Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Calls for Truce With GPL and Linux?
An anonymous reader writes to mention an eWeek article discussing Microsoft's efforts to reach out to the open source community. The company is hoping to find a common ground with softare released under the GPL, so that OSS and Microsoft products can interoperate. From the article: "The goal, from both sides, is to meet customer needs, he said, adding, 'This is just the more mature view of the way the world is evolving, and we want to make sure that if customers are choosing Linux or other open-source-based products that we have ways of interoperating and working effectively with that.'" A related article mentions Windows server Expert Jeremy Moskowitzs' call for a truce between the Linux and Windows communities.
A new progression:
Got to give it to Microsoft for not going down easy, at least.
Graham "Teach" Mitchell, computer science teacher, Leander HS
The GPL is like a nude beach. It's an agreement that you are no going to wear any clothes on this beach.
Microsoft wants to hang out on that beach but not remove thier clothing.
I can't blame them; but The sunbathers all know that Microsoft is just there to ogle.
My Computer Music Tutorial Videos
diplomacy is how to say "Nice Doggie" while you look for a really big stick
--Keeping the flame wars alive, one post at a time
The last time Bill Gates spoke of peace I was a boy. And many Free Software nobles, who would not be slaves, were lured by him under a flag of truce to a barn, where he had them hanged. I was very young, but I remember Gate's notion of peace.
"It's a trap!"
"You got to be trusted by the people that you lie to so when they turn their backs on you, you get the chance to put the knife in." -- Pink Floyd, "Dogs" (Animals, 1977)
In all seriousness, Microsoft likely understands quite well what Open Source and what Free Software is all about and they know they are not prepared (and quite possibly incapable) of operating under any such banner. Control is their game. Control of standards, markets, minds, and of ideas. They will never let go of that. They cannot.
They are not "seeing the light" at all, but continuing to formulate and play out strategies to convince all who would listen (or not think too clearly, at least) that limited openness is all you really need and freedom has to do with price and TCO. Don't worry. Just relax and play along, all will be fine. Really!
But think of how many billions of dollars Microsoft stands to lose (and is already losing given that a quarter of Dell's server business, for example, is shipping GNU/Linux instead of MS-Windows) and you can probably think of just how far they will go and how many resources they will dedicate to keeping their golden goose from heading for the hills with that smiling penguin.
--Udo.
include $sig;
1;
> There's no "religion issue".
Gonna have to disagree with your police work there:
http://www.dina.kvl.dk/~abraham/religion/
Our Church of Emacs is very open minded, we discuss both how best to worship our Saviour among the True Believers, and also welcome preachers of false religions like The Church of Bill Gates, Discordia, and vi to our church, where we can test their silly misconceptions against out pure and strong faith . Most of the information in this page is from these discussions. Please don't misuse our sacred place to discuss joke religions like Scientology, Kibology, or BoB.
I'm sorry. You refered to something that happend before 1982 and wasn't related to Star Trek or PDP-11s. Hand in your slashdot membership at the door.
Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
I'll be prepared to believe they are turning a new leaf when they release Office for Linux.
Bite your tongue! Haven't Linux users suffered enough?
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."