow Microsoft patent poison.
The phrase, “Microsoft’s open source heroes,” doesn’t trip lightly off the tongue. But that’s what we’re seeing when we visit a page on the Microsoft Web site: “Heroes Happen Here/Open Source.” Do not expect to meet Linus Torvalds, Roy Fielding, or Andrew “Tridge” Tridgell on this page. Do expect to “Click here to download Silverlight.”
For information about Silverlight/Moonlight, see this recent post. Moonlight ought to be installed in the bit bucket (/dev/null/). Avoid it. Ignore it. Denounce it. It’s not catching on anyway. Maybe it will go down the same tube as SoapBox and Zune, circling itself to the bottom of the toilet. Microsoft decided to ignore GNU/Linux when it developed Silverlight.█
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.