09.05.08
Microsoft Shills Attack BoycottNovell
Another day, another smeary attempt to have people look away from this Web site. Who’s behind it? Not exactly an impartial party, but one that wishes to poison people’s minds.
We typically ignore such attacks, but this one is different because of the source of the smears. To be precise, a “Consultant (Techical Writer/SDET) at Microsoft,” according to his own description. Spreading unfounded attacks with accusations that are not even backed by evidence is nasty enough, never mind putting it up ‘for display’ (without permission!) and bemoaning replies to bait. For example, consider provocative questions such as this: “should vendors who sell Free software be banned from doing business with those who produce proprietary software?”
“You are being played here. This is the exact same stuff Microsoft Jack [1, 2] spouts regarding Apple. It’s from the same script. They are only trying to trip you up,” says one reader.
“It’s very important to keep track of where they come from (especially the affiliations at play).”Microsoft’s attacks against its critics needn’t necessarily be coordinated, but the issue is well documented [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Maureen O’Gara, a known Microsoft shill that attacks GNU/Linux at Microsoft’s request [1, 2], is just one example of those who operate either independently or at the monopolist’s behest.
BoycottNovell recently came under similar attacks from Bill Beebe (several in August), who supported Maureen O’Gara’s malicious spying on PJ (of Groklaw). Rebuttal here.
If you spot shoot-the-messenger attacks on us, please be sure to inform. It’s very important to keep track of where they come from (especially the affiliations at play). █
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.
C.J. said,
September 5, 2008 at 2:02 pm
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Hash: SHA1
Hey there Roy,
Thanks for the write-up. I’d love to have a rational conversation
about this with you. However, you have shown a lack of interest in
facilitating such a conversation (kick/banning from the channel,
failing to provide a link to the chat log), so I’ll post a copy of
this comment on my blog as well, since you’re probably not going to
leave it up on yours.
As I said here (http://xrl.us/oqdxm), I think that you’ve got good
intentions. I’d like to know what you are working toward, though.
What is the end goal? What would cause you to feel that your call to
boycott has been successful? Without such a goal, it seems that your
activism (which I support) is being done only to gain attention (which
I do not support).
In response to your above accusation that the claims (I assume you
refer to the claim that you or your fellow channel members may have
“spammed” irc.gimp.net’s #mono channel) were unfounded, I disagree.
After receiving network abuse on the channel, the perpetrators from
the mibbit.com domain were banned. It was found that some of your
channel members hail from the same network:
01:17 [freenode] -!- mib_e1zoms
[i=41c7bd06@gateway/web/ajax/mibbit.com/x-b0e41913a3891c96]
01:17 [freenode] -!- ircname : 65.199.189.6
01:17 [freenode] -!- channels : #boycottnovell
01:17 [freenode] -!- server : irc.freenode.net [http://freenode.net/]
01:17 [freenode] -!- away : Auto away
01:17 [freenode] -!- End of WHOIS
This seems like more than a coincidence to me, however there are many
folks on freenode from that network. *shrug*
I note that although you mention in the topic of #boycottnovell that
the channel content is logged publicly, you claim that I did not have
permission to post the log. I consider the claim in your topic to be
“permission” to log it publicly.
18:54 [freenode] -!- Topic for #boycottnovell: Exploring the reality
behind exclusionary deals
with Microsoft and their subtle (yet severe) implications
(publicly logged)
To be clear of my affiliations, I have been a GNU/Linux user,
developer, supporter and activist since 1994. I am one of the
founding members of the IRC network on which you host your
#boycottnovell channel. As it states in the kick/ban message, I
contribute financially on a monthly basis to the PDPC, which
administers the network:
04:42 -!- mode/#boycottnovell [+b *!*@pdpc/supporter/monthlybronze/cj] by ChanServ
04:42 -!- cj was kicked from #boycottnovell by ChanServ [Banned: Goodbye Astroturfer]
I’ve contributed patches to the Mono codebase since 2003, Since 2006
I’ve been maintaining a gtk+ widget that I’ve been using since 1999.
I am working with Mirco Bauer to become a Debian Developer. During
2004 and 2005, I volunteered my time organizing and speaking at the
Seattle Perl Users’ Group. And yes, I am currently performing a
contract at Microsoft in Redmond.
I feel that this experience gives me a unique perspective on the
relationship between Microsoft and the Open Source / Free Software
world. As I said before, I agree that the relationship is not optimal
in its current state. I agree that it needs some work. I’m willing
to do that work, and I would appreciate any support that you and your
friends can provide. If you aren’t interested in identifying or
solving these problems, however, please don’t stand in the way of
those who are.
Sincerely,
C.J. Adams-Collier
0xBA27A83C
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Roy Schestowitz said,
September 5, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I don’t delete comments and I did not kick you from the channel (someone else did while I was asleep and I disagree with that). Once again you use imagination to make accusations. Good luck to you in your endeavours.
Victor Soliz said,
September 5, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Nope.
But they should probably refrain from making FUD deals with intentions to rob users away from other Free Software vendors using fear as an advertisement and endorsing MS’ “Linux robs our IP” claims just because it -theorically- would give them the competitive edge. Novell’s conduct has been harmful to free software, they have not changed their ways, as a matter of fact they just recharged the deal just recently, unfortunately these issues will not go away simply for the fact some guys that are usually in boycottnovell’s channel also spam other channels…
But really, MS employee? No thanks…
Jose_X said,
September 5, 2008 at 6:40 pm
So where is the link to the attacks?
Roy Schestowitz said,
September 5, 2008 at 6:43 pm
it’s in some other places like FSDaily, where sockpuppets like this one
http://www.fsdaily.com/users/boycottboycottnovell.com
are used to promote the smears.
Steve Lance said,
September 6, 2008 at 4:58 am
[i]“Spreading unfounded attacks with accusations that are not even backed by evidence is nasty enough, never mind putting it up ‘for display’ (without permission!) and bemoaning replies to bait.”[/i]
This must sound familiar to you Roy.
Needs Sunlight said,
September 6, 2008 at 5:38 am
Hey. That last link might improve the story by being removed, it’s the one labeled “supported Maureen O’Gara’s malicious spying on PJ (of Groklaw)” It actually links *to* more O’Gara FUD. It’s bad to do that. It’s sure necessary to cite it and even provide a URL, but don’t validate it by giving it free publicity which it gets from being a hot link.
O’Gara acted in a sleazy and small manner and used baseless accusations. Make your hot links point to pages where the issues are put under scrutiny:
http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/linux/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=163104408
Roy Schestowitz said,
September 6, 2008 at 6:49 am
Good suggestion. I broke the Beebe link and replace it with another.
stevetheFLY said,
September 6, 2008 at 12:01 pm
heh; the no.1 hater and spammer complains that he das been ATTACKED! how droll. roy, your blog is the worst smear-campaign, and mutual wanking-site of self-righteous zealots that I’ve ever seen. don’t complain that somebody fucked you when show people your naked arse!
Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from a possible incarnation of a known (eet), pseudonymous, forever-nymshifting, abusive Internet troll that posts from open proxies and relays around the world.
Roy Schestowitz said,
September 6, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Long time, no see, “eet”. If you dislike this site so much, why do you keep coming back to heckle?
pcole said,
September 7, 2008 at 2:51 pm
mib_e1zoms is the logon to mibbit irc chat I use. How the heck do you spam from the irc channel? This way I’ll do it and your spamming statement would be true. As of right now: You’re a LIAR CJ.