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Microsoft Joins Internet2 Coalition

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the time-to-contribute dept.

Quite a number of people wrote in to alert everyone to Microsoft's joining of the Internet2 Consortium. They becoming a corporate partner, meaning they will contribute at least 1 million in goods and services to universities involved in the I2 project.

5 of 126 comments (clear)

  1. Smart Business vs. Takeover Tactics by Proteus · · Score: 3
    As much as it pains me to admit it... I can't find any fault with M$ here.

    Many, many of the things that M$ has done - past, present, and no doubt future - do constitute takeover tactics... but not this. Ask yourself one simple question: would any company trying to gain a foothold in the Internet marketplace (and who has the money) not do whatever possible to be in on I2?

    Very simply put - M$ now has a seat at the I2 table, but it is far from a controlling seat. This one is just a smart business move folks. Why? PR, market positioning, a voice on standards, etc.

    For those worried about an M$ takeover of I2: I wouldn't start worrying just yet. M$ is but one voice here.

    Ugh. I feel so dirty, defending M$ like that... but the truth must be told :P

    Posted by the Proteus

    --
    We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex—but Congress can. – Cullen Hightower
  2. My personal opinion on the matter... by sboss · · Score: 3

    This is only my personal opinion:

    I think that Microsoft is doing this for three purposes. First off it looks good to the DOJ for the Antitrust trial. Giving money to R&D new technology on the Univerisity level is always good PR. Second they get their feet in the door on I2. Thirdly they can *try* and force people (or convice them they need to) use the M$ programs vs the software from other people including OSS/GNU software.

    I think this is just a ploy to get people thinking M$ is not that bad and to consider using their products. Some of their products are pretty good and some just plainly suck. I like word and have like word since Word for DOS 5.0 (or was it 4.0?) but things like NT for servers make my skin crawl.

    M$'s salesman (including technical sales) tend to lie to customers. Not stretch the truth but baldface lie. A few years ago I had a team of M$ droids try and convice me and my boss (and the other network people) that *only* NT could do DHCP services (be a DHCP server). I *knew* this was a lie since we had a Sun Sparc run Solaris running a BOOTP/DHCP server for the whole campus. They wanted a NT server for DHCP for each subnet. We had one box for all subnets. It just knew which subnet you can from and then gave you an IP based on that subnet. The M$ droids were in total disbelief until we showed them not only the w95 boxes doing DHCP but the server serving the requests. Memories like that make my skin crawl about M$ and their practices. Do not get me wrong they have done things right on some products but as their product list is growing their "done it right" column is not growing.

    That is just the rablings of a Techno Weenie that does not care for M$.

    Any comments, send to scott@sboss.net, all flames go to /dev/null

    Thanks
    Scott
    Scott
    C{E,F,O,T}O
    sboss dot net
    email: scott@sboss.net

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    Scott
    janitor
    sdn website family
    email: scott at sboss dot net
  3. Stop the insanity -- please! by peterb · · Score: 3
    Look, everyone just calm down and stop the ranting for a few minutes. First of all, most of you are talking about Internet2 when it's apparently that you misunderstand what it is. I suggest you go to the web site and read up.

    Secondly, I2 has plenty of corporate partners. It is unrealistic to think that any one of these partners is going to dominate the effort, particularly given that Internet2 is being run and coordinated by some extremely smart people, who are not in the habit of selecting technically inferior solutions. The I2 engineering staff has a proven history of thinking for the long term.

    This is a good thing. It's a great sign that Microsoft is willing to play by the rules and wants to join in with collaborative efforts rather than compete them into the ground. Are they interested in a profit? Well, I'd imagine so, but so, frankly, is everyone else involved. I welcome Microsoft to the I2 project and hope they will be productive contributors to the community.

    Peter Berger
    Chairman, Internet2 Security Working Group
    speaking only for myself.

  4. Corrected Link by watanabe · · Score: 3


    Correct Link here: http://linuxtoday.com/stories/5454.html

  5. I can hear the MS bashing now... by Rocket+Boy · · Score: 3

    People, not *everything* MS does is evil. Yes, a lot of what the do can be considered evil.

    AFAIK, the ony thing MS has now is a lighter bank account, a few less researchers, and one vote on the coalition. This doesn't consitiute a takeover when over a 150 other entities are involved.

    RB