Slashdot Mirror
OSDL Skeptical Of Joint Study with Microsoft
Jac writes "An interview with ZDNet reveals the low opinion Stuart Cohen, chief of Open Source Development Labs(OSDL), has of a recent Microsoft proposal to conduct a joint study on on deploying Microsoft Vs Linux. From the article: 'As far as working with Microsoft on a study, Microsoft could probably find one negative line on Linux in a 100-page research report that it would spend $10 million marketing while ignoring the other 99 pages...' An interesting follow-up to a recent Slashdot article.
RE:"[Microsoft could probably find one negative line on Linux in a 100-page research report that it would spend $10 million marketing while ignoring the other 99 pages."]
i agree, knowing Microsoft's history i would avoid microsoft as if they were infected with the plague...
Linus calls Slashdot a "big public wanking session".
First dupe today! http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/27/ 1852243&tid=109&tid=106
/* Dang, I can't type that well. */
I'm sorry to hear that OSDL is turning down the opportunity to do a joint study on the merits/demerits of both platforms.
I'm even more disappointed to hear that they weren't even willing to discuss the terms for determining the tests to be conducted. Kind of like saying that you don't like the rules of the game, before the rules have even been written, or even finding out if you're going to have any say in those rules.
It appears that OSDL has taken a page from your playbook: FUD. Hey - MS may only use the positive spin from the report! No shit. As if OSS companies couldn't do the exact same thing. I'm pretty sure IBM can match MS' marketing dollars.
Anyway, here's what I propose. bitflip Development Labs will be happy to entertain your proposal. I will warn you ahead of time: I will want transparency throughout the process. If at any point, you appear to be insisting on secrecy to hide the weaknesses of your products (I don't want to give away proprietary stuff of yours), bDL will pull out of the process, and let the community know why.
It is understandable that you will want the research to reflect positively on your products. I assure you, you'll get no less from bDL. If we cannot agree on a compromise of tests that reflect the strengths of both sides, then bDL will pull out of the process, and let the community know why.
I don't mind if the tests are conducted in facilities you own, MS, but bDL will want assurances of equal access equivalent to your own. If during the testing process, there is even the appearance of easier access for MS personell (even indirectly - even a _smidgen_), bDL will pull out of the process, and let the community know why.
I think you get the idea, Microsoft. I'll play nice, if you play nice. If we start out by agreeing that both platforms have strengths and weaknesses, we'll be off to a good start.
See there, MS? Not everybody in the OSS community is a zealot. Some of us don't trust you at all, but we believe we're capable and intelligent enough to work with you, and smart enough to keep from being cheated by you. That is, if you understand that we're going to have terms, too, and are willing to accomodate them. If not, well, you still don't get it. That's fine. We'll still be here later, when and if you do.
Thank you for your time,
bitflip
to undertake such a study. I wonder why?
-- "I never gave these stories much credence." - HAL 9000