[clue-talk] FW: [LinuxFun] patent-indemnification solution specialist

[Tony McDowell]

I don't agree with this mindset.  If you look at the nature of Novell's SuSE
and NovellDesktop offerings, Linspire, and Xandros, ALL THREE have made it a
priority to play well with Windows applications.  If you've seen the Xandros
development builds, they are starting to place CrossOver and Wine right in
the mainline.  Bearing this in mind, I can see why they'd "capitulate" with
Microsoft.  It's to protect themselves when they start stepping all over the
Win32 API to make Windows apps work under Linux is production, corporate
environments (notice what I said -- production environments, not home
users).

Red Hat, Ubuntu, and Mandriva have always made a public showing of their
"down with Microsoft, Linux can do everything" attitude.  That being said, I
am not remotely surprised that they have reacted the way they have.  They
don't _need_ Microsoft or Windows for their normal business model or target
client base to work properly.  They don't need any access to API's or other
IP from MS, so there's no need for them to sign anything that would give
them access to it or protection from "stepping on it".

While I absolutely HATE that things have come to this, I think it had to
come to something like this eventually.  Somewhere down the road, I think
that ReactOS will face the same scenario as well when MS brings out the "IP
infringement" guns on having "two Windows".

As a final note, don't forget that Apple is "in bed with" Microsoft to a sum
that I am no longer familiar with dating back to the late 1990's when Apple
was months from going under and Microsoft infused huge sums of money into
Cupertino just to keep up the guise of "competition."  I make this point
because no one seems to be going around chastising Apple for being in bed
with MS like these Linux companies.

as always, this is just my $0.02 so take it for what it's worth.

.tony

On 6/22/07, dennisjperkins at comcast.net <dennisjperkins at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> It just shows that even Linux companies can have a PHB.
>
> Only a fool capitulates and pays money without being shown proof.  Unless
> they're going to break your kneecaps. :)
>
>
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "David L. Willson" <DLWillson at TheGeek.NU>
> > reposting for link repair...  and I'll add a few more links while I'm at
> it...
> > Hopefully, I won't break them this time.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > Had to work hard to get the acronym I was working for there...
> >
> > Just to let you know, in case you're not paying attention, these are the
> > Linux
> > distribution vendors that are in bed with Microsoft:
> >
> >  - Novell
> >  - Xandros
> >  - Linspire
> >
> > And these are the Linux distribution vendors that have stated their
> > disinterest in being
> > bedded by Microsoft.
> >
> >  - Red Hat - http://www.redhat.com/promo/believe/
> >  - Ubuntu - http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/127
> >  - Mandriva -
> http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/06/19/we-will-not-go-to-canossa/
> >
> > And ~this~ is how Microsoft encourages vigorous competition and
> > innovation:
> >
> http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleI
> > d=9019238
> >
> > David L. Willson
> > Trainer/Engineer/Consultant
> > MCT, MCSE, Linux+
> > (720) 333-LANS
> >
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>
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