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Microsoft Fracturing the Open-Source Community

Posted by kdawson on from the old-divide-and-conquer dept.

TechGeek sends us to eWeek, where Mark Shuttleworth is quoted to the effect that Microsoft has succeeded in fracturing the Linux and open-source community with its patent indemnity agreements. Quoting: "Microsoft's strategy was to drive a wedge into the open-source community and unsettle the marketplace, Shuttleworth said. He also took issue with the Redmond, Wash., software maker for not disclosing the 235 of its patents it claims are being violated by Linux and other open-source software. 'That's extortion and we should call it what it is,' he said." Shuttleworth added, "I don't think this will end well for the companies that slipped up and went down that road."

6 of 299 comments (clear)

  1. "Succeeded"? by phliar · · Score: 5, Informative
    From the article:

    ...what Microsoft is doing is trying to unsettle the marketplace. It isn't working and has not had the slightest impact on those companies that refuse to be drawn into that line of discussion with Microsoft.
    Seems to me Shuttleworth is saying the exact opposite of what this Slashdot editor thinks.
    --
    Unlimited growth == Cancer.
  2. Re:Thank you, Mr. Shuttleworth! by LinuxGeek · · Score: 3, Informative

    Is it really extortion when the extorter pays off the extortee?


    Actually, it is best called Danegeld. It rarely works out well for the target.
    --

    Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. - Mark Twain
  3. Re:Im not fractured by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, and PHP also among the list of projects not using GPLv3 that could be considered 'core.'

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  4. Re:The cat is already out of the bag by baggins2001 · · Score: 3, Informative

    It's not just that the code is available to the group using it. It's also that the code is out there and if XYZ quits working or supporting it maybe someone else will.
    My CEO was shocked when I told him that the accounting software was no longer supported by the original company. But we found some guys who used to work for the company and they'll come here and help us fix the problem. You just have to pay airfare, lodging and $200/hr.

    --
    He who said 1,000,000 monkeys on 1,000,000 typewriters would eventually type the great novel, never saw an AOL chat room
  5. Re:cowards by smist08 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Linspire is already un-ravelling. Saw the announcement just today that the CEO Carmody "resigned". I guess we can all speculate why he was "resigned", but it seems pretty clear.

  6. Re:The Blame is Not MS by nmos · · Score: 3, Informative

    GPL2 was fine, the lessers are fine. But, brow beating projects into GPL3 is going to make the community rebel, and these people are all about rebellion.

    What exactly is wrong with the GPL3 and what makes you think anyone is "brow beating" anyone else into using it?

    There are always going a few people who thrive on argument and chaos but most of the people actually involved in the creation of the GPL3 have been pretty civil IMHO and I think that even includes RMS. Just look at how much the GPL3 has improved since the first draft based on input from just about anyone who cared enough to speak up.