Re: [aclug-L] M$ Halloween

[phrostie <phrostie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

the biggest threat that i've seen for linux does not come from microsoft
(for now).
at linux today there was a link to a article about patenting programming
concepts.
one example was where one of the open source programmerscame up with
a concept, wrote the code to make it work, and then AT&T patented it.
 
the point was that the linux community is a strong force but lacks
the finances and resources to patent every concept that is released in
gpl for all the world to see.

not new but, a must read!

phrostie
 

John Goerzen wrote:

On Tue, Nov 10, 1998 at 03:53:45PM -0600, jdavis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Mabye they are putting up all this because they are in the middle of an anti
> trust suit, and If there is substantial evidence that there really is decent
> competition out there, they can get off clean....

Well, this has been brought up a few times, and sounds plausible at first,
but there are a few problems with that line of reasoning.

First, it casts certain Microsoft practices in *very* bad light.  They
admit to spreading FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt; a marketing ploy
designed to discredit the competition).  They also admit to trying to using
their powers to kill Open Source (by "proprietarization" of existing open
protocols).

Secondly, anti-trust does not apply only to the here and now, but also to
the past (hence the usefulness of the evidence of their hacks to DOS/Windows
to make certain competining products not work.)  In fact, the case goes back
to before Linux was even a blip on anybody's radar screen.

--
John Goerzen   Linux, Unix consulting & programming   jgoerzen@xxxxxxxxxxxx |
Developer, Debian GNU/Linux (Free powerful OS upgrade)       www.debian.org |
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-- 
phrostie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Oh I've slipped the surly bonds of dos
and danced the skies on LINUX silvered wings.