Microsoft To Exhibit at LinuxWorld Expo

Earendil writes "Linux Today has a confirmed report that Microsoft is going to be an exhibitor at LinuxWorld Expo. One can only guess at what Microsoft's motives might be. It will be interesting to see the reaction to the appearance of a Microsoft booth." No doubt this means that the more childish among us will make us all look bad. Sigh.

Comments

childish?

[Pave Low]

No doubt this means that the more childish among us will make us all look bad. Sigh.

Well, Taco you can start making slashdot look less childish by using a decent Microsoft icon, instead of the Bill Gates borg.

Re:childish?

[alienmole]

Using the Bill Gates borg isn't childish - aside from the fact that it communicates /.'s bias honestly and concisely, it also satirizes aspects of Microsoft's real-life conduct. Not so much childish as chillingly accurate.

Re:childish?

[Anonymous Coward]

You so fell for that troll dude.

How does that saying go?

[wrinkledshirt]

First they ignore you...
Then they laugh at you...
Then they fight you...
Then...

Causing a reaction

[zeus_tfc]

My first question after reading the headline, and even after reading the article was "Why?" Does Microsoft expect to try and win converts? I seriously doubt it, and I don't think anyone will believe that they have something to contribute. So, why?

I think they are trying to cause a reaction and get people upset. They can point to this and say, "Look at how uncivil and mean these people are. Do you really want to be associated with them?" This will give them more leverage in the business world, where professionalism means quite a lot. Remember, MS is more about marketing right now than solid products.

I dunno. Just a thought.

Re:Childish

[albalbo]

What annoys me more is the insinuation that if you don't behave as if Microsoft would be welcome, then you're being childish. I don't see any reason why we should welcome the poster-child of proprietary software to a GNU/Linux show.

*cough* *sputter*

[Gannoc]

No doubt this means that the more childish among us will make us all look bad. Sigh.

Isn't that usually you? Seriously, nothing personal, thats what the site is about, but your comments after most story submissions tend to represent the worst elitist, one sided opinions of the community.

Of course it won't happen but

[sulli]

ya gotta admit that Office for Linux would be a useful thing to have around.

Why else would they be there?

[jsimon12]

Why does them pushing .NET not make sense? Gnome supports it and De Icaza love it. Hence my guess that Microsoft will be pushing .NET, cause I doubt they really "love" Linux.

So?

[Wakko Warner]

They've been running ads, along with UNISYS, for a while now, about a certain offering. Who doesn't expect this to be the focus of their exhibit?

- A.P.

One possibiltiy... Linux Business Unit?

[Nomad7674]

Well, it would not be totally out of the realm of possibility that MS might form a Linux Business Unit in the same way they already have a Macintosh Business Unit. If they did that to churn out MS Office editions for Linux, it might head off the insurgency of OpenOffice and ThinkFreeOffice and maintain their place as the #1 provider of office software.

Remember, in the end MS is out there to make money. Ruling the world is just a means to that end.

Re:Childish

[neuroticia]

Er. Why wouldn't MS be welcome? I mean, of COURSE they're going to come with something Linuxey. I mean. They know that if they try to show MS Windows there they'll be lynched. >=]

Honestly, though. Other proprietary vendors are welcome. (Think Maya, XSI, and a variety of other software vendors) Yes, MS is a bit over the top but... If they develop something for Linux why shouldn't they be welcome?

Note that "Welcome" is hinged upon their developing something for Linux, and "Unwelcome" would be their showing up as the KKK at an African American march. Preaching "Open Source is Evil" would be bad manners and quite likely be met by geekily violence.

-Sara

Re:What's the exhibit?

[JordoCrouse]

3) They want to Buy you. Not win you over, not get you to trust them, straight up, here's a free copy of XP, try it out. I've seen this at the chicago CIO conference, where it was brutally succesful.

Not to offend you, but your average CIO would be won over by one of those pens with a the lady whose clothes disappear when it is clicked. A CIO confrence is a long shot away from LinuxWorld.

And anyway, whats wrong with free copies of XP? Most hacker and porters I know end up needing a copy of Windows anway, and I would much rather receive a free copy than have to pay $100, know what I'm saying?

My fear

[nullard]

My fear is that Microsoft writes something like wine and sells it for Linux. They don't need you to buy their OS, they get you to buy their propriety compatibility layer and their software. Just think how many places that use Linux will be willing to pay $50 for the ability to use Windows apps. Microsoft will make money, and increase market penetration w/out giving anything to the community. Getting Linux users to run Microsoft software may be their first step in fighting Linux.

Re:My fear

[JordoCrouse]

Just think how many places that use Linux will be willing to pay $50 for the ability to use Windows apps. Microsoft will make money, and increase market penetration w/out giving anything to the community.

Lemme ask you something.. What the hell is wrong with Microsoft, as a commercial corporation, writing an emulator layer for Linux? They're not going to be able to take over the kernel. They're not going to be able to force their opinions or policies on anyone who doesn't use their brand of emulation, and to tell you the truth (no offense to the WINE folks), I'll bet that they will write a pretty damn good emulator. The only thing evil and borgish thing that they might do is to modify their Windows software to only work on *their* emulator. And I bet if they knew how to prevent WINE from running Windows apps, they would probably have already done it.

There is a huge market for Windows apps, even amongst Linux geeks. It might be a game that only runs on Windows, or it might be an specialized app, or it might be solitare for all I care. The fact of the matter is that there was obviously a need for WINE / WinForLinux / VMWare.

As for not giving back to the community - well, there is a long list of folks who have taken from the community without giving back. Part of software freedom is the understanding that there will always be people who take and never give.

Re:My fear

[JordoCrouse]

Gee, you need to use this "drm-approved" sound driver if you want our emulator to work. Sorry. Pretty soon they've taken over your allegedly free system in any way they please.

The important thing is that Microsoft would be entering this thing as a player on equal footing with other competitors. In the past, Microsoft has been a competitor, but has also been the ruling body for the competition itself. Products like WordPerfect would come in, and lose because Microsoft could change the underlying operating system to suit their whims.

Now, I understand that they can still rise to the top of the emulator market, because after all, only they have access to the secret APIs that even the WINE folks can only dream about. And I understand that they will do everything to try to switch the situation over to their favor.

But two important things still remain - if you choose not to buy into the Microsoft way of life, you can still use Linux, becuase while Microsoft can play games in their little corner of the Linux world, they still can't influence change in the kernel without giving it back to the community.

There is only one Windows, and it comes from a single point somewhere in Washington. You either use Windows from Microsoft or you don't use it at all. There are multiple Linux distros, so you are not forced to use the Microsoft approved (TM) distro if you don't want to (and I expect that if they play their usual games, then few people will want their distro, even if it means using a less compatible solution).

Re:Speculation

[geeklawyer]

1) get bad PR on F/OS people. Imagine the PR effect of a photo of a 'linux zealot' taking a swing at one of the MS suits.

2)From the antitrust perspective - showing that they are not 'hostile' to Linux by exhibiting at a linux expo.

3) genuinely attempting to turn waverers/gullible to the dark side.

4) Intercepting any curious neutrals and diverting them from the competition - e.g. educational bodies, corporates, people interested in OpenOffice etc..

5) sheer fucking chutzpah...

Dumbass

[Anonymous Coward]

Spreading FUD doesn't look bad unless you expose it as FUD; and people aren't going to take egg-throwing idiots like yourself seriously - you're just going to make the people that are actually trying to dispel the FUD look like idiots by association.

In other words, by acting like an ass, you've already given up. Congratulations. Enjoy your continued Microsoft monopoly...

Re:Please

[dimator]

Would that make ANY sense at all to do? Set up a booth that does nothing but discredit every booth around it? Wouldn't that give them a black eye more than it would do anything else? Wouldn't every tech magazine bash them for doing that?

Don't you think instead they'll be pushing .NET?

Think before you post.

Re:What??!!

[totro]

>Considering Microsoft has called the GPL a "Cancer"
>and attacks linux publicly whenever possible by
>telling outright lies, how can we ever look bad?

Despite the truth that only the informed few know, the ignorant masses will much sooner believe Microsoft because **money talks** (trough PR).

Anyone throwing eggs will be branded an anarchist, terrorist, you name it, just like most protesters protesting anything these days. The excellent points about MS trying every dirty trick imaginable to defeat Linux will very likely not make it to mainstream news sources. Throwing eggs will give Slashdotters a chuckle, but will do little to forward the cause of Linux and like-minded projects. It will just give the rest of the world more ammunition to ignore our legitimate concerns.

A little maturity goes a long way towards credibility, people!

Re:What??!!

[Anonymous Coward]

"Considering Microsoft has called the GPL a "Cancer" and attacks linux publicly whenever possible by telling outright lies, how can we ever look bad?"

Because Microsoft is one of the 6 corporations who control 90% of what americans see and hear. MSNBC will spin any event as evidence of the crazyness of the open source movement, and you can bet disney, aol/time warner, news corp., et al will follow suit.

Why is Microsoft there? My guess.

[wazzzup]

I guess if I were Microsoft I would want to be there to "gently reeducate" those IT guys that run MS shops but are considering Linux.

If I were an IT guy going to the show as a seeker of answers, I would see what Linux has to offer and ask people why I should switch my servers over - get their real life experiences from those that made the switch. If I were an MCSE, possibly investigate how much I'll have to learn to make the switch.

If I saw the Microsoft booth, I'd then want to ask MS why I shouldn't switch my servers over to Linux and then weigh the pros and cons in the days/weeks/months after the show, probably do a little more investigation. If the booth isn't there, I might not ever ask MS what the cons would be to making the switch.

The booth might be there to spread FUD/pro-MS information to those on the fence about considering Linux for their servers or recommending Linux to their bosses.

Plus it doesn't hurt when some kid is mooning your booth while you're talking to one of these on-the-fence guys so you can say "You're gonna trust your company's servers to these kids?"

Re:I disagree?

[MAXOMENOS]

Bill Gates is NOT Microsoft. What he does with his own (pracitcally unlimited) money is one thing; he can use $100 bills as toilet tissue for all I care (although I admit that I'm glad he's spending some of his billions on charity).

What Microsoft does with its money is quite another thing, and is subject to intense scrutiny from investors, analysts, and federal investigators. Investors and analysts want an aggressive, cutthroat control freak, and that's what they're going to get, too.

Good point on their hardware.

[Andy Dodd]

There is ONE type of product that M$ does well, and makes an honest living with - Input devices. This is the ONLY area where I've seen them actually innovate. (Mouse wheel, first company with an all-surface optical - The grid-pad opts from Sun don't count).

As long as they stay far away from software, they're golden.

Re:Childish

[pr0t3uS]

"...why we should welcome the poster-child of proprietary software to a GNU/Linux show."

Because we are open and free comunity! Let's show them (M$) that we are diferent then they are and don't exclude them or think of them as a threat which they are not. Why they would not be welcome? They will come to "our" house so let us behave like good hosts. Let them show that we can live with them if they can live with us. If they will insult us just show them the way out but let's not insult them for no reason.

Respect your enemies and newer underestimate them.

Re:Childish

[Anonymous Coward]

Heh no doubt. This is coming from the guy who has Gates depicted as a Borg.

Mabey they want us to ack like a child.

[jellomizer]

Some of the big Open Source Developers are almost violently opposed to Microsoft. And if MS in on the turf and they do ack like children then the Buisness people who are there to determin if Linux suits there needs sees this behavior they may just leave with the opinion that Linux hasent matured enough for the buisness class. Or better yet for MS a crazy Open Source Developer attacts a MS representivie, then that is one more OS(Open Source) developer put into jail and one less OS programming. So if we act like a kids that are acting like the level of my writting (probably 2nt grade). Then MS looks good.

And if we are all professional which I think may be closer to the truth then MS will have the opertunity to give their side of the story. Eather way it is win win solution for MS.

Hm

[2000 Britneys]

Maybe aside from the .NET push MS will do at the expo they will also show new (ported) native versions of their software for the LINUX world. Wouldn't it be great to have a native MS Office running on your box so you don't have to worry that the resume you just whipped up in Star Office (OO) will look good on the execs own computer? I personally don't think MS will try to discredit LINUX at it's own show if anything this will give LINUX even more credibility in the corp. world. IE. if MS is taking note (positive note at that) of this "new" linux movement then it must be good

Look who they are almost directly across from...

[twoslice]

Codeweavers (Booth 1289)
Does Microsoft feel that they are their greatest threat or is this just a conspiracy theory???

Re:Protesters dressed as Borg?

[Kefaa]

There are lots of things that could be done to convince Microsoft that this is a really bad idea.

Yes there are, and this would be the ideal time for them to happen. Then the PR machine would roll...
"Would you trust your business to..."
"Do you want your government run by..."
"This is what you can look forward to as a Window's user when you work with Linux..."

They have millions to spend on spin and are waiting for their "Rodney King" moment.

We have to be at our absolute best. Showing the business world that we can them in any mixture of Linux/Windows/MAC/UNIX/MVS, that meets their business needs. That the Linux community are the technologists who can improve the business model while reducing costs.