Microsoft warns Asian nations to stop using Linux or face lawsuits.
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How exactly will software patents work? We do not have them yet in Europe and I am doing everything I can to help the movement to stop it.
But if we would turn the tables and say that WE would sue M$. How could we do it? We are not allowed to see their source code, right? AFAIK the patents would apply to algorithms and such, not abstract things like "being able to do... bla bla". But if patents would be fair then both sides must be able to see each other's source code. We must be able to sue M$ if they can sue Linux. Fair play, right?
It seems to me that M$ is losing more and more. For example they really failed with Xbox in Asia. I mean, trying to sell a console in the big home of Nintendo? It was ment to go straight to h*ll. They lose money for each sold Xbox over there. I'm glad.
And why is Ballmer saying that "not knowing the author" would be a problem? We have the code, and oftens we have comments and docs on it. We do not need the author to make it better. Many Open Source projects include alot of people that weren't even there from the beginning. Also, Ballmer claims that "we made the code, we fix it". I can't see that they have fixed IE yet. Microsoft does not fix everything, especially not bugs. At least if you would believe FOCUS Magazine: Interview with Bill Gates.
But if they DO fix something, they just send out patch after patch. Not many people even have the knowledge on how to upgrade an existing program with a patch. At the same time the patches will eventually do more harm then good. I like Torvalds' way of dealing with insecure or buggy code. It's better to do it all over again from scratch then to apply a lot of patches that will mess things up. The code will then be cleaner and much faster.
Yesterday I saw the documentary "The Code" for like the 100th time and I got the thought that the Open Source and Linux movement is much like the Internet movement several years ago. There are so many companies and goverments involved in this wave and no one can actually own the code. You may be able to say "Hey, Torvalds owns Linux" but that's not really true. First the economic aspects. If he would change his mind and charge for it someone could take a copy and continue working with that one instead. It's like when RedHat decided to charge for their Enterprise Linux and let the fork Fedore continue being free. Now they got some problems. CentOS came along and they are now offering the same system, but for free (check out CentOS: Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Minus Red Hat).
Even if he does not charge for it I can't see that he really owns it the same way as Ballmer owns Windows. Torvalds have to listen to the users on some level. At the same time Ballmer can do whatever he wants with Windows, and so he does. I find it hard to believe that M$ actually listen to what the users wants. In the Open Source community it is even better then listening, it is the users that MAKE the code. We just have to learn to program and have a good idea of something and then we may even get our code into the project. Good luck doing stuff like that with Microsoft's "Shared Source". What a joke!
As the Linux wave goes, if there are so many parts involved, then how would M$ defeat it? They would have to defeat so many companies and they would have to face so many countries. It is not practical possible for them to defeat Linux with the help from lawsuits or FUD. At least I don't think so. I mean it is SCO and M$ against the rest of the world soon. I believe it's a matter of time before they will fall and become a smaller company that we can read about in history.
One funny thing, just to mention. I was really surprised and happy when I heard that the Swedish guy who invented IKEA went richer then Gates. Especially when IKEA started as a garage sale, but that's a different story.
Even though this article is old, I just wanted to ask how can Microsoft sue a country. Isn’t it up to the country to use whatever OS they want. Or is it because they are on a contract and these countries are violating the contract.
Originally posted by Donboy Man, what a dumb ass. How did this guy get rich and powerful making stupid statements like this. That statement is bass-akwards.
We know EXACTLY who build open source software. Their name and email is usually ALL OVER the source code. On the other hand, we have NO IDEA who wrote the source for MS stuff, and I'm sure they won't tell us either, based on the idea that it's "trade secret" or whatever.
Of course HE knows who wrote their stuff because he's their boss, so I'm sure he's sleeping better at night. But how about looking at it from the customer's point of view for a change.
acually on some of there dlls and exe 's there athere is there mirosoft mostly "steels" or buys ideas for people that try no top tell you so the remove most for there atheres name somethimes it is too HARD
Originally posted by bluedevlx That ending QUOTE was just total bull. I don't even use linux like I do windows and have done but I love linux. And I've learned before I even tried installing linux for the first time 4 years ago that it is the most secure.
MS = Resource Hog . More Virus + Popups . Must upgrade your system for OPTIMAL performance
Linux = User controlled . Hard to learn . No Resource Hog . Less Viruses + Popups .
Conclusion: F**** Microsoft
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Microsoft wants to be Microhard and get into every humans life. FORCEFULLY
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i disagree that linux is hard to learn i have been using it for about a month it was notr hard nor easy I just had to get used to it (also less fiddling needed
People need to realize that Linux is an entirely different type of OS than Windows. With enough knowledge you can practically do anything you want to with it. I use it every day for work, doing things that were meant to only be done with Windows. When I first started using it I didn't understand what people meant when they said that Linux is a "more powerful OS than Windows", now I do. It does require more knowledge, but how much you decide to learn about it is entirely up to you. When a person has a hard time using Linux, it is usually a lack of patience that impedes them, not necessarily a lack of knowledge, probably because they don't have enough patience to sit down and google for an answer to the problem they are having. As for M$ spreading FUD about Linux, the reason for this is that they can see that Linux has the capability to challenge their domination of the software market, and it concerns them to the point that they go on the defensive. There is a downside to Linux though, and that is that it will make M$ improve Windows. M$ will have to improve Windows, or more and more people will start switching to Linux as it becomes more mature and user friendly. Competition in any market is always a good thing for consumers, as it breeds innovation and lower prices, and it tends to keep the players in that market honest.
zajelo3, you are right that Linux is totally different then Windows. There are a lot of things that makes it hard to even compare the two systems. The first should be that Linux is just a kernel and not an OS as Windows is. Because of that Linux comes in many flavours (they do have more common then flavor of UNIX has, though) and also one can customize his/her system as much as one wants. This is harder to do in Windows, you are more locked up there.
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Originally posted by zajelo3 It does require more knowledge
Actually it does not require more knowledge (depends on what you want to do). If you did not grow up with Windows I guess you remember when you had to learn Windows. This is not a very hard thing to do and learning Linux is can be justs as easy as learning Windows. There are some very easy distros out there (Mandrake, RedHat, Xandros (almost too easy?)) and they do not require much knowledge about computers more then knowing how to read, surf the web and operate a mouse and a keyboard
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Originally posted by zajelo3 There is a downside to Linux though, and that is that it will make M$ improve Windows.
Next year maby we will see how Longhorn survives in the wild. I don't bet on it doing too good. It's already very delayed and it lacks a lot of things M$ planned to put in it in the first place. Longhorn will probably not be much better then XP is right now, so M$ will have to do something more after Longhorn (and that is soon after the release, not waiting another 5 years). IMO M$ is starting to look scared and a little insecure now when they are trying (and failing) different methods to compete with Linux and it's supporting companies.
Look at the other side, those supporting Linux: Novell, Oracle, IBM, Intel, etc. I see big things going on for Linux. Just hoping to get to see when Gates leaves the chair.
I think that Microsoft is doing Linux a favor. They are starting to sound scared and people who have never heard of Linux are starting to pay attention.
This is free publicity courtesy of Gates and company.
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