Re: OT -- MS makes a statement about open-source software movemen t

On Thursday 03 May 2001 14:21, Boivin, Patrice J wrote:
> http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010503/tc/microsoft_linux_dc_2.html
...
>
> Let me know what you think.

I think I should get out my waders and my gas mask as they are compulsory when wading this deep in cattle dung.

>From the article:

>He described the open software movement as ``flimsy,'' ''flawed,''
>jeopardizing property rights and threatening to undermine the software
>industry, a key economic growth engine.

The flimsy, flawed model of OSS would account for it's lack of success.

>`We recognize that Open Source Software (OSS) has some benefits such as the
>fostering of community, improved feedback... and debugging,'' Mundie said
>in prepared remarks. ''But there are significant drawbacks to OSS as well.''

You would think MS would welcome all the debugging help it could get.

>Open source software programming creates greater dangers of security risks,
>software instability, and breaking up common industry design standards that
>could force valuable corporate intellectual property into the public domain,
>Mundie said.

Security risks? Like IIS leaving the door wide open in WIn2K? Imagine the back doors people could find if they had the source. Apparently MS is happier when only the black hats know how to break in.

Software instability? Like Linux? Apache? Perl? He must have been cutting himself ( ala 'The Abyss' ) to maintain control when he said that.

Common Industry Standards? Remember DOS 4.0? Windows 3.0? If OSS had been in a position to make it's move when those were prevalent, Mr Mundie would be calling Mr Torvalds 'Boss'.

Jared

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