06.19.08
GNU/Linux Users Locked Out of Olympics, Need Silverlight 2.0
To use his own words, Miguel de Icaza has just gone to hang out at Microsoft. Yes, that’s how close Novell’s executives are to Microsoft. But that’s totally besides the point that he’s actively assisting adoption of Microsoft Silverlight, which is a huge threat to the openness of the World Wide Web and also to viability of Free software desktops (unlike Flash).
“As the FOSS world probably knows by now, Moonlight is a semi-cooked catch-up work.”Just over a week ago we showed how Microsoft was ruining good football and also the Olympic games. We wrongly thought it was a matter of paying ‘Microsoft tax’. This had happened just before it was confirmed that Moonlight may indeed be a poison pill. It’s part of a broader issue introduced by Novell.
On the face of it, however, it’s no longer just a legal matter but perhaps also one of feasibility because the Summer Olympics will require the very bleeding edge of Microsoft Silverlight. As the FOSS world probably knows by now, Moonlight is a semi-cooked catch-up work. Microsoft wouldn’t port Silverlight to GNU/Linux.
NBC’s player is based on the latest beta version of Silverlight, which the Democratic National Convention will also use to distribute video in August. Silverlight 2.0 is due out in the fall.
It sounds as though not only will GNU/Linux users be left out in the cold. Novell’s paying customers (with ‘licensed’ Moonlight) will possibly be left out as well.
This was supposed to be a huge international event (recurring just once in four year), but Microsoft and its former partner (MS)NBC received exclusivity.
Say no to Silverfish and those who support it. Say no to Novell, whose official Web site is already saturated with Adobe Flash. Expect Silverlight too. Microsoft and Novell are partners now. █
“Our partnership with Microsoft continues to expand.”
–Ron Hovsepian, Novell CEO
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.
Heller said,
June 20, 2008 at 3:54 pm
well, when Microsoft make a deal, we all know who is the winner…
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4209/msdealoz2.jpg
John Wilson said,
June 21, 2008 at 9:27 am
To the best of my knowledge Silverlight will only be required in the United States (which is not the entire planet, Roy) and Holland (which isn’t either).
Other national broadcasters including the Chinese themselves (the host broadcaster in IOC terms) are either doing Flash or some other technology.
Granted this doesn’t make Silverlight 2.0 requirements for the United States (and Holland) any less palatable. Nor does it guarantee any kind of success given that it’s a dot zero release and Microsoft doesn’t do them well at all.
It will be interesting to see how many YouTube like Flash videos show up converted from Silverlight during the Summer Olympics.
ttfn
John
fig said,
August 12, 2008 at 7:03 am
“This was supposed to be a huge international event (recurring just once in four year), but Microsoft and its former partner (MS)NBC received exclusivity.”
Hello McFLy! the world of broadcasting has this thing about rights to broadcast, in each country one broadcaster has the rights to the games. that’s life in the real world.
“which is a huge threat to the openness of the World Wide Web and also to viability of Free software desktops (unlike Flash).”
and Flash is OK ?
owned by a huge corp. closed source. have you ever tried to debug ActionScript in a complex Flash app ?
what about the cost of the tools to develop Flash?
Roy Schestowitz said,
August 12, 2008 at 7:07 am
Look at this from the software patents and platform perspective.
Adobe does not hate GNU/Linux. It ports Flash (and AIR) to GNU/Linux
Adobe will not attack GNU/Linux using software patents.
For information about this, see:
http://boycottnovell.com/2008/05/27/mono-and-rand-for-gnome/
http://boycottnovell.com/2008/01/23/silverlight-not-for-linux/