Following Bill Gates' Linux Attack Money

UnderScan writes "After researching this material for about three years, Tom Adelstein tracks Microsoft's anti-Linux lobbying money: "Microsoft has unparalleled influence throughout the Federal government. On the cover of a recent edition of VarBusiness Magazine dated June 26, 2005 the editors presented a large headline which read: 'It's A Microsoft World. Five years after running afoul of the Feds, Microsoft is as powerful as ever. Pushing a platform instead of products could make it stronger still. Why nothing seems to stop it.'""

Comments

Microsoft may not be the problem.

[Vodak]

Nothing seems to stop it because people act like sheep when it comes to technology. Try selling OSS solutions to a non-profit group when companies are in thier ear about how OSS is evil.

Give the local company gives them a free copy of Office and they are sold that OSS is the devil.

Re:Microsoft may not be the problem.

[arivanov]

Err... You clearly have never heard of Italy. Or Eastern Europe. Or Russia for that matter.

Re:Microsoft may not be the problem.

[IdleTime]

How2 this is rated as a troll is a mystery. here in the US companies and Special Interest Groups have politicians on their payroll. Any person who don't see that is truly blind.

And to all people who claim I have never been outside USA, I can only say I'm not an American, but come from a Scandinavian country. I have lived in USA since 1999. I've lived in several countries around the wolrd and travelled extensively in East-Europe too, both before and after the fall of communism. Nowhere have I seen politicans so blatantly ignoring the common peoples interest as here in the US while beeing in the pockets of corporations. You can mod me troll as much as you like, but it doesn't change the facts.

You are such babes in the woods

[Anonymous Coward]

Why nothing seems to stop it

Don't tell me you actually believed that the "GNU/Linux revolution" would somehow change the rules of the game and that future business would be conducted on the basis of competence/performance alone instead of politics and money?

The fact is that competence and performance can never compete with politics, lock-in and big money. IBM, Sun and a few other corporations like Red Hat are adapting Free/Open Software in the way that actually matters. Cash in on that success, stop whining about the "Microsoft World", play the backstab/lobbying-game to the end and you just might win.

Re:You are such babes in the woods

[Ruie]

The fact is that competence and performance can never compete with politics, lock-in and big money. IBM, Sun and a few other corporations like Red Hat are adapting Free/Open Software in the way that actually matters. Cash in on that success, stop whining about the "Microsoft World", play the backstab/lobbying-game to the end and you just might win.

But having won that way would it be any different from losing ?

Re:You are such babes in the woods

[FunWithHeadlines]

"Don't tell me you actually believed that the "GNU/Linux revolution" would somehow change the rules of the game and that future business would be conducted on the basis of competence/performance alone instead of politics and money?"

Actually, the GNU/Linux revolution is a revolution. That means it didn't change the rules of the game, it created a whole new game and dared anyone else to play on their turf. Microsoft is deeply entrenched in the wallets of the corporate and political world. But FOSS has taken off despite that, and now has a great mindshare, far more than you would expect. But hey, they give you freedom, and never underestimate the power of freedom.

So yes, the old powers can play the old games of power and money. And dinosaurs are remarkably successful despite the gnawing of little mammals. Until one day they aren't. And a new era begins.

sure

[nomadic]

Microsoft has unparalleled influence throughout the Federal government.

Oh puh-lease. There are plenty of companies with that kind of clout; there are plenty with a hell of a lot more. Compared to Halliburton or McDonnell-Douglas or Boeing, Microsoft is strictly amateur hour.

If "using the right tool for the job"

[mi]

...is the accepted mantra, than why is anyone surprised?

Are you using Windows every day? Did you set up a Windows computer for your parents, grandparents, or other friends because FreeBSD/Linux/NetBSD/MacOS is "too complicated"? Then you are the problem...

Re:I don't get it

[toounknown]

I agree, BUT 95% of these problems stem from Microsoft having a stranglehold. Think about it. If you were a soft/hardware developer and you are trying to make a profit, you're going to develop your product on the most ubiquitous platform and only consider secondary platforms if market share (potential profit) warrants this. It's simple economics.

Linux/BSD variants have come a LONG way considering most of the functionality/drivers has been either creatively engineered by the community or obtained by lobbying vendors (resulting in drivers that only provide the most basic functionality).

Boost the installed base and provide demand for functionality in your OS, and vendors will respond.

Unfortunately these problems are difficult to solve because they are both a cause and a symptom of themselves. Not to mention the very active efforts of Microsoft to thwart any meaningful attempts at the adoption of alternate systems.

Just my 0.02$

Not a troll ? Yes it is !

[alexhs]

Parent post is not a troll.

I was wondering. But I'm now convinced it is actually a troll (and won't therefore answer him) : how would an AC have written so much in about two minutes ?

Either he had access to the news before, which implies a suscriber account, then posting as AC, or he just copy-pasted a pre-written text. In both cases, I can't see how it couldn't be a troll.

Re:Amount of contributions

[NoMoreNicksLeft]

I don't mean to discourage the notion that our leaders sell out cheaply, they certainly do. But documented campaign contributions are the tip of this iceberg, dive down below the surface with me.

There are golf trips, and trips to las vegas, or other places this senator needs to check out for him to be able to properly understand Microsoft and the plight of the industry regarding the federal government.

There are the neices and nephews with a different last name, that need a job out of college, that Microsoft hires.

There are the flights on corporate jets. The introductions to other powerful industry people, that both junior and senior senators need.

There's the promise of a cushy job if and when they do retire out of Congress.

The promise of indirect contributions come next election.

And once you consider that the $5000 is more like roughly $100,000 all things considered, and that it only required an hour here, and hour there throughout the year, never interfering with others giving him more or less the same benefits... would you pass over one more free grab at $100,000, when you're already selling out 5 times a day, and #6 won't be all that more difficult?

Make mine +6 Insightful

[IceAgeComing]

"Better yet, you idealists should all just die now. The world has no room for people who strive to make it a better place."

No thanks. At the end of my life, I'd like to not be remembered as a back-stabbing cheat, but as someone who strove to make the world better. And today you're in luck: I can take your ridicule. My heart is full of love.