How will the Open Source Community React?

[browndog]

Microsoft has said that while they won't sue the open source community any time soon, they may in the future. I can't help but see this as an adversarial attempt to stifle competition and creativity. Personally, it will make me more determined than ever to stay with Ubuntu/Linux and expunge MS products from my home. How do you think the open source community will react? Will it change the way you personally use Ubuntu?

[lisati]

Unless something blatantly violates Microsoft copyrights/patents/etc what business do they have suing people for original work that they have chosen to make available publicly?

[Rocket2DMn]

I think the open source community will laugh, then get back to making progress.

[juxtaposed]

Heh. Just leave microsoft alone to think that we care what they do... It makes them look foolish. Unless we do care...

[original_jamingrit]

They're resorting to scare tactics. If they don't sue us now, they never will.

Besides, there's no way they'd get their hands on all of us.

[starcraft.man]

Microsoft has said that while they won't sue the open source community any time soon, they may in the future. I can't help but see this as an adversarial attempt to stifle competition and creativity. Personally, it will make me more determined than ever to stay with Ubuntu/Linux and expunge MS products from my home. How do you think the open source community will react? Will it change the way you personally use Ubuntu?

All talk. They'd never sue us, because the simple fact is lots of us are existing or former long term users. Suing your own consumer base is horrible press. Not to mention they have a lot to lose, if they fail to meet the burden and their patent is overturned not only will they have lost, they'd have lost their leverage and lost face in the media (that can drastically affect shares). Not to mention, I am certain those customers they sued would counter with a class action lawsuit for damages (or whatever else they can slam them with).

Microsoft has too much to loose to enter the court room. Open source however has nothing. The community is rather untouchable... due to it's flexibility, flat and spread out distribution and speed with which it can move. There isn't one company to be picked off or shut down, it's like the P2P tracker sites... one goes down five more pop up. In the end, it's all talk. Microsoft has nothing to lose by slandering Linux and spreading FUD.

[Sayers]

They're resorting to scare tactics. If they don't sue us now, they never will.

Besides, there's no way they'd get their hands on all of us.

that and there are so many Open Source servers that it'd take them forever to close it and we'd always be able to keep Linux up. We'll torrent sources :P. LINUX FOREVER :D

[juxtaposed]

Suing your own consumer base is horrible press.

Doesn't stop the MPAA/RIAA...

[handy]

I think that there is a good reason why M$ have kept there source closed. They will have stolen whenever it was to their advantage. I expect that their code would be riddled with legal violations, if it was ever exposed.

M$ have no understanding of what is equatable.

[starcraft.man]

Doesn't stop the MPAA/RIAA...

True. The RIAA and MPAA are lead by complete idiots though (may despise Balmer but it's not likely he has the same level of idiocy as them). Not to mention, they have nothing to lose... they don't own any patents like MS that can be voided, copyright is rock solid. Lastly, I think they are starting to get the message that their abuses of the legal system in going after grannies and other average users are killing their image and aren't getting them anywhere except money in the hole.

MS won't do it like I said.

Oh and a good point Handy, if by suing they had to in any way expose their code (perhaps by court edict) they might be prone to serious lawsuits of their own.

[Pinnocchio]

Doesn't stop the MPAA/RIAA...

That's WHY the record/movie companies finance the MPAA/RIAA, they can 'distance' themselves from the lawsuit (even though they fund the organisations).

For Microsoft to sue people is a WHOLE different PR problem.

Also while I keep seeing these comments and threats about MS suing people they have yet to send a cease and desist notice to anyone to my knowledge (and until they did that they wouldn't even get a case into the courts). The whole point is MS would HAVE to declare WHY they're suing and based upon what patenets.

MS even for it's deep deep pockets and ability to take on governments when it comes to lawsuit spend would have a totally seperate problem from a PR perspective for suing people.

Also on a final note it's quite possible that issuing any lawsuits would have to be restricted to the US and maybe Canada (and I can just see MS trying to sue individuals while NOT suing US government departments for using the same software - that's not going to fly), the laws in Europe are quite different with regard to patents (you can't patent a business process in Europe - it's not a real invention) and MS could have the serious possibility that from a PR perspective it would be seen as victimising US customers!!

While MS will continue to make noise and threats and in due course it will probably try to sue someone it has a real problem/dilemma at the moment, for all it's noise regarding increased revenues and higher penetration it's possible that 'nix is hitting an inflection point where 'nix penetration could suddenly shoot up to 30% in 3-4 years.

[handy]

Oh and a good point Handy, if by suing they had to in any way expose their code (perhaps by court edict) they might be prone to serious lawsuits of their own.

Can you imagine the knowledge base, size of the team & the length of time required to truly audit all of the M$ code?! :confused:

[Nekiruhs]

Can you imagine the knowledge base, size of the team & the length of time required to truly audit all of the M$ code?! :confused:
It probably wouldn't take long find atleast a few legal violations. On a side note, parts of Windows 2000's source code was leaked, One blog examined it. Most of it is hacked together they said, posting examples from the code.

[jimrz]

and the FUD goes on

[browndog]

I couldn't agree more. However, whether or not they have the moral right to do something never stopped them before.

[Ozor Mox]

Microsoft has said that while they won't sue the open source community any time soon, they may in the future.

Oh how good of them. Come on, does anyone seriously care what Microsoft have to say on this anymore?


Personally, it will make me more determined than ever to stay with Ubuntu/Linux and expunge MS products from my home.

I'm with you.

[tigerpants]

Microsoft has said that while they won't sue the open source community any time soon, they may in the future. I can't help but see this as an adversarial attempt to stifle competition and creativity. Personally, it will make me more determined than ever to stay with Ubuntu/Linux and expunge MS products from my home. How do you think the open source community will react? Will it change the way you personally use Ubuntu?

The best way to react to this is to this crap from MS is ignore it. By reacthing to it in any way at all, simply validates it. The orginal announcement should have been met with one long yawn.

[popch]

The best way to react to this is to this crap from MS is ignore it. By reacthing to it in any way at all, simply validates it. The orginal announcement should have been met with one long yawn.

yawn

[whayong]

Definitely all talk.