09.05.08
SourceForge and Windows
While Novellers are trying to marry Microsoft’s proprietary software stack with Free software developers, SourceForge, whose awards were sponsored by Microsoft, has just made a Windows-only program its “project of the month”. It’s safe to predict that more such things are on their way as Microsoft tightens its grip on its #1 competitor.
This month’s Project of the Month (POTM) is a very cool program called WinSCP. It’s lead developer explains what the project is all about:
“WinSCP is an open source SFTP client and FTP client for Windows. Its main function is the secure file transfer between a local and a remote computer. Beyond this, WinSCP offers basic file manager functionality. It uses Secure Shell (SSH) and supports, in addition to Secure FTP, also legacy SCP protocol. It was the first ever GUI SCP (and later SFTP) client for Windows.”
Some months ago, SourceForge crowned a project of former Microsoft employees. SourceForge has Microsoft money on their table, which voids trust. It’s not as though there’s no reason for apprehension. █
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.
Technie said,
September 5, 2008 at 11:15 am
I have already dumped SourceForge for bazaar and launchpad
akf said,
September 5, 2008 at 1:23 pm
see also
Savannah
Gna!
landofbind said,
September 6, 2008 at 8:27 pm
If you want to criticize someone for recommending proprietary or windows only software, criticize yourself.
You’ve several times promoted in this blog proprietary software, products and services. You’ve also promoted windows-only software and mac-only software.
And promoted hardware from companies who couldn’t care less about software freedom (or freedom in general) and users rights.
So, Sourceforge promotes some windows only software. So what? It’s still open source. It’s doing its job. Doesn’t discriminate.
How about yourself? Have you being something useful? Besides trowing things to the wall to see if they stick, by the ton.
No, I don’t think you have.
Someone might called you an hypocrite. What do you think? What do you call someone that speaks for something and forces others to follow but is unable to follow it himself?
Conscience you don’t have, that’s for sure…
Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from an incarnation of a known (eet), pseudonymous, forever-nymshifting, abusive Internet troll that posts from open proxies and relays around the world.
landofbind said,
September 6, 2008 at 8:30 pm
And how about your constant promotion and defending of Google?
Google, the “we do no evil”, hypocrites.
Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from an 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 9:04 pm
I’m also a critic of Google. Search the Web to find out about it.
Lars Hartviksen said,
September 14, 2008 at 9:05 am
You are acting like zealots right now.
I mean, I am Micro$oftophobic too but I’d appreciate it if the really heavyweight critique, ranging from trying to bribe Netscape and making exploder practically undeletable on purpose, to making competition to office 2007 seem trashy in the eyes of the mundane using their docx format.
This critique of sourceforge is completely subjective.
I think that sourceforge, by making window$-only-software winning a competition, shows that open-source does not discriminate between platforms when making these decisions, and confirms once again that they are in fact supporting OPEN software, that everyone use, and not necessarily Linux-only zealots.
tom said,
September 20, 2008 at 10:34 am
maybe not a big thing, but meaningful, I think - look at this link:
http://alexandria.wiki.sourceforge.net/File+Release+System+-+Offering+Files+for+Download#upload
and look at the section for windows users - they do not say “web browser”, but “internet explorer”.