Posted on 04/05/2006 8:39:22 AM PDT by luthers_inkwell
At http://www.no-lobbyists-as-such.com/florian-mueller-blog/ballmer-linux/ we're reminded that Microsoft wants Linux dead. Ballmer is once again making noise about patents.
Unfortunately, Microsoft likely does have patents it could use against Linux. IBM can probably be replied upon to fight back on the side of Linux with its own patents - supposedly they've called Microsoft patent bluffs in the past just by pointing out that they also have stacks of patents and idle lawyers ready to look for violations by Windows code. However, Microsoft might now be willing to risk the battle.
Microsoft is not in a happy place right now. Vista is delayed, and both Apple and Linux are gnawing at its toes. The increasing interest in virtualization and particularly in package/OS bundling like VMware Player is a bumpy road for Microsoft because of OS licensing. Microsoft doesn't want its OS sales pirated, but it doesn't want to miss out on that market either. Linux apps can be shipped with a free OS; Microsoft apps cannot.
(Excerpt) Read more at aplawrence.com ...
What about Turkeys?
I got mine.
Since you boys love foreign websites so much, here's one for you. LOL.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2153331/microsoft-world-powerful-brand
Awww...
You posted within five minutes of me getting here.
You must have been pining for me all night. That's very sweet.
Mad Ivan and Flaming Death. Dedicated Defenders of Ubuntu. LOL!~
Your devotion to me is flattering.
I think he is more like the Energizer Bunny, he keeps going and going and going........
(P.S. GE has a crush on Bill Gates as well)
Both IBM (the world's biggest patent holder) and Microsoft have been calling for an overhaul of the patent system. Don't forget, the big holders are also the biggest targets.
haha! Well, he does defend him like a dysfunctional spouse...
Spouse may be the right word for it.
Bill says 'get over here' and GE drops his pants and bends over.
Are you GE under a different name?
You can't easily engage him. Let's see:
Look at the thing about Stallman and patents. Put a simple fact in front of him (Stallman has called for the end of software patents, not all patents) and he'll twist it and spit it back (Stallman has called for the end of all patents). He will go through this several times, not admitting he's wrong, refusing to acknowledge that software patents are a subset of all patents.
Then he goes on personal crusades, misrepresenting the views of several people here (we love Stallman and his politics). He simply ignores when posts proving otherwise are pointed out to him (we have trashed Stallman's politics worse than GE has).
He fought like hell over his "all Chinese supercomputers run Red Flag Linux" comment before finally admitting something that can be looked up at the Top500 in a few seconds, yet said it was an easy mistake to make.
He accused open source organizations of plagiarism, when they were just following the license. I don't particularly care for this OSS organization myself, but I couldn't stand by while false accusations are made.
He claims to know Linux/Unix security, yet doesn't even know the existence of the most popular free security/hacking tool (as with all network probing tools, it can be used both ways). He claims it is insignificant (I guess a reason why he doesn't know it), although Googling the developer's name gets the developer before the world-famous Russian author he named himself after. If you do Linux security, you know it, and probably use it. If you do network security at all, you know it at least as one of the tools used to attack your network. GE is a fraud.
No, he detracts from a thread more than he adds. The trolling isn't even amusing anymore.
Still standing up fot Stallman, free software for china, and Russian hackers I see.
We're talking about software, not booze.
If you start yapping like a demented poodle on meth about how Linux is more harmful than booze, I am sure someone, at long last, will inform your local mental health authority.
Now do shut up.
Ivan
They're usually filed by people with no business except for patent lawsuits. They contribute nothing to innovation or the economy. They exist to have far-reaching idea patents that can be used against companies that actually invent, implement and market what's covered under patents they didn't even know about.
Of course this isn't new to software patents. While most traditional patents were used to make things, one person stands out as the forerunner of all of these modern patent lawsuit companies -- Jerome Lemelson, whose abuses prompted a reform of the patent system.
These days, software patents are used mainly for two things: to extort money out of profitable companies, and as a defense against others who would extort you. Unfortunately, defensive patents don't work against lawsuit companies with no product.
As I said, the only ones who win are the lawyers (and the Sky Tech guy was a lawyer by trade).
The purpose of patents is to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. I believe that is an authoritative description of the purpose that even you cannot disagree with.
And don't forget that he went positively ballistic when we told him you couldn't apply security updates to a live Knoppix CD because, well, it's a finalized CD, which makes it pretty much impervious to viruses (nothing can be written to it).
That sent him into hysterics.
Anyone who argues like he does is obviously including the two figures on the right side of the decimal point.
*snort* "You want fries with that?"...
hahahaha!
BTW--you have been added to the tech ping list as requested!
LOL!
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