[lug] Microsoft outlaws open source with .NET

[D. Stimits]

John Karns wrote:
> 
> > > > > --- Deva Samartha <blug-receive at mtbwr.net> wrote:
> > > > > > Microsoft associates the terms "viral" and
> > > > > > "virus" with GPL-ed software.
> > > > > > This is a clever move to discredit open
> > > > > > software.
> > > > >
> > > > > **  for some reason it makes me think
> > > > >     of the terms
> > > > >
> > > > >            the "big lie"
> > > > >
> > > > >               and
> > > > >
> > > > >            "adolph hitler"
> 
> It seems to me that BG & Co are getting desparate to crush Linux.  I
> heard mention of BG using NPR as a soapbox to air his anti-open source
> propaganda.  Make no mistake - they will stop at nothing to manipulate
> public opinion to serve their purpose.
> 
> I seems that due to it's popularity Linux is being perceived as a threat
> to the M$ monopoly; perhaps now that judge Jackson has been discredited
> (just who was it that interviewed Jackson to ask him the leading questions
> that started all that?  What role might BG & Co have played in initiating
> it?  To say that it was the act of an independent news publication or
> entity such as a TV network should not negate influence peddling) and the
> case judgement has been conveniently neutralized, they probably feel that
> the way has cleared.
> 
> I would further suggest that the release of .net for Free BSD may be a
> ploy to counter an image of the monopolist coming out against all other
> OS's; but I would expect that as soon as they were to succeed at outlawing
> Linux, they would turn their attention toward OS's such as BSD,
> particularly if it ever were to achieve the kind of popularity that Linux
> has.  This, to me, is the true nature of the genius of BG.
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> John Karns                                                jkarns at csd.net

Although it tends to appear to be off topic, I do believe this isn't off
topic, it will have an extreme effect on the future of Linux. Here is an
extension that adds a new twist:
http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,27685,00.html

It looks somewhat like the prior license issues are going to work in
concert with the "Passport" system of personal identification. Call me
paranoid, but if one owns the web site software and gateways to lots of
commercial sites, and getting in requires running MS software, which in
turn has preempted GNU competitors, it is something of a checkmate. It
looks worse as time goes by.

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com