Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

What Should Microsoft's Open Source Strategy Be?

Posted by Cliff on from the deep-thoughts-for-bill dept.

JWinterboy asks: "I'm guessing that everyone here has a valid criticism of Microsoft's attacks on, and approach towards the Open Source model. To me, that begs the question of what we think would be an "appropriate" reaction from Microsoft towards the Open Source model. It doesn't have a service arm, so IBM's approach isn't really viable. At the same time, non-service related business models haven't fared very well. What would we like to see Microsoft do? How can it work with the Open Source community, leverage its resources, and still make a buck?"

12 of 759 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft Linux by checkitout · · Score: 2, Funny

    I bet you can't wait til they have their own distribution.

    1. Re:Microsoft Linux by Fat+Casper · · Score: 2, Funny
      You win the all expense paid, two week trip to Philadelphia.

      Driver installs, for example, are a lot easier to do because Windows 'stagnates', or as I prefer to call, sticks to its standard.

      You recieve second prize in the contest; you referred to Microsoft sticking to a standard with a straight face. Had you personally stuck to a more important standard (proper use of the English language), you would have recieved first prize: One week in Philadelphia. Keep trying and better luck next time.

      --
      I spent a year in Iraq looking for WMD and all I found was this lousy sig.
    2. Re:Microsoft Linux by Com2Kid · · Score: 4, Funny

      "I'm missing something here..... (apt-get install xserver)"

      How to install drivers on windows (the more or less insecure way, but hell, executables by their very nature. . . .)

      goto manufacturers web site

      goto driver page

      click driver

      select 'run from'

      wait

      wait

      wait

      wish you had broadband (hahah, I do. Yah!)

      Click yes

      Click next

      Click next

      Click "I agree that j00 0wn my s0ul"

      Click done

      enjoy.

      Ok so A LOT of clicking is involved, but it is MUCH more intuitive them guessing at WTF you need. :) It is just downloading an EXE and running it from your browsers cache, then letting clicking through the standard boring 'yada yada yada' screens that almost any driver have.

      Windows also has the advantage that the WORST that can possibly go wrong is that you have to hit a key at startup and select use last best config. Handy that. :)

      Umm, what exactly IS the worst that installing an improper driver under Linux can do to ya anyways? I know that under the MS system that it USED to be able to cause hardware damage, but that is pretty much none existent now (as windows is far more likely to shit out then go on running hardware with the wrong driver, or it will shitout when some serious incompatability is found, take your pick. :) ) Windows actualy typicaly tends to just disable that singular device now days more often then it refuses to boot.

      --
      Need help treating your acne? Come here!
  2. Dancing Monkeys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Well, they could just forget the software biz altogether and sell videos of Steve Ballmer dancing... Hell, I'd pay good money for more of that!

  3. Simple! by BurritoWarrior · · Score: 3, Funny

    1. Tell everyone that Unix/Linux is bad.
    2. Create a web site to explain the way out of the Unix trap.
    3. Host web site on BSD.
    4. Remove foot from mouth.
    5. Go back to drawing board.

  4. Should? Could... by WolfWithoutAClause · · Score: 3, Funny

    There's a number of approaches:

    a) IBM approach- GPL windows and keep office closed
    b) keep everything closed and make GPL illegal by changing the law
    c) find a way to crack GPL legally (find/make a hole in it that makes it unefforceable somehow; hey OJ got off first time around ;-) )
    d) buy Linus Torvalds/Red Hat off [perhaps they have already ;-)]
    e) create their own Linux distro add closed source interfaces and stuff office and IE on top
    f) abandon the software domain and put their $30+G into other businesses
    g) spread out into other applications; move away from the OS
    h) Buy off Richard Stallman
    i) kill em; kill all of them (order hits on main GPL proponents)
    j) who cares? let's just buy a small Island somewhere instead. Australia?

    --

    -WolfWithoutAClause

    "Gravity is only a theory, not a fact!"
  5. I don't get it by jsse · · Score: 3, Funny

    They've already opensourced W2k in Russia, why don't they do the same in US?

  6. Re:play fair by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny
    > [Microsoft says] " Standards are the means by which software can compete on the basis of merit, and Microsoft takes advantage of the fact that pragmatically, a market leader's de facto standard speaks much louder than any written document."
    >
    > What are they supposed to do? It's hard to innovate when a standard is set in stone.

    "I love the way Microsoft follows standards.
    In much the same manner that fish follow migrating caribou."
    - Paul Tomblin, as seen in USENET, in one of my all-time favorite .sigs.

  7. Re:Follow Sun's Example by Lictor · · Score: 5, Funny

    You haven't dealt with Sun lately, have you?

    They're the 'dot' in

    rm -rf /.

  8. Re:Simple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Why do you keep reading it?

  9. How Desparate is Microsoft on attacking OpenSource by loconet · · Score: 2, Funny

    This very interesting support article speaks for itself. I dont know if i should be pissed, or laff at how sad they are...

    --
    [alk]
  10. "still make a buck" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    why should they "still make a buck" and not just shut down - a very popular business strategy for opensource companies ;-)