No, Really, We Mean It This Time
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EU regulators cool on Microsoft open-source move | CNET News.com
“The European Commission has expressed doubt regarding Microsoft’s announcement Thursday claiming a move toward greater interoperability.”
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Microsoft’s open-source patent threat still intact | Underexposed – CNET News.com
“Microsoft made major concessions Thursday that should make it easier for open-source software to dovetail with or even replace Microsoft products, but a major caveat means the company’s legal threats remain alive and well.”
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Microsoft Rivals Skeptical Of Software Maker’s Openness Pledge — Microsoft — InformationWeek
“The European Committee For Interoperable Systems said it will take a wait and see approach in determining whether the changes will alleviate its concerns.”
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Microsoft pledges not to sue over open source | Beyond Binary – A blog by Ina Fried – CNET News.com
What the heck exactly is “non-commercial” use of open source? Hobbyists?
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ConsortiumInfo.org – Microsoft Makes Major “Openness” Announcement on Eve of BRM
“I expect that there it is no coincidence that this announcement comes just two business days (and only one, for most of the world) before the Ballot Resolution Meeting convenes in Geneva next Monday.”
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Microsoft pledges (yet again) that it wants to be interoperable | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com
“Microsoft is really pulling out all the stops to make sure OOXML gets the ISO standards nod. Losing lucrative government contracts here and abroad that require “open” standards would be no financial joke for the company.”
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“The British Library isn’t taking a stand on whether OOXML should become an ISO standard or not, said Richard Boulderstone, director of e-Strategy.”
Mac vs. PC Humor
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“Because of the fierce religious wars between the fans of both camps, it is not surprising that several hundred parodies of those commercials have sprung up on YouTube.”
The British Library isn’t taking a stand. Didn’t they contribute to OOXML? That seems pretty odd, or perhaps, telling.
I would argue that the major ‘non-commercial’ use of open source is in academia. The universities seem to view ‘software’ as a by-product of the teaching process; to a large extent, that is the force which has given us Linux, the ‘gcc’ compiler, OpenOffice.org , and the TCP/IP distribution channel protocol (UC Berkeley). With that little lot, you can conquer the world (and it’s noticeable that OS/2, SmartSuite, and SNA have moved to the sidelines to make room for them).
http://www.laptop.org/ , ‘One Laptop Per Child’, is a non-commercial project; it’s constituted as a charity, there will be no profits for shareholders. MIT http://www.mit.edu/ is behind it. A number of the subcontractors are participating on a commercial profit-seeking basis; but the project as a whole is a charity.
Does it compete with Intel and Microsoft with their ‘classmate’ ? Sure it does.
Will sparks fly ? Many people are watching.
I find it most telling that the EU published a reaction a mere day after the announcement. Even more telling is the rather direct language of it (“We’ve seen it all before”). Given that the primary cash cow (Windows) is heavily wounded (Vista), and MS has failed to make a sustainable, profitable impact in any mother market they have tried it is going to be interesting to see what smart investors are going to do now even the backup cash cow is under threat.
Make no mistake about it, the EU has its eyes on MS after it almost destroyed ISO to ram through OOXML as a standard which is wholly incompatible with the aims and approach of ISO. I think MS is going to regret this one because it provides a prime example of what damage it causes when it doesn’t get its way, and just how little it cares about the side effects of what it does.