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Microsoft Claims 'We Love Open Source'

Posted by Soulskill on from the admiral-ackbar-unavailable-for-comment dept.

jbrodkin writes "Everyone in the Linux world remembers Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's famous comment in 2001 that Linux is a 'cancer' that threatened Microsoft's intellectual property. While Microsoft hasn't formally rescinded its declaration that Linux violates its patents, at least one Microsoft executive admits that the company's earlier battle stance was a mistake. Microsoft wants the world to understand, whatever its issues with Linux, it no longer has any gripe toward open source."

10 of 464 comments (clear)

  1. How's that go again? by johnhp · · Score: 3, Funny

    I remember "embrace" and "extend", but I can't seem to remember the third phase...

    1. Re:How's that go again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Exfoliate.

  2. Re:Meet the 4 stages by masmullin · · Score: 4, Funny

    winning != world domination.

    I for one... oh wait, what? really... damnit!

  3. Obligatory by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Funny

    In related news, they also claim they are against flying chairs.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  4. We Love Open Source by Nerdfest · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... it tastes like kittens.

  5. Re:Meet the 4 stages by drewhk · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. First they ignore you
    2. then they laugh at you,
    3. then they fight you,
    4. then you quote Gandhi
    5. ???
    6. Profit

  6. Error in translation by gmuslera · · Score: 2, Funny

    "F*** you" is about sex, not love

  7. Re:Meet the 6 stages by stephanruby · · Score: 4, Funny

    1. First they ignore you
    2. then they laugh at you,
    3. then they fight you,
    4. then you quote Gandhi
    5. ???
    6. Karma!

  8. Re:Meet the 4 stages by Arthur+Grumbine · · Score: 4, Funny

    1. First they ignore you
    2. then they laugh at you,
    3. then they fight you,
    4. then you quote Gandhi
    5. ???
    6. Profit

    First they came for the historical-figure quoters, and I did not speak up, because I did not quote historical figures.
    Then they came for the South-Park-quoters, and I did not speak up, because The Simpsons already did that.
    Then they came for those who Godwin threads, but there were no mod points left to mod me up.

    --
    Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.
  9. Re:Meet the 4 stages by maiki · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ignore, Embrace, Extend, Extinguish... so THIS is what IEEE stands for?