Posted on 06/22/2005 1:34:16 PM PDT by N3WBI3
Microsoft wasted no time after tying up the acquisition of email security firm Sybari Software on Wednesday before axing sales of the latter's line of anti-virus products for Unix and Linux servers.
Post acquisition, Syabri becomes a Microsoft subsidiary focusing on marketing anti-virus and anti-spam protection for Microsoft messaging and collaboration servers. It will continue to market Sybari's Lotus Domino products but will not sell Antigen versions for Unix and Linux. Microsoft said it plans to continue to support Sybari products under existing pricing and licensing terms and support existing users on non-Windows platforms.
Sybari's security packages incorporate multiple third party anti-virus scanning engines. Microsoft plans to add the scanning technolgy from GeCAD, the Romanian anti-virus firm it acquired in 2003, to the mix. Microsoft ditched GeCAD's Nix product lines after that acquisition so it comes as no great surprise that there's no future for Antigen on Nix either. Anti-virus products for Unix servers occupy a useful niche in the market not because there are many viruses that infect Unix platforms but because they help prevent these servers from hosting Windows malware. ®
Tech ping..
Coulda seen that one coming... good thing they didn't get their hands on Google. I remember a time when searching for "Linux" on MSN would come up with a document on migrating from Linux to Windows.
Yea, they made great products for samba server and when nimbda hit the service was well appreciated!
Sounds like monopoly.................
How is it a monopoly when there are alternatives available for free?
I've always thought that such "abandonware" should get somewhat less copyright protection since the author obviously intends to make no more money off it or get any recognition for it, therefore eliminating the Constitution's incentive reasoning for granting copyrights in the first place. X years after the last development and/or availability in the marketplace it goes public domain.
Uh well...uhm... because ...err...hmmm....Ralph Nader says so?
They did make money off it. They sold it to Microsoft.
I understand your premise, but who is going to want to take 5 y/o code and try and update it?
Just my $0.02
Rather than play games, I'll simply admit that Microsoft is not technically a monopoly. But I think the more important questions are, "Why is a monopoly bad?" and "Is Microsoft able to do the stuff that makes a monopoly bad?" And as a consumer, I could care less how rich Bill Gates gets but I certainly care if Microsoft stomps around like an 800 pound gorilla to make sure that I have fewer choices in the marketplace.
If Linux or Apple or whatever dies because of lack of customers or lack of interest, that's very different than Linux or Apple becomming unavailable because Microsoft did the business equivalent of shooting them in the forehead. I have no problem with Microsoft winning based on price and features. I have a big problem with Microsoft acting like a monopoly to make sure that I, as a consumer, have no choice but to use Microsoft or not use a computer.
What do I do next? How are they classified? Am I still bound by the 'Shareware' concept? Are they now simply 'Abandonware'? Can I work on them at all and perhaps use them in-house, or possibly re-market them?
A little help here, anyone?
See My #15...
Dang. I've gotta get to work on some competitive Unix apps and get Microsoft's attention.
Looks like a competitive policy to me. A part of any competition is keeping yourself in the lead once you are there. Of course it hurts the competition. Too bad, so sad. Nobody forced RAV to sell-out to Microsoft. The owners were free to sell their business to the highest bidder. That is a freedom I support.
I would say that if you've excersized due diligence in trying to locate authors/companies but have come up short; then at the very least you should be able to work the code and bring it up to "modern" standards and use "in-house" without worry. Re-selling it might be another thing and only an attorney could tell you more about that.
Sounds like they are shooting themselves in the foot.
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