Re: [LINUX_Newbies] Re: MS vs. Linux, formerly "top five mistakes of newbies"

Nothing is untouchable. Microsoft has led a FUD campaign for years against
Linux and now they are turning their sights on OpenOffice.org. You could
make a case that they fear open source or otherwise would not bother. But
the net result is that companies that might be considering the move to FOSS
are panicked into staying with MS products. The last thing that they want to
do is get messed up in a court action in the case of MS's allegations of
Linux patent infringement and in the case of OOO in using something that
would make their offices incompatible with other offices. like it or not
fear is a powerful motivator.

The other thing that happens is that it kills innovation. A developer might
have a great new idea, but drop it when MS alleges it infringes on its IP.
It is easier than battling with a giant, especially if you are a FOSS
developer without corporate backing or a legal team.

I would like to think that we can triumph, but it would be a mistake to
underestimate MS. In support of your argument, I would like to add that FOSS
is hard to nail down. It is a hydra. If you chop of one head it can grow two
more. MS knows this and for that reason they fear us more than Apple. But
they do not have to defeat us to win, only keep users away and they know
that. Desktop Linux has stalled. We are growing on the server side but so is
MS. Unix is losing ground there. Linux is growing on embedded OS, but MS is
starting to move in that direction and Android is before the courts on at
least two fronts. The most interesting case is OOO. I want to see where that
goes because MS has had one court case go against it for its own office
suite, so they must be feeling some fear as MSOffice is their cash cow.

Roy

Using Kubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat, 64-bit
Location: Canada

On 23 October 2010 19:28, Paul <pfrederick1@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>
>
>
> --- In LINUX_Newbies@yahoogroups.com <LINUX_Newbies%40yahoogroups.com>,
> Roy <linuxcanuck@...> wrote:
> >
> > Tell that to the courts. Unfortunately due to its deep pockets and its
> > willingness to drag cases on for years Microsoft frequently gets its way,
> > whether right or wrong. The mere threat of litigation causes most
> developers
> > to back off. It is a game that Microsoft knows well and uses to its
> > advantage to push developers to sign agreements. In other circumstances
> it
> > would be called extortion or blackmail.
> >
> > Roy
>
> It'll get dragged on for years, years no developers need show up in court
> in fact! FOSS is a game no one wins against. Not Microsoft, not the US
> government, nobody. FOSS is untouchable.
>
> Now if you'll excuse me I have to GPG encrypt an email here while listening
> to an MP3 and watching a DVD ... HA HA HA!
>
> Paul
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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