OSNews > Thread > "RE[3]: I agree..." by lemur2

Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 23rd Jul 2009 22:53 UTC, submitted by Remy Chi Jian Suen

So, Microsoft submits 20000 lines of code to the Linux kernel, all licensed under the GPL. Microsoft, who considers Linux a great threat, and once called the GPL a "cancer". Opinions on this one are flying all around us, but what does Linus Torvalds, Linux' benevolent dictator, think about all this?

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RE[3]: I agree...

by lemur2 on Fri 24th Jul 2009 00:42 UTC in reply to "RE[2]: I agree..."

Member since:
2007-02-17

"I agree, too. I like when people are being realistic. Stallman is a bit mad, I think.

I agree as well. One thing is being skeptical, but when certain people need to bash Microsoft at any cost it makes the entire community and culture look less serious, which is bad for Linux. Truth is that many of the most vocal Linux supporters keep focusing on the negative of Microsoft rather than the positive of Linux. I think people that consider switching to Linux need to see that its an inclusive culture built on positive values, rather than a culture built on hate. "

I think you may find that the hate is coming from the Microsoft side of the fence.

Microsoft and its followers hate FOSS (Freedom Open Source Software). They have stated this openly, many times. They attack it constantly. Typical language Microsoft has used to describe FOSS in the past include terms like "cancer", "virus", "un-American", "communist" and "destroyer of IP" (as if FOSS somehow cannot have IP of its own). FUD and misinformation about FOSS floods the internet and much of the mass media. Microsoft are trying to turn the word "collaboration" into a dirty word.

Truth is that many of the most vocal Microsoft supporters keep focusing on trying to allege negatives of Linux, or simply making stuff up, rather than the positives of Microsoft software. Typically, if you do hear a rant from a FOSS supporter, it will be a reaction to this.

The need to do this (spread disinformation and negative vibes about Linux) is due to the fact that, from a consumers point of view, there are no positives of Microsoft software (relative to FOSS software).

Edited 2009-07-24 00:55 UTC

Reply Parent Score: 11

RE[4]: I agree...

by Delgarde on Fri 24th Jul 2009 01:28 in reply to "RE[3]: I agree..."

Member since:
2008-08-19

I think you may find that the hate is coming from the Microsoft side of the fence.

In part, yes. But it's far from exclusive - Linus is right that there are a lot of people who feel that the goal of open-source development is (or should be) to destroy Microsoft. Which is nonsense - the goal of open-source development is to produce open-source software, and contributions from Microsoft should be as welcome as those from anywhere else.

Now, that's not to say that Microsoft is a great friend to the open-source community, which is blatantly false. But there's a big difference between justified criticism, and the paranoid, unreasoning hostility that some demonstrate.

Reply Parent Score: 9

RE[5]: I agree...

by lemur2 on Fri 24th Jul 2009 01:41 in reply to "RE[4]: I agree..."

Member since:
2007-02-17

"I think you may find that the hate is coming from the Microsoft side of the fence.

and contributions from Microsoft should be as welcome as those from anywhere else.

Not sure about that ... given Microsoft's self-admitted intentions towards FOSS (i.e. to destroy it), and Microsoft's long and well documented history of using tactics such as "embrace, extend and extinguish" and "divide and conquer".

Now, that's not to say that Microsoft is a great friend to the open-source community, which is blatantly false. But there's a big difference between justified criticism, and the paranoid, unreasoning hostility that some demonstrate.

Agreed ... so why is there such a huge, overwhelming amount of paranoid, unreasoning hostility directed at FOSS coming from Microsoft and its supporters?

Reply Parent Score: 5