I would take a guess that the next step M'soft would try is a Tar Baby stratagy. Each new generation/upgrade of product will introduce new features that will have to be reverse engineered. This way they can claim that OSS will always be behind the times etc. etc. Another tactic will be to compare performance on an OSS offering that will show them in the most favorable light. As the OSS community has an embarrassment of riches in terms of offerings tuned to particular needs ( faster, or smaller, or standards compliant, or trying new techniques), it should be simple for them to produce an apples to oranges comparison. The response should be considered: If this is your major care-about; use package X or Y. We need a map to compare different solutions, or it will be argued that there is just too much to choose from.... Two closing points: There is such a thing as damning with faint praise; and Embrace and Extend looks like Engulf and Devour......
Actually, this is probably the best way to derail Linux deployment. Strategically it would operate this way:
1) processor power is continually increasing 2) as processor power increases, the cost of servicing interrupts goes up 3) you can lower the performance hit by using channel processors ( this is how mainframes get more power) 4) add channel processors to the PC by using I2O ( intelligent I/O) 5) pay the HW vendors to only write MS drivers for the channel processors by exclusive agreements including non-disclosure provisions 6) publish the benchmarks showing performance gains with the captive HW.
It seems to me that music might be an additional way to instill programming skills. I recollect that IBM did a study, and found musicians to have a closely related skill set. Music is a highly structured activity, repeats itself with variations, and has a sense of timing, ( important in kernel programming). With a MIDI synth and a computer, this may be a good way to go. The gratification is quick, important in starting out, and it's as complex as you which to make it.
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I would take a guess that the next step M'soft would try is a Tar Baby stratagy. Each new generation/upgrade of product will introduce new features that will have to be reverse engineered. This way they can claim that OSS will always be behind the times etc. etc.
Another tactic will be to compare performance on an OSS offering that will show them in the most favorable light. As the OSS community has an embarrassment of riches in terms of offerings tuned to particular needs ( faster, or smaller, or standards compliant, or trying new techniques), it should be simple for them to produce an apples to oranges comparison. The response should be considered: If this is your major care-about; use package X or Y. We need a map to compare different solutions, or it will be argued that there is just too much to choose from....
Two closing points: There is such a thing as damning with faint praise; and Embrace and Extend looks like Engulf and Devour......
Actually, this is probably the best way to derail Linux deployment.
Strategically it would operate this way:
1) processor power is continually increasing
2) as processor power increases, the cost of servicing interrupts goes up
3) you can lower the performance hit by using channel processors ( this is how mainframes get more power)
4) add channel processors to the PC by using I2O ( intelligent I/O)
5) pay the HW vendors to only write MS drivers for the channel processors by exclusive agreements including non-disclosure provisions
6) publish the benchmarks showing performance gains with the captive HW.
Of course, we can play that game too......
It seems to me that music might be an additional way to instill programming skills. I recollect that IBM did a study, and found musicians to have a closely related skill set. Music is a highly structured activity, repeats itself with variations, and has a sense of timing, ( important in kernel programming). With a MIDI synth and a computer, this may be a good way to go. The gratification is quick, important in starting out, and it's as complex as you which to make it.