Journal imroy's Journal: MS at LWE again? 2
LinuxToday is reporting that MS is going to be back "exhibiting" at Linux World Expo next year. Last year they were in the rookery since they were a first-timer, but this year they of course get to be out in the regular area. Let me join the chorus of people saying "kick them out".
Does MS make make a Linux distribution? NO.
Does MS make any product for Linux or the other Open Source operating systems? NO.
Does MS make a product based on Linux? NO.
Does MS support any Open Source projects? NO.
Has MS done anything for Linux or the Open Source world? You mean apart from opposing it at every possibility, and spreading FUD? NO.
MS has made it abundantly clear on many occassions over many years that it fears and opposes Linux and GPL licensed software in general. As many in the LT talkbacks opined, MS is just there to grab fence-sitting or opportunistic people over to their "side", and to try to improve their image. Don Brock's comment suggests they could even be trying to kill off the exhibition in the long-term by driving people away.
I remember a case earlier this year where the roles were almost reversed. A vendor was exhibiting at an MS-sponsored expo. IIRC, this vendor provided a mixed bunch of solutions, some of which were based on Linux. One of the employees attending the expo had stuck on the wall of their booth a bunch of pro-linux newspaper clippings. It was all set up the night before the expo, but the following day the clippings had been removed by one of the representatives of the expo. Does anyone else remember this incident? I can't seem to find it on LT.
Kick 'em out.
I respectfully disagree (Score:1)
One person suggested that if Microsoft want to attend, maybe they should be asked to take part in a 'like-for-like' test versus several of the Linux distributions, with a set of identically configured PCs, and let the press do the tests and write up the results, with the additional clause of no techie intervention - if necessary, the press guys have to try and fix problems themselves.
I think that this is a good idea, and if Microsoft were truly interested in being friends with the Linux community, they'd be up for it in a flash. After all, if Windows XP is as good as they make out, ie. better user experience, more stable, more reliable, lower TCO and all that, then they should have nothing to fear from Linux + KDE/Gnome, right?
Just barring them from attending will not do Microsoft any harm, and gives the impression that the Linux community is afraid of them. Laying down the challenge to Microsoft as price for their attendance puts the ball in Microsoft's court. If they walk away, the impression will be that it's Microsoft who's afraid.
MT.
Re:I respectfully disagree (Score:1)
It should be a requirement that exhibitors should have a Linux product or be involved someway, like the list I kinda layed out. Unfortunately, they've already been accepted (two years running!) by the LWE people. So like you said, kicking them out now would look bad.
An interesting idea, for sure. The only problem I have is that the testers and judges will be reporters. These are people who probably only know winders and would want Linux to behave similarly. And I doubt they would even be aware of the more powerful aspects of Unix/Linux systems.
Perhaps I'm just being a little too pessimistic. It'd still be an interesting idea to get an idea of how "normal people" handle the latest Linux GUI's. Just don't over-hype it make it out to be a definitive to-the-death type contest. I like the idea of making the winders users fix their own problems though :)