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LXer Feature: What if Microsoft Became Our Friends

Posted by tuxchick on · 17 comments
LXer Feature; By Carla Schroder 		Mail this story
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What would happen to Linux, Free Software, and Open Source Software if Microsoft reformed itself? What if Microsoft abandoned their evil, customer-hostile, restraint-of-trade ways, and did a complete turnaround? Would FOSS even have a reason to exist?

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What if they overhauled their ridiculous EULAs, which read like parodies of real contracts, or did away with them altogether?

What if they re-wrote Windows from the ground up, and made it lean, fast, reliable, and secure? What if they revamped Microsoft Office to support the Open Document Format? What if they released all of their data file specs, and all of their file formats became portable?

What if they stopped locking hardware vendors into exclusive deals that shut out other operating systems?

What if they took a stand against software patents, and actively lobbied for patent reform?

What if they took a stand against the RIAA, the DMCA, and DRM, and copyright abuse, and instead lobbied for laws that protect individuals, support fair use, and free speech?

What if they took a stand against the rampant and indiscriminate collection of personal data, and developed software that helped individuals protect their rights and their privacy?

What if their "Get the Facts" campaign suddenly contained actual facts?

What if their spokepeople started speaking in plain, unambiguous, buzzword-free English?

What if they made the MCSE certification meaningful?

What if they came clean on how much thieved FOSS code is inside their products, and tried to make good?

What if they released their own Linux distribution, without tricks, traps, or hidden agendas, and even releasing source code?

What if they released other FOSS applications, without tricks, traps, or hidden agendas?

What if they overhauled their networking protocols so that they interoperate like they're supposed to?

What if they designed their products to interoperate painlessly with other platforms?

What if they took actual responsibility for their products, instead of denying all warranties?

What if they gave actual good customer service?

If any of these events actually occurred, what would it do to FOSS? Do we need a common enemy to have a reason to exist? Would FOSS be able to compete?

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Comments (17)

Well, for one thing...

mdl ·
Their profits would drop to zero and their stock price would do the same. Bill Gates and Steve Balmer would be lynched by angry stockholders and a lot of M$ employees would be out of work.

.... not that I have a problem with any of that!

:-)
tuxchick Story submitter ·
Such a bleak perspective on taking the high road! I think they would do better than ever. The obscene profits would disappear, but they would finally, after years of trying and failing, have a broader profitable product line than just windoze and office. They would have an easier time penetrating overseas markets, and would get new releases to market a lot quicker. I think it would make them stronger.

Of course, since it's all just a fever-induced fantasy, we'll never know, will we. :)
helios ·
it's all just a fever-induced fantasy...

Funny, I have the same delusions after ingesting those nice red mushrooms with the cute little white dots...
mdl ·
tuxchick, I may have a bleak perspective on taking the high road... but that does not mean I am wrong. Rather, it is the reason you will never see M$ take the high road. Their monopoly will make them more money in the next few weeks than many years of "taking the high road". Their best scenerio is to grab as much as they can for as long as they can and hope to someday, somehow, plow their ill-gotten gains into a legitimate business plan before the world wakes up.

But you are right. We will never know.

You say "I think it would make them stronger". I think it would kill them. That is why this is a no-holds-barred war, from their point of view. The outcome is not really in doubt, just the timing. They are making too much money to change their ways until the very end.
jimf ·
helios: is it red next to black or black next to yellow... never can remember ;-)
tadelste ·
Kickback discrimination would make it difficult to see your vision.
dcparris ·
Gosh. If all that did happen, I would actually have to respect them. But would GNU/Linux survive? Of course it would! Naturally, I propose that Microsoft should ditch Windows altogether, and simply offer their own repackaged GNU/Linux or FreeBSD distro - you know, kind of like Apple.
TxtEdMacs ·
jimf - that sounds more like the rule to tell a coral from a king snake. Red next black friend of man, black next to yellow ooooh, too late ....
bstadil ·
Balmers and Gates' head would do like Kryton's when Lister asked for Ketchup on his lobster.

[url=http://www.holotech.co.uk/chronology/Red Dwarf/Season 7/Beyond a Joke.htm]http://www.holotech.co.uk/chronology/Red Dwarf/Season 7/Beyo...[/url]
helios ·
Only on LXER can we go from mushrooms to snakes...here in TX, we are supremely in the know on both.

It's the coral snake vs the king snake we are dealing with:

red on yella, kill a fella

yellow on red, friend of Fred.

Not that it matters, by the time I see either, I don't really worry about reciting little poetry ditties...I am usually stomping them into snake pudding and paste.

helios see's snake, tiny pieces does he make.
jimf ·
TxtEdMacs: My point exactly. You should always know the snake you are dealing with :)
helios ·
NICELY DONE Jim...Nicely done.

Why do so many assume FOSS needs an enemy?

tbuskey ·
People write/use FOSS because it works the way they want better then something else.

Why do people use a paper clip to reset thier Palm instead of buying a pen that has it built in? Not because they hate the pen company.

Why do some people make mix CD for the car instead of just copies of whole CDs? Maybe they just want the songs they like on the CD and they can't buy a CD with just those songs.

Why do some people duct tape things together instead of buying a replacement part? Maybe the duct taped part is now stronger?

Yes, I didn't use software as an example, but the principles are the same. No one can anticipate everything a piece of software will be used for.

For example I can use Cygwin in Windows to delete every file with an e as the 3rd letter in the name. I can't do that with anything Microsoft has provided. I'm using Cygwin because it does the job.
r_a_trip ·
Why do so many assume FOSS needs an enemy?

FOSS doesn't need an enemy. The sad situation is that FOSS got a formidable enemy, when MS saw there was successful FOSS technology, with the potential power to render their for profit wares obsolete. FOSS didn't pick this particular enemy, the enemy particularly picked us.
helios ·
the enemy particularly picked us....

Bingo. You think I or any other Linux Advocate wants to spend our time "fighting"? There may be an insignificant few that have the psychological need for battle, but as far as the majority of us...the answer is no. Most of us have friends, family or others that must share our time with "the fight". Only because some of us believe it is worth it. Millions upon millions of people are being victimized by a monolith that cares little for their well-being. They are being charged exorbitant prices for inferior and insecure software and have no clue they have a choice.

Don't even try to argue the point, it has come to light that Microsoft KNEW about the Sony rootkit months before we did. We came in peace...They fired the first major volley with "Get The Facts". A slick, Park Avenue lie aimed at the middle of America.

Case closed...now lock and load or kindly step out of the line of fire.

please.

helios
plattypus1 ·
When RMS started the GNU project, Microsoft had just released DOS 2.0. Nobody could have possibly forseen the current situation in the technology market. He did it in response to proprietary software as a concept, rather than in response to the Microsoft Juggernaut. Hell, when Linus started Linux it was less in response to Windows and more in response to Minix and proprietary UNIXes. And let us not forget the BSD's, they were free software before GNU ever existed.

The point is that free software is a philosophy, a community, and a cause, not an army. There will always be coders who wish to write good code for the sake of good code itself, and there will always be users who wish to use that kind of code.

Business Software Alliance Suckering All

rjriley5000 ·
Those of you who think that the Business Software Alliance (BSA) and their members (especially Microsoft) have any intention of changing their stripes are in for a very rude awakening. They are working to undermine everyone else's interests. If they have their way they will make innovation and profiting from such their and only their exclusive playground. If the succeed in passing their agenda for our patent system we will be no longer be the land of opportunity where anyone with a good idea and hard work can cross economic and cultural lines.

The bill which would pretty much kill the creation of new companies based on innovation is HR 2795. Visit our web site and learn how Microsoft and companies with similar ethics are are trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes in an attempt to cement their position.

Ronald J Riley, President Professional Inventors Alliance http://www.PIAUSA.org RJR"at"PIAUSA.org Change "at" to @" RJR Direct # (202) 318-1595

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