[ale] Linux--threatening the American way

[J.D. Forinash]

On Tue, Feb 20, 2001 at 06:39:07AM -0500, Glenn C. Lasher Jr. wrote:
> Open-source software needs to be championed as protected free speech.
> 
> It could be argued that the open-source movement is communist: from each
> according to ability, to each according to need.  This crusade on the part
> of Microsquishie could therefore be painted as Neo-McCarthyism.
> 
> A better tack, however, would be to paint this crusade by Microsoft as
> whet it is:  Marketing bullshit.

I don't know about that one. I read the article this weekend and noted
that nowhere is Allchin quoted as saying that Linux will destroy 
innovation. Also recall that one of the ideas presented in the 
court case against Microsoft was making Windows open-source; that 
would mean that the applications division of Microsoft has no unfair
advantage in writing programs.

Adding in the bizarre idea that people who are complete morons don't get 
promoted to the director of even Microsoft's Windows project, none of the 
statements seemed to make any sense-- until I remembered that bit about 
open-sourcing Windows. Now, I can see where Allchin might believe that 
open sourcing Windows will destroy his product. I can see where he might
believe that if Windows were open-source, none of his developers would 
have a desire to innovate. While I could argue against either, I can
at least see how _those_ ideas could be arrived at in a logical, 
consistent manner.

The stuff CNET quoted, without that context, can only come from a slobbering
idiot. And I can't believe that Allchin's IQ is _that_ close to his shoe
size. So I gotta wonder: 

Is this FUD from Microsoft? 

Or is it FUD from CNET against Microsoft? 

It's easy to jump at the former, after all, Microsoft FUD ships with every
new copy of Windows, and we know how ubiquitous _that_ is. But there's just
too much that makes me wonder if CNET isn't pulling an "Open Source Can Do 
No Wrong!" and stooping to Microsoft's level to generate webpage hits.

Sure, I could be wrong here. Allchin could be a moron. He really 
_could_ believe that other people being allowed to write open source
code _can_ destroy Truth, Justice, and the American Way. But I find
that mind-boggling. 

And even if I am right, this doesn't mean Microsoft is all of a sudden
the good guys-- it just means I'd keep my eye on CNET...

On the other hand, I find that Illiad agreed with my take on the last
line of the CNET article [0]. Trouble is, I believe Microsoft probably 
_can_ build a better product than what Linux is now. Can you imagine 
resources on the scale they have turned to engineering and development 
instead of marketing and lawyers? Take _that_, and then add to it 
the open source mentality, and it can't help but to be greater than 
either one alone... 

But we'll never see that one play out. Engineering and research doesn't
sell as much software as marketing and litigating.

-JDF

[0] Or I agreed with him. Or something...
--
J.D. Forinash                           ,-.       
Georgia Tech College of Computing CNS  ( <  	  
211 CCB; (404)-385-0391                 `-'
The more you learn, the better your luck gets.                
--
To unsubscribe: mail majordomo at ale.org with "unsubscribe ale" in message body.