Microsoft to take direct shots at Linux rivals

Good, this will definitely help Microsoft maintain its position of the Goliath that everyone wants to slay. Keep up the hate Microsoft!

...because they'll no longer be seen as taking potshots at altruistic programmers, but at the corporations riding them. Perhaps we should start some "get better facts" sites comparing specific Linux distros point by point with Microsoft boxed sets.

Item | Mandrake Linux 10.0 | Windows 2003 Server Professional Graphics Editor | Yes | No Office Suite | Two | No Clustering | Yes | No Thin Clients | Yes | No Administrator Seats | Unlimited | 3 User Seats | Unlimited | 25 (and so on)

They also obviously expect all growing corporations to become more obsessive and aggressive like themselves. We have a great counterexample in two ISPs here in Perth, WestOz. Both grew explosively, one by acquisition and one by attracting customers. Both are now of similar size. One is great to work for, one is not (they seem to be turning over head technicians at most six monthly, for example). One has a name for reliability, one does not. And so on. The character of the loser deteriorated markedly after one of the founders sold up and left.

So it is with Microsoft: it is merely reflecting Bill's attitudes, both directly andin his choice of people to run it. Open Source is not.