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An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft |
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Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 12:25 PM EDT
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The first headline I saw when I woke up this morning was, "Microsoft Ponders How to Annihilate Linux." Yipes. That woke me up totally in a split second.
Don't you hate when that happens? Writing Groklaw is, in some ways, like driving a cab. You spend lots of relaxed time just driving around, observing the scene, looking, looking. Then suddenly, you have to drop everything, put on your "On Duty" sign, and drive fast in the direction of the story.
So I dashed over to read what turned out to be The Inquirer's Charlie Demerjian's interesting account of attending the Microsoft Partners Conference for 2005. The last story I wrote last night before I fell asleep was an article on David Wheeler's account of attending the 6th International Free Software Conference (FISL 6.0) in Brazil, and what a metaphor the contrast makes. Really. Put them side by side on your screen. Ask yourself which conference you'd rather sit through. It's no wonder Gates moans about not being able to attract new, young programmers.
In a way, an argument could be made that it's not a fair comparison, because the MS conference was a marketing event, and that is always boring. Well, LinuxWorld is essentially a marketing event too, and it wasn't boring at all. I also don't remember anyone even mentioning Microsoft. Maybe someone did and I missed it, but for sure there was no conference set aside on how to market Linux so as to beat Microsoft. And yet, it is.
Here's a snip from Charlie's article:
When talking about Linux, Kevin Johnson kept referring to the Get The Facts web site. They kept talking about how using the site and getting people, "engaged around Get The Facts". This would not bother me if they didn't keep referring to several thoroughly debunked, and mostly MS-funded studies. I was hoping for a real reason not to go for Linux, but nothing factual was presented, just spin. Color me stupid for expecting reality, but I didn't know how they used that site.
They did present a few interesting numbers though. First is a couple of winback case studies, with National Enterprise Systems and Independence Air named as now ex-Linux users. They also quoted some IDC numbers about shipments of Linux on x86 hardware, they showed MS at about 65% of the market in 2000 moving to about 75% in 2004. At the same time Linux went from about 10 to 15%. The take-home message was that partners can win against Linux, and it's growth is not at MS's expense. Without fine print, I can't go any deeper than that, but I am sure someone will it that after reading this.
Overall, for a pump-up, the resellers conference it was well done. The right things were said at the right times, and the sticky issues were glossed over. The only thing lacking was a coherent anti-Linux strategy. Maybe next year. Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. They don't talk in public about the anti-Linux strategy. "It's a cancer" didn't work out, for one thing. You need leaked memos and emails to find out the full strategy. Someday, in some future antitrust trial, maybe we'll find out all the details, all the dirt, but probably not from emails. Microsoft is always slow to grasp tech, as per their slow comprehension of the Internet, because all they think about is marketing and annihilating competition, but once they get it, it's got. They understand about email and litigation now. Maybe that will inspire them to start thinking about privacy. They are thinking about security issues. And it's about time they solve them, too, don't you think? Especially when you think about the fact that neither GNU/Linux nor Apple has that problem. If the only way Microsoft can solve its security problems is by DRM and controlling your computer's strings behind your back, opt out. GNU/Linux is here. It doesn't spy on you. And you won't be plagued with viruses and the usual MS malware. For sure though, there's more to Microsoft's anti-Linux strategy than the "Get the 'Facts'" silliness. Speaking of silliness, here's my personal favorite this week, in an article about Microsoft updates for SQL Server, Visual Studio and BizTalk Server: "The company, well known for its numerous product delays and non-stop testing until the gold code is solid, promised to deliver the software updates this fall after an original launch of this summer was scrapped in favor of additional testing." Priceless, no? After covering the SCO saga, I believe I can help Charlie with the fine print, or at least get him started on a conceivable Microsoft anti-Linux strategy, the PR part, anyway. It begins with funding a nuisance lawsuit, sprinkle liberally with comments from shills who love Microsoft, or their money, singing the indemnification song and predicting the litigation's danger to Linux. Have them say it might completely destroy Linux. Do some "studies" that show Linux uptake is slowing and mention that the reason is fear of the litigation. Have some pals buy an analyst company, and then their analysts can warn about the danger too. Have Ballmer give a speech in Asia, or any place that is switching hogwild for Linux, and warn them that Linux has legal issues that can bite them, and have your salesmen mention that in their sales pitch. Use the phony baloney lawsuit as evidence. Next announce indemnification for your own products and make a pleasant contrast. Have the lawyers delay and delay and delay any litigation outcome to maximize PR benefits. Cross your fingers behind your back and say Microsoft is cheaper to run than Linux. Play with numbers until it can be "proven" in your paid-for "studies". A mainframe computer might help out there. Have your PR firm hire astroturfers who will pretend to be Linux folks and have them leave comments all over the Linux Internet landscape. Have them lay low for a while, just planting helpful comments in numbers no one who wasn't paid to do it could possibly match, so they become fixtures. Then subtly start to undermine. ("I may be modded down for this, but Microsoft does have a point..."; "I used to love Groklaw, but now..."; use the same technique to point out "valid" points the phony baloney litigator has. They don't have to be true. Your overarching goal is to raise doubts and to lower respect for the Linux web site. Raise doubts about the web site's editor at all costs, so folks will discount what they read there.) If the number of astroturfers is large enough, you'll definitely get some weak-minded individuals to follow along. It's all in the numbers. If there are enough, you could even take over Slashdot-type sites, because the real community members will get disgusted and leave, and numbers can win, as "The Wisdom of Crowds" points out, by tilting the balance so undecideds are influenced your way by the human tendency to want to be in the larger group. Work the mod system, so pro-Microsoft comments get modded up, Insightful, and comments you don't like get modded down to the center of the earth, so no one sees them. If there is no mod system, work in groups, so the group can thank the first operative for his comment, and so forth. Take out ads, too, on the web site you are undermining, if it is a commercial site. It makes the publisher think twice about attacking you and inclines them to publish anti-Linux stories to please you and to prove they are not being biased, and then more readers will leave. Then have your operatives stir up created "issues" and have them leave in a huff and set up other web sites where it gets talked about forever, around and around, in a mind-numbing detail that no normal person could maintain, because no normal person would care. Moderation issues are easy to manufacture, and some in the community will be blinded by it and follow you. Don't really leave the other sites, though. Keep striking with anonymous comments that hopefully get the web site sued and definitely make it look bad. The average passerby will think your astroturfers are community members, so you can paint the entire FOSS community in a bad light. Point out particularly awful comments you've had your people leave as examples of what's wrong with the community. If the comments get moderated away, complain about free speech and intolerance. Keep raising your issues, so new readers get reached. Point out some "valid" points in the phony baloney lawsuit, over and over. If there is a reaction, whine about bias and narrow-mindedness and that your free speech rights are being trampled on. If you are moderated, complain loudly. Get friendly journalists to write about how rude the community is, when it's actually you. Laugh. Hire detectives to destroy the reputations, if possible, of any prominent figures in the FOSS community. Friendly journalists can be used to help dig up dirt, or if there isn't any, to manufacture some. They can just use innuendo if you fail utterly to find anything. Litigation can be used to help out, particularly in finding the location of those you wish to harass more fully if you could just find them. A few surrogate lawsuits by individuals pro se that just happen to say what you'd like said could be used. That keeps the costs down, and you can say anything you wish in a complaint without getting sued for slander, and because it's a surrogate plaintiff with no known direct ties to you, you can throw in the kitchen sink. It doesn't matter if they lose in the end. Because you have no ethical restraints, since all you care about is annihilating the competition, you can have the surrogate say absolutely any awful or stupid thing you like, and that bad publicity will spread like smoke in the air. Some in the community will foolishly explain how the loony lawsuits could improve, and you can take notes and either improve the loony litigation or save your notes for the next one. Just keep the concepts in the air, in the media. Unmoderated boards are your friend, and you can plant your poison all over the place and force people to think about it and react to it. Some will eventually be converted, given enough "I think loony plaintiff number 1 might win" comments. If anyone dares to contradict your nonsense, attack them personally and with scorn, to influence the others. If they don't contradict you or moderate you, point to the comments as examples of how unreliable that web site is for publishing such off-the-wall comments. You can't lose, no matter what happens, unless folks are intelligent enough to figure out eventually that your operatives are operatives, and that takes time. Meanwhile you are buying your way out of litigation by the dozens yourself, and making "friends". Undermine the standards process so as to exile your competition from the mainstream. Tell your Congress critters you need legislation. Give them any excuse, but make sure Linux is perceived as a security risk or as suitable only for universities. Attack the GPL as antibusiness, unConstitutional, whatever. Get all major companies to cross license patents with you, any way you can. Threaten litigation if they don't want to sign. And then patent, patent, patent. "Reform" patent laws, where they exist, to favor Microsoft. Try to get patent laws passed where they don't currently allow software patents so that they do. Since no one can develop software any more in the US without stepping on someone's patent, you can have fun for years litigating over patents, or get another surrogate to do so. No one in the patent peace club will be able to block you, because of the deals you made, if you pick the patents carefully. FOSS has so few patents, they can't join the Rich Boys' Patent Club. The Club will, of course, have very little patent litigation because of the cross-licensing deals, and it will appear that only Linux has issues with patents. Paint it as IP theft, those pirates. Link Linux with music piracy for the cherry on top, even though you know there is no connection. Rinse and repeat. So, Charlie, I hope this helps you to figure out an anti-Linux strategy Microsoft could use. I know. I know. You meant that Microsoft doesn't have an effective anti-Linux marketing strategy. And you are correct. They don't have a fair-fight strategy. But that doesn't mean they don't have an anti-Linux stategy. Oh, one final step. Get ready for an antitrust lawsuit someday charging you with all of the above.
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Authored by: chrisbrown on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 12:39 PM EDT |
P4 and P5 are essentially duplicates... Please delete P4. [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: rm6990 on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 12:39 PM EDT |
I disagree with you on one point PJ. Some of the pro-OSS people on some sites
disgust me, and I am pro-OSS myself. Some of them run on to OSNews for instance,
and say things like "OSS never has any vulnerabilities, only Microsoft
does" just to insite flame wars. I even quit reading the site for a while
it got so bad. Slashdot seems to have calmed down lately with their point
system, which OSNews has now adopted. (I will admit though, most of the anti-OSS
people are even worse).[ Reply to This | # ]
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- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: PJ on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 12:49 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:15 PM EDT
- FWIW - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 03:51 PM EDT
- FWIW - Authored by: rm6990 on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:07 PM EDT
- FWIW - Authored by: PJ on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:41 PM EDT
- FWIW - Authored by: analyzer on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 08:03 AM EDT
- Hey, I'm crazy . . . - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 08:29 AM EDT
- FWIW - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 02:06 PM EDT
- FWIW - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 04:25 PM EDT
- I'm crazy - Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, July 12 2005 @ 06:41 AM EDT
- if slashdot is calming down... - Authored by: Briareus on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 03:09 AM EDT
- If this is where the crazies are... - Authored by: greyhat on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 12:13 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:53 PM EDT
- How can you be so sure? - Authored by: rezende on Wednesday, July 13 2005 @ 04:13 PM EDT
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Authored by: N. on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 12:47 PM EDT |
...now tell us what you *really* think! ;)
The latest stupid claim is that coporations and organisations developing FLOSS
software violates antitrust law. Whilst Wallace started this and got laughed out
of Groklaw, it's interesting how it's grown legs in Y!, and how the people
building it all up are all non-lawyers, or at best people pretending to be
lawyers but admit having no legal training.
That's one theme that has really stepped up recently: "I'm not a lawyer,
but I'm going to tell you lots of things you like the sound of to make me look
good so that you will all lap it up when I start saying something
outrageous."
Apparently it's just plain wrong to help out friends and strangers alike without
the expectation of being paid.
Sigh...
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N.
(Now almost completely Windows-free)[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: N. on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 12:49 PM EDT |
Clickable links and all that jazz, plus the latest crank lawsuit news.
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N.
(Now almost completely Windows-free)[ Reply to This | # ]
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- Case Study: When the Legal System Fails - Exxon - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:48 PM EDT
- Daniel Lyons says nice things about Linux. - Authored by: JScarry on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 08:06 PM EDT
- OT here - Authored by: fettler on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 09:43 PM EDT
- Waaaay OT--EV1 - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 12:54 AM EDT
- Waaaay OT--EV1 - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 03:12 PM EDT
- Waaaay OT--EV1 - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 04:02 PM EDT
- Current events, calendar. - Authored by: gnuadam on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 11:22 AM EDT
- Has Mr. Wallace put his experiences in print for posterity? - Authored by: eibhear on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 12:28 PM EDT
- European software patents rumbles on - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 03:39 PM EDT
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 12:58 PM EDT |
Wow! You really pulled all the threads together to give
the whole picture. Brilliant analysis! Sounds like the
plot of a conspiracy thriller novel/movie. The scary thing
is it's real. And with politicians for sale, it just might
work. [ Reply to This | # ]
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- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: davcefai on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:28 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: PJ on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:39 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: kattemann on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:02 PM EDT
- A small caveat... - Authored by: N. on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:23 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: LocoYokel on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:43 PM EDT
- "Try" to install Windows is right... - Authored by: Erbo on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:12 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: davcefai on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:26 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: MathFox on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:47 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:12 PM EDT
- or SuSe. - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:58 PM EDT
- Real World Example - Authored by: Rsnable Person on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 08:39 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 06:17 AM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: RichardR on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 06:28 AM EDT
- bingo - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 11:10 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: David Gerard on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 09:54 AM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 05:36 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 09:48 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:34 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: N. on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:41 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 03:47 PM EDT
- GIMP - Authored by: N. on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:17 PM EDT
- GIMP - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:43 PM EDT
- GIMP - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 09:12 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: tbogart on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:49 PM EDT
- Check out GIMPshop - Authored by: nerd6 on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 08:37 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:53 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Grula on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:53 PM EDT
- Dreamweaver? - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:01 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: rm6990 on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:44 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 08:56 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 09:02 PM EDT
- Nonsense - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:44 PM EDT
- "Windows is easy to setup." Not. - Authored by: rjamestaylor on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 09:09 AM EDT
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:04 PM EDT |
Does someone have a chart listing all the times MS has been sued for
patent/copywrite/anti-trust violations, and the outcomes?
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:09 PM EDT |
Good article...
Until it breaks down with zealot biased paranoia, half-truths and utter
senslessness.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:10 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: skuggi on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:22 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:26 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: PJ on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:32 PM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:23 PM EDT
- Please.... - Authored by: Hop on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:23 PM EDT
- Please.... - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:46 PM EDT
- Here here! - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 07:18 PM EDT
- pass the cookies, Yea! - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 02:00 AM EDT
- There is a reason - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 03:26 AM EDT
- Please.... - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 06:27 PM EDT
- Please.... - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, July 13 2005 @ 07:49 AM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:52 PM EDT
- Not paranoid enough - Authored by: Cyberdog on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 06:08 AM EDT
- An Anti-Linux Strategy for Microsoft - Authored by: Darigaaz on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:27 PM EDT
- I agree - Authored by: Mike Steele on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:14 PM EDT
- Only one way for MS to truly fight Linux... - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 02:40 AM EDT
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:27 PM EDT |
Great article, However it would have been excellent if PJ had provided links to
support each point.
vegast[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: dyfet on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:42 PM EDT |
The idea of exploiting natural faultlines in the community. For example, doing
something that will provoke a reaction from free software advocates, but not
open source ones, and then use your astroturfers to stretch open that gap into
a
much wider chasm. Or selectivily target something only one group cares
about,
and try to seperate and divide them from others. These are the sort of
things I
have seen more of recently, and we cannot affort to let our community
be
successfully divided by others, like Microsoft, who will then harm us all.
Or as,
was it Franklin, once said "if we do not hang together, we will surely
all hang
seperately".
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: tbogart on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 01:50 PM EDT |
I had posted this a couple of weeks ago - perhaps it was moderated away?
[grin]
Anyway, I just looked at it again, and winced at the first two
paragraphs:
"Blue Hat" summit meant to reveal ways of the other
side
You can think about security, you can spend billions researching
it, but at some point, maybe you need to realize you have to actuall fix your
products ...
Oh yeah, I double checked the date on the article. 3
weeks ago. Though I didn't see a mention of the actual date of the event. [ Reply to This | # ]
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- Facinating link - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:33 PM EDT
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Authored by: NicholasDonovan on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:05 PM EDT |
Microsoft doesn't say they want to build the best software.
(Remember they are not a technology company, they are a marketing company.)
Microsoft says they want to control your user experience thereby giving the
illusion of better security.
Ask any business owner out there about how Microsoft Operating Systems and
software force them to work the way Microsoft wants them to work, not
necessarily in the way that brings out the best competitive nature of their
enterprise.
Microsoft has had 25 years to develop a multi-user OS and still can't do it.
Microsoft software are the McDonald's of the technology world. A little bit to
tide you over isn't too bad, but it can have disastrous results if you give
your business a steady diet of it.
Microsoft is all about pretty pictures and two-dimensional marketing strategy.
It's about creating a make-believe world where so-called 'IT Experts' in the
media proclaim you software the second coming of the PC before it's even been
released.
It's about having sycophants in the so-called 'IT Media' proclaim how your
latest invention will kill Linux for sure. (So you better not use Linux as it
won't be around long) I remember hearing that a lot when Windows 2000 was coming
out.
It's about having shadowy 'IT organizations' than no one has ever heard of (or
that may just be desperate for cash) pop-up and say, "We use Microsoft, we
used to use Linux" even though no-one can find any of their names on the
wiki's or mailing lists.
To summarize the Microsoft approach to marketing, it's about creating market
surveys with an-depth IT Questions that ask you if you are an IT professional,
and if you are, you are then bumped from the survey.
Let Microsoft perpetuate this illusory world of their own creation.
Why? Because we've taken at least 30 companies and converted them to 'Other
than Microsoft' and they've seen huge cost savings (lower TCO), better security,
increased efficiencies and better alignment to business strategies.
Please Microsoft... please continue to do exactly what you're doing.
It makes the job of converting your customers that much easier!
Cheers,
Nick
---
Not an Attorney.
Views expressed are my personal opinions and not necessarily those of my
employer or its affiliates. [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:10 PM EDT |
One of the best articles I have ever read on the subject.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: webster on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:17 PM EDT |
They must also discourage any retailer from selling computers with any other
system. Imagine what side-by-side comparisons would do. People might opt for
cheaper more reliable and extensive desktop applications!
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webster[ Reply to This | # ]
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- Ay yup - Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:08 PM EDT
- Ay yup - Authored by: tbogart on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 10:33 PM EDT
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:22 PM EDT |
I'd like to submit this thread as an example of astroturfing.
Anandtech Forums
Please notice a few
items:
- Attention craving thread title (caps and !!!!).
- The poster's
account is created for the thread
- He presents himself as just another
Linux fan.
- None of his MS criticisms are points that would
actually dissuade users.
- None of his Linux compliments would actually
encourage a user.
- Although his original post reads like a juvenile, he
later lapses into some design and markerting terminology.
- No 'questions'
that can answered with simple facts.
My impression is the thread was
designed to give readers considering Linux the impression that it's very hard to
use, extremely time consuming, and has a community filled with mean people.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Steve Martin on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 02:31 PM EDT |
Undermine the standards process so as to exile your
competition from the mainstream.
Oh, don't get me
started...
Oops. Too late.
Just this weekend, I was visiting
my retired mother, who has a PC at home to play games on and to swap email with
far-flung family members (myself included). While I was there, she asked me to
look at a message she had opened, one that had her worried. It was a message
from my cousin's daughter who had just graduated high school. My mother uses
cable Internet, from a provider that does not provide POP service, so she had to
find another way to receive email; that way turned out to be Hotmail. (Sigh.)
Long story short, the message she asked me to look at had been "helpfully
modified" by Microsoft, with an ominous-looking "warning message" at the top
complaining that the sender's identity could not be verified by Sender ID. This
little addition from Microsoft had her convinced that someone was trying to hack
her PC.
Thanks, Microsoft, for pushing your own proprietary,
community-rejected, market-rejected nonsense and scaring my mom. It made for a
pleasant experience on her part, I'm sure.
--- "When I say
something, I put my name next to it." -- Isaac Jaffee, "Sports Night" [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 03:10 PM EDT |
At the risk of sounding redundant, PJ,
Let me point out a few things here. First, I did not write that headline,
the one I put in for the article was much more on point to the story. Somewhere
along the line of me submitting it to the engine, and the powers that be hitting
'OK', the title got changed, a VERY common occurance at the Inq.
Next up, I do know the things you mention, and a lot more. I didn't grow up
yesterday, and have written extensively on the subject. If you look at the
Novell counter page to the 'Get The Facts' page, you will see one of my articles
extensively quoted, even if it is very selectively and artfully (mis)quoted. I
am on the ball here.
Which brings me to the point, I wasn't trying to lay out MS's entire
anti-Linux strategy, I was just commenting on the keynote I sat through that
morning. Nothing more, nothing less. I took what they told 6K of their closest
partners and commented on that. There were a few more points here and there that
I did not put in for brevity that I was, and probably still will, email you when
I have time. Right now though, I have to get back to the show. :)
There are several partner tracks at the show pointing out how to sell
against Linux, and I was planning on attending one to see what the official word
was, but the timing did not work out. Either way, it probably mirrored the
keynote, and the strategy there was quote things without giving data.
If you look at what was and is being said, the information they toss out
comes from either a non-credible source or is from a self-serving study. You
notice I did toss in a bit about debunked studies, it wasn't by chance.
So, overall, take a deep breath there, it wasn't meant to be a
comprehensive treatise on the subject, but yours is getting close. :) If this
bothered you, the one today on security which N. Alex Rupp wrote up a bit ago
would have given you an aneurism.
The security one was at best severely questionable, but I would go as far
as to say knowingly and purposely false. They compared security flaws in Server
2003 to Redhat Enterprise 3, note the OS comparison to a complete distro. They
went on to do the same with databases, SQL Server vs Oracle vs MySQL, and guess
which one one on both counts? I don't know enough about databases to say how
correct this one was, but after the S2003 vs RHEL3 fiasco, I honestly had to
assume he was lying outright.
There were good points and bad on both keynotes, but as happens with Sun,
an honestly otherwise solid speech gets obliterated by a couple of really stupid
statements. This was the case here, and it really is a pity, they really should
focus on being positive. Fat chance I know, but you have to ask.
Look for Norm's piece today, and the second half either later today or
tomorrow.
-Charlie[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 03:27 PM EDT |
"Hire detectives to destroy the reputations, if possible, of any prominent
figures in the FOSS community."
I never thought of myself as a prominent member of the FOSS community.
Appearantly I am prominent enough to have been placed under surveillance by
detectives for two different periods of times of about a month each time. I
cannot prove who placed me under surveillance but I have given the government
enough solid evidence about the surveillance that the FBI can chase down the
identity of the perpetrator.
----------------------
Steve Stites
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: dtfinch on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:04 PM EDT |
Search for "project green"
They've been putting a lot of effort into business ERP/MRP/CRM/accounting
software. They've bought some of the best software out there, and are working
hard to better integrate them with other Microsoft products such as Office and
Longhorn.
They're very small in this market now, but if successful they'll effectively
lock many companies out of switching to Linux. Migrating from an ERP system,
once you've grown to depend on its specific functionality, just may be harder
than migrating from any other software in the world.[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: inode_buddha on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 04:32 PM EDT |
See the following link
http://www.blinkenlights.com/classiccmp/gateswhine.html
("Open Letter to Hobbyists")
More later.
---
-inode_buddha
Copyright info in bio
"When we speak of free software,
we are referring to freedom, not price"
-- Richard M. Stallman[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:01 PM EDT |
We recently had to use Biztalk because we bought a partially done system which
insisted employing it.
After we retailed the code running on biztalk we noticed how unreliable it is.
So we had to write additional code to work around those biztalk specific
problems.
Now we got a system which can essentially run without biztalk.
Yet, we bought that expensive crap.
Another happy M$ customer.
PS:
At least biztalk earned some bad rep for microsoft here :)
[ Reply to This | # ]
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- biztalk, grrr - Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 01:12 AM EDT
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Authored by: dyfet on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:06 PM EDT |
A couple of years back, around the time of each major Bayonne release, I
would
get unsolicited telephone calls at home. These were from people
(always a
different person) who said they were "concerned about my carreer"
and wished to
offer me free
Microsoft training courses (I recall most often MCSE and things
like that)
through various Microsoft certified training partners. I found the
whole thing
terribly ammusing at the time.
What I did not know about,
however, were the death threats received my
listed office phone number, as
somebody thought it best not
to inform me of this at the time.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: dyfet on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:17 PM EDT |
It is true that GNU/Linux could use a marketing strategy of it's own. But it
must
not be a negative one. That is all those kinds of people can do. We
could do
much better, with something like a pro-freedom marketing approach,
rather
than the anti-x approach companies like Microsoft resort to. Perhaps
something that asserts the total value of freedom (TVF), rather than the total
cost of slavery (er "ownership"). What price can one put on freedom,
anyway?
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 05:58 PM EDT |
You pretty much summed it up PJ. What I don't understand is why the trolling,
astoturfing comes in waves.
Slashdot is starting to look more balanced with the obvious paid astoturfing
being toned down, haven’t seen much on linuxtoday for a week or two, and it has
been pretty quite here.
Perhaps the budget ran out, or perhaps it was just part of the "Get the
facts" campain.
CrazyEnginner
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Authored by: enigma_foundry on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:14 PM EDT |
I think you missed the core of the new MS campaign against
Linux--take the moral high ground:
Two examples:
1. Paint Linux as a method of big US corporations exploiting third
world labor through the GPL. This has suddenly shown up in
several places--It so ridiculous I won't waste space here trying to
debunk it.
2. Tie Linux to Terrorism: I am sure MS will do this soon, through
their stooges...The only place it has shown up so far was in one
of SCO letters to Congress...
Put I think there are several other examples where MS could do
this---I won't list them here--They don't need our help on
this--let them pay their stooges to come up with this stuff--but
we need to be prepared--
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 06:28 PM EDT |
How many thousands of support folks make their living fixing problems that would
not happen or would happen much less under Linux?
How many folks who are MS certified do not want to bother to learn something
else?
All of the above also have a vested interest in keeping MS predominant.[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: kh on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 07:14 PM EDT |
I was thinking about this and I realised there is something that most people
just miss. There are no or almost no viruses for Linux and MacOS X. (Although
there used to be lots for MacOS). How come? Microsoft says it fixes
vulnerabilities. Why doesn't it just fix the vulnerabilities that allow
viruses?
Relying on 3rd party software to fix things that exploit inherent
vulnerabilities in things like the included email clients and default account
setups is not fixing the problems at all.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 07:15 PM EDT |
To take out Slashdot would be easy.
Just have the Microsoft shills submit duplicate articles.
The idiot editors at /. can't detect dupes now. It would be easy to overwhelm
them, causing all the Linux/OSS guys to get disgusted and leave.
The Microsoft shills practically own the place now, despite the fact that all
their comments start with "So now the Linux fanboys here will..."
implying that /. is still dominated by Linux enthusiasts. I'd like to see some
figures on that. Linux guys might still be in the majority, but the Microsoft
shills make up for that by making louder and more posts. Some of the stuff is
so transparently shilling that I have to tell "Bill" that
"Melinda is calling him."[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 07:49 PM EDT |
"A pumped-up and sweating Ballmer informed Microsoft's Worldwide partner
conference on Sunday morning that IBM is a spent competitive challenge that is
pushing sub-par software, while he worked the crowd's concerns over IP and
patents by talking of so-called "rumors" that Linux violates more than 200
patents."
Link
Who would start a rumor like that?
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Khym Chanur on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 08:03 PM EDT |
Hire detectives to destroy the reputations, if possible, of any prominent
figures in the FOSS community. Friendly journalists can be used to help dig up
dirt, or if there isn't any, to manufacture some. They can just use innuendo if
you fail utterly to find anything.
While Microsoft might have helped
fund SCO, the whole thing with O'Gara and the private detectives seems like a
personal vendetta on the part of SCO and O'Gara, rather than something
orchestrated by Microsoft. Or have other prominent FOSS figures also been
investigated by detectives, and I've missed it?
Litigation can be
used to help out, particularly in finding the location of those you wish to
harass more fully if you could just find them. A few surrogate lawsuits by
individuals pro se that just happen to say what you'd like said could be used.
That keeps the costs down, and you can say anything you wish in a complaint
without getting sued for slander, and because it's a surrogate plaintiff with no
known direct ties to you, you can throw in the kitchen sink.
Wallace
seems to me to be someone who's looking for someone or something else to blaim
for his failures (objective or self-perceived), has latched onto the GPL as the
excuse for those failures, and is lashing out against it via suing. Also,
wouldn't it be a very risky move for Microsoft? He could later reveal that they
paid him to do it, and that would get Microsoft in trouble; if it
wouldn't get them in trouble, and they were the ones behind Wallace,
they'd simply bring such an anti-trust suit themselves. --- Give a man
a match, and he'll be warm for a minute, but set him on fire, and he'll be warm
for the rest of his life. (Paraphrased from Terry Pratchett) [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 09:36 PM EDT |
My daughter wants to buy one of those tiny portable music players. Most of them
play mp3 encoded files. The ones that play ogg are harder to find and more
expensive. She would like to be able to turn her CDs into MP3s. The trouble is
that the algorithms seem to be patented. Open source encoders are therefore
somewhat iffy. One, BladeEnc, seems to be from Norway (just guessing, the url
ends in .no). The site talks at length about why they won't distribute binaries
(they do have the source though). The binaries are available at sites in
various other countries.
So, here we have a clear example of 'patent chill'. I'm not sure if the mp3
patents are enforcible in Norway. I'm not sure if they are enforcible in
Canada, where my daughter is. I am sure they are preventing open source work
that should be legal.
Isn't MP3 part of MPEG? Isn't that a 'standard'? There should be a law
preventing standards from being patent encumbered.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: senectus on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 10:36 PM EDT |
Is there a web site somewhere that is a "Get the facts" for a 1:1
debunk of the MS "Get the Facts" site?
Thanks[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: urzumph on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 11:16 PM EDT |
You need leaked memos and emails to find out the full strategy.
Someday, in some future antitrust trial, maybe we'll find out all the details,
all the dirt, but probably not from emails.
Happy Halloween[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, July 10 2005 @ 11:56 PM EDT |
Just imagine...if Microsoft focused all that effort into making a better
operating system (instead of holding the others down), they might actually
create a better operating system.
That is what I don't understand. The world's largest software company needs the
government to maintain their monopoly, but they whine about being "free to
innovate" when the same government intervenes with a lawsuit.
A friend of mine once said, "this is a nation ruled by association, not by
laws." Microsoft living by this idea, apparently.
Scott [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: darkonc on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 03:26 AM EDT |
It's not that I disagree with you on anything you said, but I'm getting a bit of
a sense of burnout in the way that you said it. We all want you healthy,
wealthy and wise. Just one out of the three isn't good enough. At the very
least healthy and wise. Wealthy is entirely optional in my books.
I can't
remember who said it: "I can do a years work in 11 months, but I can't do it in
12.".
I think you've been 'up' for about 2 years straight now.
If I had
the money to punt you on a week's Caribbean cruise, I think I would. Just for
the fun of it. --- Powerful, committed communication. Touching the jewel
within each person and bringing it to life.. [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 04:20 AM EDT |
PCLinuxOS - I have to change my bios to boot from the cdrom first, then I drop
the cd in the cd-rom, boot the computer, hit enter when the commandline appears
to start Linux, and then log-in to a fully functioning desktop. From there, I
use QTparted to prepare my harddrive, and then start up the install scipts which
happened to be linked to an icon on the desktop. After I get the scripts
started, which are dead easy to understand, I usually surf the web or play games
until the installation is complete. When it's completed, I add my users, set my
passwords, activate logging and install LILO. From there, I select reboot (the
computer even ejects the cd tray for you) and boot into a fully functioning
Linux desktop. Plus, all hardware is detected and automatically set up
including my HP printer and scanner, also my network is auto-detected and
configured. Time: 20-30mins
Windows XP - Boot dosboot disk and run Partition Magic 4 to prepare the disks
(can't let WinXP's tools do this, they don't work on this hardware and leaves
the harddrive unreadable). Reboot the dosboot disk and run smartdrv (if you
don't do this, WinXP's install doesn't know how to cache the cdrom correctly and
the install can literally take 24hours or more), then start WinXP's install
scripts, which are easy enough to understand if you have a minor knowledge of
what's going on, but not nearly as easy as PCLOS's install scripts.
Then I usually find something to do during install since it takes about 50 mins
and the only thing you can do is read what MS is printing on the screen. But
after it's done installing, I enter my info and reboot.
Here's where it gets interesting. I'm not that good with computers, but I know
if you hit F8 right after you boot you will get a menu that allows you to boot
Windows into different modes. A fresh WinXP install on this computer
unfortuantely has the wrong driver for my video card and if you don't know to
hit F8 after booting, you'd be stuck here because it will freeze when it starts
loading the video driver.
In order to get it working, I have to boot first into vga mode so I can install
the video driver, but if I boot into vga mode first, it will crash. Why, I
don't know, but first I have to boot into safemode, then reboot into vga mode
(can't install the drivers in safe mode), then I can boot into Windows normally.
Mind you, I have to hit F8 when I'm trying to boot into safemode and vga mode,
and if I miss it, I have to reset my computer to unfreeze it. Most hardware is
detected exept my Linksys ethernet card, my HP scanner, and only the Windows
part of my LAN is detected.
Time: without smartdrv (which is up to you to have handy) it can take up to 24
hours to install, with smartdrv and having to constantly reboot from preparing
the disks to getting the video drivers installed, it takes about two hours, is
frustrating, and requires you to have other software present, such as drivers
and disktools, to complete the install.[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Wesley_Parish on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 06:06 AM EDT |
I just heard a joke that illustrates Ballmer's problems
with Linux, the
claims of the "Get The Facts"
website - and a conceivable way of dealing
them. It
dates from the Mad Cow scare in the UK in the latter half
of the
nineties.
"I'm not going to get mad cow disease," says one cow to
another.
"And why is that?"
"I'm a helicopter."
I'm
sure I don't need to explain any further. --- finagement: The
Vampire's veins and Pacific torturers stretching back through his own season.
Well, cutting like a child on one of these states of view, I duck [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 06:20 AM EDT |
I do use linux in a sort of 50/50 split with windows. I tend to stay in one
until something makes me want to reboot into the other.
I enticed my partner to move to Linux (suse 9.3 to be exact), but he found it
hard installing software. Installing via RPM's from the Desktop is fine, but of
course no icons are created anywhere.
Until icons are created automatically in the menu or the desktop users are going
to find it hard and cumbersome.
Just me 2p worth !
Timbo[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 08:42 AM EDT |
wrap all of the above in "Get the FUD" wrapper and host it on a
website running Linux and apache.
Just kidding... [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 08:45 AM EDT |
Your theory sounds ethical enough for a Corp like MS. I bet they are even
taking notes given the wealth of good ideas written in your article.
One
way to protect OSS and it's interests is start a blacklist. The only problem is
organization of a specific set of criteria for judgement of whom to
blacklist.
A blacklist could work for the following points:
The
internet depersonalizes a lot of our interactions. We don't tend to see
individuals except for the way they portray themselves. Hence conclusions of
their adjenda can be based on their history of their interactions.
Such
tests to determine if an individual should be blacklisted should be debated
between Open Source advocates.
Once a troll is blacklisted, the fact
he/she is on the blacklist is proof that his/her arguements are probably
unfounded and to be taken with the weight of a feather. A way to show everyone
on a list who is not trustworthy.
All this effort to protect he Open
Source Community will result in more unity amungst members. People wishing to
advocate linux will certainly read the criteria of the blacklist and in turn
become better advocates. In fact there is already good material on that
subject. (Advocate-HOWTO)
While this probably will not stop the MS
trolls, It will slow them down as they have to open new email/user accounts and
regain the trust of a group.
2 cents[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: clark_kent on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 09:10 AM EDT |
Microsoft
Surprises with Linux 'Hands-On Lab'
There is a certain part of the
market that is unaware of what Linux really is. I would consider that the
avaerage user part of the market. This part of the market that also loves the
Mac doesn't realize the Unix power beneath it. It is this Unix technolgy that
most people do not understand. I understand it. I am geared that way. But most
users are geared another way. And perhaps the main reason Microsoft is exposing
Linux in this way is because Microsoft's marketing machine is so powerful, it
simply puts other OSes off the average users market's radar. But the average
user market has become vaguely aware of this super "unknown." So Microsoft has
to identify it's enemy to the make a comparison. Quite frankly, I think this is
a mistake on Microsoft's part. But hey, I think this is a great acknowledgement
from Microsoft that Linux is worthy enough to be considered an enemy worth
mentioning. And I don't see Mac and OpenSolaris here. Do you think Microsoft has
Apple and Sun right where they want them? I think, because of how microsoft has
influenced the market over the years, that Microsoft learned early how to
control companies who ultimate allegence is to money, not the technology. With
Linux, the allegence is to the technology and the technology is not owned by any
one entity. But think about this. If Microsoft is not really a inventive
company, and this freeware Linux is kicking Microsoft to the curb, wouldn't it
be in Microsoft's best interest to harness all this power in programming while
making money off of it? Remember, Microsoft's success has never been about the
quality of technology, but of capturing a market. The technology doesn't matter.
So why not figure out a way to captialize on this free technology and make some
money from it. I certainly would. Linux is great software and businesses are
making money. Loads of it. And I am sure Microsoft can not dispute the
figures.
Kind of funny this sort of thing happens when the EU just
defeated their software patent law. Any connection?
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: _Arthur on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 10:40 AM EDT |
Inside the big switch: the iPod and the future of Apple Computer
By Jon "Hannibal" Stokes
http://arstechnica.com/columns/mac/mac-20050710.ars
Hannibal quotes and comments a Groklaw post by Overshoot, who had
insight about Apple stormy relationships with it chip suppliers.
original post reference:
http://www.groklaw.net/comment.php?
mode=display&sid=2005061214161076&title=I%27ve%20worked%20with%
20Apple&type=article&order=&hideanonymous=0&pid=0#c326813
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 10:43 AM EDT |
>If the number of astroturfers is large enough, you'll
>definitely get some weak-minded individuals to follow
>along. It's all in the numbers. If there are enough, you
>could even take over Slashdot-type sites, because the real
>community members will get disgusted and leave, and numbers
>can win, as "The Wisdom of Crowds" points out, by tilting
>the balance so undecideds are influenced your way by the
>human tendency to want to be in the larger group. Work the
>mod system, so pro-Microsoft comments get modded up,
>Insightful, and comments you don't like get modded down to
>the center of the earth, so no one sees them. If there is
>no mod system, work in groups, so the group can thank the
>first operative for his comment, and so forth.
This is a tried and true strategy. In the field of photography, Canon appears
to be doing that very thing on Nikon forums, as Nikon is it's main competitor.
The difference there is of course in this case is that these are two proprietary
companies competing.
If one is careful in reading the posts, company shills can be spotted on the
forums rather quickly.
I think this strategy works effectively for the Joe Average consumer.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 11:32 AM EDT |
This is great - very very truthful -
I know on slashdot if you make any kind of anti-microsoft statement you either
get off-topic or unrelated or called a troll when all you do is speak the truth.
Then when you do make a positive comment on Unix or a new distribution some
anonymous joker corrects your English or your typos and ask if you have been
smoking Marijuana or something.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 12:22 PM EDT |
"It's no wonder Gates moans about not being able to attract new, young
programmers."
Ok, I know we all like to fantasize about this FLOSS revolution, but let's try
to keep our feet on the ground here. As a recent CS grad from CMU, I can tell
you that nearly everyone wants to work for Microsoft. Who does Microsoft manage
to recruit? Students with top grades from the top tier schools.
Who spends their time reading about the pending FLOSS revolution?
C students from state unis.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 12:26 PM EDT |
While just about any site with open commentary usually has a pile of droll
commentary to go through, one reason I come to Groklaw instead of Slashdot is
because the articles have real meat on them -- real analysis, correlation, and
if not balance or journalistic rigor, at least a thorough treatment of the
subject.
What I was treated to with this article was mere verbiage. An inflammatory
title, and paragraphs of head shaking, tongue clucking, and good old "rah
rah rah for our side" cheerleading. Now it's true that a good number of
the legal articles have this color as well, and I don't begrudge it for an
instant because of the thoroughness and attention to detail of the article
writeups, but frankly, if I wanted to see another "M$ sux, Linux
roolz" article, I'd go to slashdot.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 01:09 PM EDT |
I decided to wait a while and see where this goes.
But now it's pretty clear that this little jem PJ wrote has the exact effect
that PJ wanted.
I do not believe for a moment that this was ment to seperate the
"good" from the "bad". But it does prove the point that
while some of the things she writes ARE true some of the more
"paranoia" things are very plausible.
While most people see the humour of the piece the amount of yay sayers and nay
sayers are to large to exclude the possibility of several .. lets say MVP's
doing that where there value is the greatest. ( being totaly unprofessional )
The one thing that is a sure thing is that while MS is trying it's best to put a
stop on the FOSS movement, the movement itself is just trying to improve there
stuff and use it to it's full potential.
Retep Vosnul[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 04:17 PM EDT |
so undecideds are influenced your way by the human tendency to want to be
in the larger group.
It isn't a human tendency. It's a tendency that
sheep have, but humans don't, at least not naturally.
I used to think
that it was an American characteristic, but it isn't; it's been noticeable in
Britain for about the last ten years or so. I think it's what modern marketing
tends to do to people. The big selling point of a well-known brand is just that
"everybody" buys that brand, and a lot of money is spent persuading us that what
"everybody" buys (wants, thinks) must be good.
It's worse in America than
anywhere else; only in the USA is it a serious insult to call someone a "loner".
But I think that's only because modern marketing techniques were developed and
perfected in the US. [ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 04:49 PM EDT |
Well, if that's the case, then Microsoft has no anti-Linux strategy, Canon has
no anti-Nikon strategy, and we are all indeed crazy that we even bother to
care.
You either need to wake up, or go somewhere else because the core of any
corporation is to crush the competition swiftly and permanently.
In your mind, we should just shut up, pay for whatever software and hardware is
shoved down our throats and stick a smile of satisfaction on our face. No, no,
no - we are smarter than that - and so are a lot of consumers. Large
corporations assume one thing incorrectly - that all of their customers are
idiots or have no time to care and will buy whatever is put in front of them.[ Reply to This | # ]
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Authored by: RealProgrammer on Monday, July 11 2005 @ 06:19 PM EDT |
I've created a user called "Astroturf_Alert" on Slashdot.
Its purpose is to find astroturfers and flag them as "Foe".
Slashdot users can befriend the Astroturf_Alert user, and any posts by the
accused astroturfers will be flagged as "Foe of Friend".
Comment moderators can use the astroturf accusation to help guide their
decisions.
This approach works pretty well for the Profanity Blacklist, but detecting
astroturfers is harder.
---
(I'm not a lawyer, but I know right from wrong)[ Reply to This | # ]
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