Hey all

As a supporter of open source software and a user of Linux, I am angered at Microsuck's latest actions and lawsuit threats towards Linux Kernel, GUI, OpenOffice.org, and many other open source applications. All I have to say is, why the wait? Most of the stuff they're COMPLAINING violates their patents is OLDER or JUST AS OLD as Windows. Also, they're leaving a lot out of the lawsuits:

Linux is based off of UNIX so they would have to then sue the creators and/or users of UNIX... but wait, it gets better! They would then have to sue Apple because MacOS is based off of UNIX and Linux. See the big picture?

Honestly, all this BS is Ballmer and Gates' PMS flairing up because they won't admit their products suck and can't stand the competition of Linux and open source. Guess what Ballmer! You're an ignorant idiot CEO who can't even SAY the word "free"! The only word you can say is LICENSING and COMMERCIAL.

Just look at everything poping up on Digg's Linux/Unix channel (http://www.digg.com/linux_unix)
http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/05/15/1455258
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showAr...cleID=199501831
http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS6670466370.html

A quote from my favorite article on CNN Money:

Source: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/for...33867/index.htm (also a good read!)

Supporters of Open Source Software: STAND YOUR GROUND! We can't let Microsoft take over!

[N]F

Ballmer's lost his Balls and gone off the rocker I'm following this closely to see what the outcome is.

One of the speculations is that since MS struck up a deal with Novell sometime back, this is their way of scaring end-users away from other Linux distros and turning to the only "Linux" supported by MS, i.e. Novell's own SuSE. If you follow the logic, MS stands to gain some more revenue by the end of it.

Silly ploys to lash-back at the falling market shares.

Funny thing is whatever tantrums they throw up about those so-called patent infringements, they aren't willing to disclose further details about them, except those figures - coz they know that as soon as they let the world know about the nature of those infringements, there are billions of mad (read "dedicated to open-source") coders out there who'd come up with a workaround within a matter of minutes...

Stupid MS

Lol.

No judge other than one paid for would give this to MS. Hopefully apple is pulled into it like you said as Linux doesn't have the money to fight.

I like Windows and Microsucks but this over the edge.

I really don't like this, but from what I read in the article - GO MOGLEN! I'm a great supporter of open-source, but I understand that some companies need their profits. Nonetheless, I don't believe that such basic concepts as menus should be patented. Nowadays everyone uses them. I mean, there aren't really that many ways to do such a thing without compromising efficiency or something else. The Mac seems to avoid the windows interface pretty well, but what about the bar at the top of the screen? Honestly, it is probably much more difficult to find something completely different than it was to create the idea in the first place.

For me, this kind of "war" is a great opportunity. Why?

The first impression is that Linux will be damaged, but please, just think on this: "a diamond will ever cut a rock". Microsoft is like a smelling volcanic rock, borned in the "lie(law) / copy / money" philosophy. FLOSS will win and be fortressed. Remember this phrase: "The Best things on the life are free".

I'm happy to support a miracle. FLOSS is based on collaborative development, work for "things well done". Money slaves are unhappy to not be able to patent the tons of absolutely OPEN and available ideas made reality by communities of volunteers. Sometimes poor means that you have nothing to share.

Now my question is: What about Internet without Apache? google without python? or Astahost.com without FLOSS?
you know the answer.

Blessings!

...it'd be better...python is a joke.

As for the rest of your post I mostly agree

I don't think you can overly copyright layouts, that's like saying a forum system with two table divisions (one for the username/date/time and one for the message) is a copyright infringement...its not. There are only so many ways to skin a cat.

Patent on menus? D= Is Microsoft kidding? As bluefish said, there're menus everywhere as they're such basic concepts. Maybe Apple should sue Microsoft for making WMP11 look a bit like iTunes, if Microsoft starts suing for menu patent infringements.

I think that Microsoft is just making themselves look bad by bringing this issue up. Almost everyone I know uses at least one open-source software; that one would most likely be Mozilla's Firefox browser. When people realize that the software they love and use are threatened, they will go against the threat. Microsoft could lose a lot of support (not to mention business) this way.

Serena

THIS! IS! OPEN! (300-style warcry)

xboxrulz

Well, I'd like to see Microsoft losing the war. I mean, even though I use Windows now, if Microsoft brings a bad impression after they lose, more software will be Linux / Mac compatible. Then I can finally get off of that @)@!$(% windows, and buy a Mac or install Linux.