Nilesh's Weblog

M$ Undoing

Off late, if you must have observed, Linux is gaining followers among governments of the developing nations. Because of its cost factor, configurability, academic significance, open standards, it is steadily gaining popularity. This seems to have frustrated Microsoft to no limits. MS has put up a site called Initiative for Software Choice(ISC) demanding "fair" software procurement practices from governments, saying that choice of Linux is not fair. Linux evangelist Bruce Perens was not far behind. In retaliation, he created a site called Sincere Choice. Here is his analysis on ISC.

MS is trying hard to strike back this time using negative tactics. Steve Ballmer has been constantly harping on his 'Linux is a cancer' theory. And the most glaring example being a Congress member calling on to the US Govt to ban the GPL. Using poor examples and statements that look straight out of MS PR handouts, they say that licensing terms such as "those in the GNU or GPL" are restrictive, preclude innovation, improvement, adoption and establishment of commercial IP rights. How ridiculous!! But then, you see its a part of their job, after all the support Micro$oft has given them. The US seems to be the only govt so much in love with MS. Not even the Europeans are so comfy with Microsoft. MS has even gone to the extent of blocking GPL source code being used with windows programs.( Their Royalty-free CIFS license.) For your surfing pleasure, Related - one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

If you actually were to compare the GPL License and one of the Microsoft software licenses(couldn't get the links, and morover they constantly change), you yourself can decide which of them is the real cancer! All this and not to mention the countless antitrust cases against the software firm.
Update: The latest addition to the growing list of countries rejecting MS is Namibia. Check this The Register article.