Microsoft tries to prevent Free Software (Spiegel Article)

John Peter Tapsell <John Tapsell tapselj0 at cs.man.ac.uk
Thu Jul 5 22:23:35 UTC 2001


On Thu, 05 Jul 2001, MJ Ray wrote:
> "OP Mailserver user" <s96121272 at op.up.ac.za> writes:
> 
> > There is a danger in responding too seriously to Microsoft's allegations.
> > We may appear to give credibility to their "Big Lie".
> > 
> > I think we should make their rhetoric humorous so that people laugh at them:
> 
> There is a bigger danger in responding non-seriously to this.  It
> makes us look like a joke and just another group of Microsoft-bashers.

A good point, which is why I like OP's idea of being serious after the jokes..

However, to be honest i don't think it makes a great deal of difference either
way, we are not the target.  Even the GPL isn't the target - read some of the
slashdot articles, and you'll see the MS aren't aiming to destroy the GPL.

They are after Sun and Java, and this whole GPL bashing thing is to divert our
attention - I wish I could remember the URL of an anaylsis of this (anyone
else?).

MS is damn clever - please don't under estimate them.  Any large co-operation
spends _the majority_ of its profits simply on advertising and FUD.  Imagine
what that amounts to for MS.


If they win against GPL, then they are very happy - if they lose horribly, then
they are only happy.

John
Sorry to paint a horrible picture :-\


> 
> -- 
> MJR
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