Microsoft To Exhibit at LinuxWorld Expo 772
Earendil writes "Linux Today has a confirmed report that Microsoft is going to be an exhibitor at LinuxWorld Expo. One can only guess at what Microsoft's motives might be. It will be interesting to see the reaction to the appearance of a Microsoft booth." No doubt this
means that the more childish among us will make us all look bad. Sigh.
What's the exhibit? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What's the exhibit? (Score:2, Interesting)
There are some things I fear though;
1) A MS Distro with proprietary libraries and a proprietary office product
2) officially renting a floor space in order to be able to make official complaints regarding the 'competitions' advertising practices.
3) They want to Buy you. Not win you over, not get you to trust them, straight up, here's a free copy of XP, try it out. I've seen this at the chicago CIO conference, where it was brutally succesful.
Of course.. we all know what will really beat MS in the long run, better pr0n harvesting utilities... at least if the succesful net sites are anything to go by.
-GiH
Foot, meet mouth, mouth mrrphrmmm...
Re:What's the exhibit? (Score:3, Insightful)
Not to offend you, but your average CIO would be won over by one of those pens with a the lady whose clothes disappear when it is clicked. A CIO confrence is a long shot away from LinuxWorld.
And anyway, whats wrong with free copies of XP? Most hacker and porters I know end up needing a copy of Windows anway, and I would much rather receive a free copy than have to pay $100, know what I'm saying?
Re: (Score:2)
My fear (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:My fear (Score:5, Insightful)
Lemme ask you something.. What the hell is wrong with Microsoft, as a commercial corporation, writing an emulator layer for Linux? They're not going to be able to take over the kernel. They're not going to be able to force their opinions or policies on anyone who doesn't use their brand of emulation, and to tell you the truth (no offense to the WINE folks), I'll bet that they will write a pretty damn good emulator. The only thing evil and borgish thing that they might do is to modify their Windows software to only work on *their* emulator. And I bet if they knew how to prevent WINE from running Windows apps, they would probably have already done it.
There is a huge market for Windows apps, even amongst Linux geeks. It might be a game that only runs on Windows, or it might be an specialized app, or it might be solitare for all I care. The fact of the matter is that there was obviously a need for WINE / WinForLinux / VMWare.
As for not giving back to the community - well, there is a long list of folks who have taken from the community without giving back. Part of software freedom is the understanding that there will always be people who take and never give.
Re:My fear (Score:4, Interesting)
Once they get into your machine that way, well, there's all kinds of little features, e.g. sound, that might "accidentally" break here and there unless you are using a particular linux distro. With whom they would naturally have a partnering agreement, since somebody's got to do the support for that. What's next? Gee, you need to use this "drm-approved" sound driver if you want our emulator to work. Sorry. Pretty soon they've taken over your allegedly free system in any way they please.
It doesn't have to work all that well. It shouldn't, in fact. It should work just well enough that it gets adopted, but badly enough to make sure it doesn't outshine their own OS.
Re:My fear (Score:3, Insightful)
The important thing is that Microsoft would be entering this thing as a player on equal footing with other competitors. In the past, Microsoft has been a competitor, but has also been the ruling body for the competition itself. Products like WordPerfect would come in, and lose because Microsoft could change the underlying operating system to suit their whims.
Now, I understand that they can still rise to the top of the emulator market, because after all, only they have access to the secret APIs that even the WINE folks can only dream about. And I understand that they will do everything to try to switch the situation over to their favor.
But two important things still remain - if you choose not to buy into the Microsoft way of life, you can still use Linux, becuase while Microsoft can play games in their little corner of the Linux world, they still can't influence change in the kernel without giving it back to the community.
There is only one Windows, and it comes from a single point somewhere in Washington. You either use Windows from Microsoft or you don't use it at all. There are multiple Linux distros, so you are not forced to use the Microsoft approved (TM) distro if you don't want to (and I expect that if they play their usual games, then few people will want their distro, even if it means using a less compatible solution).
Re:My fear (Score:3, Funny)
<theory type="conspiracy">
They will make it available for free to show the world how open they are. They will make it so easy to download and install that every eMachines owner will get it immediately. Hell, they may even include it with their next Windows update.
It will be SO buggy and error prone that all those Windows users will conclude that they will never switch to Linux.
</theory>
Their display will consist of... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Their display will consist of... (Score:5, Funny)
I don't really get it (Score:2, Interesting)
Anyways, I guess they're just going to try to show the competition.... but that makes absolutely NO sense because, again, it's a LINUX EXPO.
Re:I don't really get it (Score:2)
Forget about it, they just came to shit in the punch bowl and try to get a couple school-kids high.
Re:I don't really get it (Score:5, Funny)
Haven't you heard the news [mslinux.org]?
Re:I don't really get it (Score:2)
With hot topics on the upper right hand corner like "Microsoft Invades Cuba" and "Microsoft Monkey Colony on Mars," what do you think?
Of course it's really silly!
Re:I don't really get it (Score:2)
Childish (Score:5, Funny)
Hi pot, this is kettle. You're looking mighty black today!
Re:Childish (Score:2, Insightful)
What annoys me more is the insinuation that if you don't behave as if Microsoft would be welcome, then you're being childish. I don't see any reason why we should welcome the poster-child of proprietary software to a GNU/Linux show.
Re:Childish (Score:3, Insightful)
Honestly, though. Other proprietary vendors are welcome. (Think Maya, XSI, and a variety of other software vendors) Yes, MS is a bit over the top but... If they develop something for Linux why shouldn't they be welcome?
Note that "Welcome" is hinged upon their developing something for Linux, and "Unwelcome" would be their showing up as the KKK at an African American march. Preaching "Open Source is Evil" would be bad manners and quite likely be met by geekily violence.
-Sara
Re:Childish (Score:3, Insightful)
Because we are open and free comunity! Let's show them (M$) that we are diferent then they are and don't exclude them or think of them as a threat which they are not. Why they would not be welcome? They will come to "our" house so let us behave like good hosts. Let them show that we can live with them if they can live with us. If they will insult us just show them the way out but let's not insult them for no reason.
Respect your enemies and newer underestimate them.
Microsoft in Virusland (Score:2, Funny)
I wonder... (Score:3, Funny)
Depends... (Score:5, Funny)
Or, more specifically, male or female?
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)
That depends. Since most geeks don't have ass's like britney spears I am very much betting it would make the community look bad. Nobody wants to see hairy ass, nobody.
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I wonder... (Score:3, Funny)
Dunking Booth (Score:3, Funny)
Their theme could be "Hugs, not Hurts."
I can't wait... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I can't wait... (Score:2)
Embrace and Extend. (Score:4, Funny)
Protesters dressed as Borg? (Score:5, Funny)
It is probably best that we get this all talked out now, and treat them as fairly as possible. However:
There are lots of things that could be done to convince Microsoft that this is a really bad idea.
Re:Protesters dressed as Borg? (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes there are, and this would be the ideal time for them to happen. Then the PR machine would roll...
"Would you trust your business to..."
"Do you want your government run by..."
"This is what you can look forward to as a Window's user when you work with Linux..."
They have millions to spend on spin and are waiting for their "Rodney King" moment.
We have to be at our absolute best. Showing the business world that we can them in any mixture of Linux/Windows/MAC/UNIX/MVS, that meets their business needs. That the Linux community are the technologists who can improve the business model while reducing costs.
Re:Embrace and Extend. (Score:4, Informative)
It could be also that they'll demo SFU 3.0 (windows Services For Unix) - which was actually Interix until MS bought them (it was a very nice product, although the stuff there was ancient - X11R5, etc..)
Maybe Hell has frozen over... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Maybe Hell has frozen over... (Score:3, Interesting)
When the tidal wave of people switching to Linux hits -- and I do believe it will within the next couple years -- what else is Microsoft going to do? Their proprietary licenses just won't cut it. They will NEED to make Windows open source to keep control of the platform people use, to keep people from dumping it like a hot potato, and to make a market for their other products.
Of course with OpenOfice.org, they'll even have trouble with THAT.
Probably .NET (Score:5, Funny)
Though being a huge corporation with mounds of cash they might just have some Hot Booth Babes .
Re:Probably .NET (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Probably .NET (Score:2)
- Hosting solutions (or something of that ilk). Its the focus of their two page ads in Linux Magazine each month.
- Windows CE / XP Embeded.
- Small footprint XP that was tuned for blades / black box server/SAN solutions.
These are all areas where Linux is a credible short term threat to MS.
Why else would they be there? (Score:4, Insightful)
Redmond Linux (Score:2)
The more childish among us??? (Score:2, Funny)
Oh, but don't forget to take off your Darth Vader helmet first.
childish? (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, Taco you can start making slashdot look less childish by using a decent Microsoft icon, instead of the Bill Gates borg.
Re:childish? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:childish? (Score:2, Troll)
How about Gates as "Uncle Pennybags" from the Parker Bros. board game whose name escapes me at the moment...
How does that saying go? (Score:4, Insightful)
Then they laugh at you...
Then they fight you...
Then...
Someone's missing. (Score:2)
Hell ... is ... getting ... chilly ...
(unlike Boston today.)
Re:Someone's missing. (Score:2)
----rhad
Re:Someone's missing. (Score:2)
Of course, size... doesn't... matter... Right?
Interesting (Score:5, Informative)
----rhad
Re:Interesting (Score:2)
Watch out for incoming nerf rockets from both sides.
Is this like.. (Score:3, Funny)
Or do you think MS is going to actually give in to Linux?
Re:Is this like.. (Score:2)
Is this like an alcoholics anonymous booth at a beer convention?
More like a Miller Lite booth at an AA convention.
Or do you think MS is going to actually give in to Linux?
The first part of the phrase is "embrace", right?
Re:Your sig (Score:2)
If slashdot sucks, why did you dupe their look and color scheme?
To try to get people to make accounts.
Secondly, why did you do such a bad job at it?
Because I suck.
SlashdotSucks sucks.
Most definately.
Causing a reaction (Score:4, Insightful)
I think they are trying to cause a reaction and get people upset. They can point to this and say, "Look at how uncivil and mean these people are. Do you really want to be associated with them?" This will give them more leverage in the business world, where professionalism means quite a lot. Remember, MS is more about marketing right now than solid products.
I dunno. Just a thought.
What??!! (Score:4, Interesting)
Considering Microsoft has called the GPL a "Cancer" and attacks linux publicly whenever possible by telling outright lies, how can we ever look bad?
Microsoft is publicly out to destroy linux and whatever their motives, they have a lot of nerve to show up in the first place.
Feel free to pelt them with eggs, because that pales in comparison to their attempts to spread FUD and eventually make our OS illegal or impossible to use. Feel free to mod me down, but nothing I said is a lie.
Re:What??!! (Score:2)
"Considering Microsoft has called the GPL a "Cancer" and attacks linux publicly whenever possible by telling outright lies, how can we ever look bad?"
Have you been reading Slashdot comment? I'm surprised folks won't be throwing their own feces!
Re:What??!! (Score:4, Insightful)
>and attacks linux publicly whenever possible by
>telling outright lies, how can we ever look bad?
Despite the truth that only the informed few know, the ignorant masses will much sooner believe Microsoft because **money talks** (trough PR).
Anyone throwing eggs will be branded an anarchist, terrorist, you name it, just like most protesters protesting anything these days. The excellent points about MS trying every dirty trick imaginable to defeat Linux will very likely not make it to mainstream news sources. Throwing eggs will give Slashdotters a chuckle, but will do little to forward the cause of Linux and like-minded projects. It will just give the rest of the world more ammunition to ignore our legitimate concerns.
A little maturity goes a long way towards credibility, people!
You gotta hand it to them... (Score:5, Funny)
*cough* *sputter* (Score:4, Insightful)
Isn't that usually you? Seriously, nothing personal, thats what the site is about, but your comments after most story submissions tend to represent the worst elitist, one sided opinions of the community.
Rumor: (Score:5, Funny)
Of course it won't happen but (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Of course it won't happen but (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, I've been needing something to load test my machine with.
Competion is good (Score:2)
A real LEGITIMATE reason for Microsoft to be there (Score:2, Interesting)
They'd best emphasize the hardware over the software; a Linux crowed is not the most recentive place for the software anyway.
Good point on their hardware. (Score:4, Insightful)
As long as they stay far away from software, they're golden.
Re:Good point on their hardware. (Score:3, Funny)
Perhaps you've never heard of the monstrosity called the [penny-arcade.com] xbox [penny-arcade.com]?
Re:Good point on their hardware. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Good point on their hardware. (Score:3, Informative)
You've apparently never taken one of "their" input devices apart. Do so and learn. Last I checked, they're all made by Mitsumi. Who the heck knows how or by whom they were designed. They're just branded OEM products. I like the keyboard design reasonably well, but Logitech makes much more ergonomic mice IHMO.
So? (Score:4, Insightful)
- A.P.
I doubt they'll use this as a stage for FUD.. (Score:5, Interesting)
More likely, I expect they'll have information about their Microsoft Windows services for UNIX [microsoft.com]
Showing off services for Unix goes much further toward generating revenue for Microsoft than trying to tell people why *nix is bad or somehow inferior. It actually shows that Microsoft cares about interoperability with *nix. True of false, that's probably the message they'll try to convey. I'll withold my opinions on the validity of that message.
Re:I doubt they'll use this as a stage for FUD.. (Score:2)
Rember... (Score:2, Informative)
One possibiltiy... Linux Business Unit? (Score:5, Insightful)
Remember, in the end MS is out there to make money. Ruling the world is just a means to that end.
I disagree? (Score:3, Interesting)
Then why is Bill giving away so much to charities? Just for PR? Maybe.
I think it's more likely that the Microsoft coporate personality is more like a control freak than just greedy. Money is the way they maintain control, not the other way around. Remember, money is power.
Re:I disagree? (Score:4, Insightful)
What Microsoft does with its money is quite another thing, and is subject to intense scrutiny from investors, analysts, and federal investigators. Investors and analysts want an aggressive, cutthroat control freak, and that's what they're going to get, too.
Re:One possibiltiy... Linux Business Unit? (Score:4, Interesting)
Now, for those of you who think I've gone all loopy: NO, I don't expect that we're ever going to see 'MS Office for Linux', 'IE for MS-XWindows' or 'MS Linux.net' or anything similar at Comp-USA. If any of this stuff exists, I am quite certain MS is working on it to make their own platform better, and not to join the Linux universe - look how they strung out the Java platform.
The top-10 list of reasons... (Score:5, Funny)
2. Office on Linux.
3. DirectX compatibility-layer for Linux.
4.
5. Finally, a unifying desktop environment for Linux: 'LIN32'.
6. A new kernel, now featuring Palladium (tm).
7. No product, they just want to say goodbye to all of us before new laws make Linux illegal. Possibly they'll be mooning _us_.
8. The booth contains a powerful explosive, set to go off as soon as a keep-alive timer from a PC running Windows XP fails. Talk about a 'blue screen of death'...
9. They are not yet aware that they are invited to a _Linux_ expo. It is all a weird joke by Larry Ellison.
and finally... (drumroll please!)
10. They have ported Microsoft Bob to Linux!
Bottom 10 Reasons (Score:2, Funny)
9. Steve Ballmer has a pengiun fetish. It's just not the same since "Bloom County" was cancelled. Time to get another fix.
8. They think it is a Microsoft expo to which some Linux folks have been invited.
7. Microsoft loves trekkies. Going to be a lot of them there at any Linux event.
6. Its like "A Christmas Carol". The Ghosts of OS's Past, Present, and Future have finally convinced Ebenezer Gates of the error of his way.
5. Due to budget cuts in Redmond, they are really sending the booth crew to collect a load of free pens from the other booths in order to supply the home office.
2. (don't look for #4 and #3. They were lost due to an XP bluescreen). They are there to market the amazing new LinuXbox.
1. Yes, certainly. Giving out free copies of those surplus Windows 3.11 5.25" floppies will win over all of those Linux hippies.
ADDITIONAL reasons... (Score:4, Funny)
Well... (Score:2)
Pretty soon they'll be holding it at the VFW...
Star Trek VI? (Score:4, Funny)
Times are a changing (Score:3, Informative)
Personally know some MSFT techies, not bad people by and large, they have no issues with Linux. Their management, well different story.
Could be very interesting in my opinion.
StarTux
beware... (Score:3, Funny)
Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX (Score:2, Informative)
Now would it not be nice (Score:2)
Prime booth location, too! (Score:2)
The call to booth sales (Score:2)
LinuxWorld Sales Geek: "Damn kids, quit calling here. I don't know who the hell you're trying to amuse. It's not funny, and you're wasting my time."
You KNOW this happened.
here is (Score:4, Funny)
http://www.linuxworldexpo.com/linuxworldexpo/v3
might be helpful so you know where *NOT* to be standing when the ticking mechnical suicide penguin bombs come waddling in
Just what microsoft wants (Score:5, Interesting)
Fools! (Score:3, Funny)
Why is Microsoft there? My guess. (Score:5, Insightful)
If I were an IT guy going to the show as a seeker of answers, I would see what Linux has to offer and ask people why I should switch my servers over - get their real life experiences from those that made the switch. If I were an MCSE, possibly investigate how much I'll have to learn to make the switch.
If I saw the Microsoft booth, I'd then want to ask MS why I shouldn't switch my servers over to Linux and then weigh the pros and cons in the days/weeks/months after the show, probably do a little more investigation. If the booth isn't there, I might not ever ask MS what the cons would be to making the switch.
The booth might be there to spread FUD/pro-MS information to those on the fence about considering Linux for their servers or recommending Linux to their bosses.
Plus it doesn't hurt when some kid is mooning your booth while you're talking to one of these on-the-fence guys so you can say "You're gonna trust your company's servers to these kids?"
two words (Score:4, Funny)
Tesla Coil.
S
Mabey they want us to ack like a child. (Score:4, Insightful)
And if we are all professional which I think may be closer to the truth then MS will have the opertunity to give their side of the story. Eather way it is win win solution for MS.
Look who they are almost directly across from... (Score:3, Insightful)
Does Microsoft feel that they are their greatest threat or is this just a conspiracy theory???
Re:New Distro! (Score:2)
Exactly.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Speculation (Score:2, Insightful)
2)From the antitrust perspective - showing that they are not 'hostile' to Linux by exhibiting at a linux expo.
3) genuinely attempting to turn waverers/gullible to the dark side.
4) Intercepting any curious neutrals and diverting them from the competition - e.g. educational bodies, corporates, people interested in OpenOffice etc..
5) sheer fucking chutzpah...
Re:Please (Score:3, Insightful)
Don't you think instead they'll be pushing
Think before you post.
Re:Please (Score:3, Funny)
trade show gimicky stuff isnt cheap. so get lots of it.... then throw it in the trash as you leave the conference. just make sure you say please - and thank you.