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Microsoft Leaves U.N. Standards Group
pk2000 writes "Microsoft withdrew from a United Nations software standards group for commerce. 'Unfortunately, for now, we have made the decision to stop participating in U.N./Cefact for business reasons and this serves as notification of our immediate withdrawal from all U.N./Cefact activities.' This might be connected to Microsoft's intention to build up its patent portfolio. Currently it has about 5,000 patents and seeks to at least double this number by the end of 2005."
I think it makes sense. With alternatives to Microsoft products going strong, it is not in Microsoft's interest to standardize and create interoperability.
You will see that, historically, standards supported or developed by Microsoft are mostly those that enable Microsoft products to work better, whereas support for standards that enable interoperability of MS products with other products has been lacking, if even considered at all.
Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
Yes, but it's when the good times turn into bad ones that they'll begin actually using their patent portfolio aggressively to keep their share value up. If you thought SCO was bad...
If you even glance at UN/CEFACT's Mandate, it reads like a mission statement for GNU/Linux. Words like "inclusive", "help", and "free" (as in trade) won't inspire confidence up in Redmond.
I mean, why would Microsoft do something that would bring so much criticism and ill will upon them? Engaging in a patent war of any kind will:
1) Really not help their case in terms of the whole monopoly thing.
2) Tell everyone that this company is on its way out, and treat it accordingly. When a company starts working the legal system to pay the bills, you know it's ready to sink.
3) Piss off countless unwashed computer/information systems people who have grown fond of application X, which may have to stop development due to legal fire from Microsoft.
4) Call into question a lot of Microsoft's more questionable patents.
On the other hand, why would they amass such a huge patent portfolio if they don't intend to use it? Perhaps just to ensure that nobody can use those silly patents against them? Hrm.
from when Sun withdrew from ISO/IEC and ECMA because they didn't want to give up any control over Java?
That's interesting. This kind'a reminds me of how the USA is isolating themselves more and more.
Does this mean that the USA is cutting its own throat too?
Now I'm no fan of the UN at all, but stuff like this is why folks don't want to collaborate with MS. Note to Microsoft if you're even listening - the Open Source community wants open standards. By continuing to try to close your file formats and program standards, you are continuing to motivate those who would like to see you out of business.
I guess the whole "team up with MS" was a pile of BS, anyway. Now they can say "OSS hates us, we tried to play nice, therefore we have no qualms about going them after with patents".
If Microsoft start patenting things the group is working at making, waiting until the standard is out to start suing (Hi, my names Rambus, id like to help you with your DDR tech!), or perhaps even joined, had a look what the groups doing, realises they have patents that covers it then pulls out.. ooh, i'll be angry! :/
Well, Microsoft did patent - behind the other members' backs - Cascading Style Sheets during the time the standard was developed at the W3C. Shortly thereafter they left the W3C.
zWhat would an EWOULDBLOCK block, if an EWOULDBLOCK could block would? -- me
For those who actually read the article, it was stated that Microsoft, when it was in the standards union, was pushing for standards that would benefit them (not open Gnu/GPL standards). With Microsoft out of the consortium, they'll have less influence on the standards that the world decides to make, and in the end, lose say in standards that may become very popular.
Even better would be if MS made their own propreitary objects to compete with the UN standards, and LOSE (a la IPX and Novell). Because now not only do they lose say in something that's popular, they also wasted time on their own protocol that nobody uses.