Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Hilf Claims Free Software Movement Dead

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the faster-than-a-speeding-fud dept.

moe1975 writes to mention that Bill Hilf has taken a rather aggressive stance with regard to the status of the Free Software movement. With claims like; "The Free Software movement is dead. Linux doesn't exist in 2007. Even Linus has got a job today" it would certainly seem that the next offensive is going to be sponsored by denial. "For the desktop, Hilf sees a new frontier in terms of rich client programming. With more and more services by Amazon, Google, Yahoo and, of course, Microsoft being run as services rather than as software installed locally, it will be up to the desktop to provide richer functionality."

8 of 395 comments (clear)

  1. Japan migrates to Non-existant Software by alucinor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wow! And aren't the Japanese getting ready to migrate to this non-existant software ecosystem? How very philosophically Eastern of them! It's like some sort of crazy Zen thing!

    --
    random underscore blankspace at ya know hoo dot comedy.
  2. Yawn. More FUD by rohar · · Score: 5, Insightful

    FUD confusing open source with free software by unpaid programmers, making up windows server base numbers and referring to _AMP as "Visual Basic of open source" that pulled Linux along and what the programmers really want is to run their apps on Vista. Interoperability should only happen after a decade or so, because no one wants it anyway. A guy develops a 3d interface but can't figure out how that would work with Linux. Just FUD, nothing happening here folks, keep moving along.

  3. Only one way to respond to this... by CanSpice · · Score: 5, Insightful

    LOL

  4. Someone missed a memo by Hobbs0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If Free Software and Linux is dead then why is Microsoft claiming that it violates 235 of their patents.

  5. Re:Huh? by /ASCII · · Score: 5, Insightful

    His statements are an amazing mix of half-truths, selective reinterpretations and marketing drivel. I don't think he says anything that is a flat out lie, but every single word is on the edge. Congratulations to Microsoft for hiring the best spin doctor in the industry?

    --
    Try out fish, the friendly interactive shell.
  6. Re:Huh? by Bent+Mind · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I didn't recognize the name at first. Bill Hilf did a Slashdot interview a while back. He is currently Director of Platform Technology Strategy at Microsoft. Before that he was Senior Enterprise Architect at IBM.

    He talks about being hired by Microsoft as an expert in Linux-based systems. Near as I can tell, he is a glorified network administrator.

    As for his comments, stating that the Free Software movement is dead because Linus has a job speaks volumes about his ignorance on the topic.

    --
    Request a Linux Shockwave player here: http://www.macromedia.com/support/email/wishform/
  7. Re:Once again.. by MightyMartian · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I hope the next time some Microsoft shill comes around Slashdot telling us how MS is open source friendly, and wants us to supply some questions for him not to answer, we all ask the same one; Have you stopped beating your wife?

    I'm serious. After Microsoft's positioning over the last few days, I don't think there's anything more to talk about. They are THE enemy of open source. They are THE enemy of free software. There are THE enemy of choice. They are THE enemy of competition.

    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  8. So what this Hilf weirdo is really saying is... by SadGeekHermit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    * Linux doesn't exist because it's actually everywhere, distributed by gigantic companies which make zillions of dollars off it.

    * The Open Source Movement doesn't exist because it's been adopted by companies both large and small, which are all merrily making a profit from it.

    * Because Open Source is mostly commercial and very successful, making lots of money for the large and small companies that are involved in it, the only way to "grow the ecosystem" is to switch to the Microsoft products nobody wants to buy anymore.

    * Linux is only popular because it's the foundation for the LAMP web-development stack, which has been trouncing .Net in the market (this makes me wonder if Hilf, back in high school, used to grumble that "the only reason Randy the Quarterback gets laid is because he has a Mustang...").

    * Because Open Source Software runs on Windows too, all those Apache guys are probably running Windows.

    * Standards are a communist plot started by those hippies at IBM because darnit, they just don't like Microsoft. It's not fair (hilf makes pouty face).

    * WPF-E needs a better name so everybody will want to program in it. If WPF-E gets a cool name like Flash, everybody will use it immediately.

    * Because Programming is Hard and that's Just Not Cool, Microsoft wants to make it like "turning a knob" so that developers don't have to work in high-paying jobs anymore, and can go find something new to do for minimum wage that'll probably be funner.

    Did I miss anything? I swear reading his comments is like being hit with one Zen Koan after another, machine gun style. What is the sound of one hand clapping?

    Phew. Too much, too much. I've gotta go do something fun for a while. Hmm...

    Warhammer 40K! Death to the False Emperor! C'mere, you Eldar hussy, you...

    --
    NO CARRIER