We need to make a change

[RiceMonster]

Ok, that point has been blow out of proportion. Let's move on from the civil rights thing, but it is still discrimination. If it's not, then all company that have had bids between MS and Linux and Unix and so for forth should just forfeit there contracts and allow MS to slip in under the radar and start back Monopolizing the industry.

Do you not recall that MS was sued and lost for being a monopoly. If it was AT&T, I would feel the same.

Yes, I think Linux vendors such as Red Hat should be allowed to bid (I think Red Hat is a great company, as a matter of fact). However, do you really feel violated about this? It's just an operating system, for christ's sake. The only ones who are at a loss here is Red Hat. You aren't being forced to use another operating system. It doesn't affect you like you think it does. This is just a buisiness matter, it's not a human crisis.

I guess you thinks it's OK that MS is sue happy on smaller Linux distros too.

Examples please.

And I don't feel discriminated against.

Really? You compared it to the civil rights movement, then called it discrimination (I refer to the quote above) and yet you don't feel discriminated against? I don't get it.

My company would not be up for the contract either way. I don't own and distro. All other OSes were discriminated against.

So what? It's business, get over it.

I guess u don't realize what is actually going on here, or do just think that MS has reformed and no longer tries to run over it's competition with it's financial weight and legal scare tactics.

No, I do know what's going on. I just realize this doesn't involve me and doesn't affect my usage of Linux. Enough Microsoft conspiracy theories from overly excited new Linux users already. Also, last time I checked, it was the swiss government who just gave Microsoft the contract in the first place.

MS is an evil company, has been and will continue to be and attitudes like your will keep it that way. We don't have 100 million dollar lawyers working for the communty (well, maybe redhat), so if it's to change, we have to make it change.

Most companies are arguably evil. That's capitalism for ya'.

Where's Richard Stallman when u need him???

I bet he's already talked about this.

[monsterstack]

Ok, that point has been blow out of proportion. Let's move on from the civil rights thing, but it is still discrimination. If it's not, then all company that have had bids between MS and Linux and Unix and so for forth should just forfeit there contracts and allow MS to slip in under the radar and start back Monopolizing the industry.

Do you not recall that MS was sued and lost for being a monopoly. If it was AT&T, I would feel the same.

I guess you thinks it's OK that MS is sue happy on smaller Linux distros too.

And I don't feel discriminated against. My company would not be up for the contract either way. I don't own and distro. All other OSes were discriminated against.

I guess u don't realize what is actually going on here, or do just think that MS has reformed and no longer tries to run over it's competition with it's financial weight and legal scare tactics.

MS is an evil company, has been and will continue to be and attitudes like your will keep it that way. We don't have 100 million dollar lawyers working for the communty (well, maybe redhat), so if it's to change, we have to make it change.

Where's Richard Stallman when u need him???

Microsoft have been committed to destroying Linux for years. I don't believe things are any different now. The fact that Red Hat and chums are taking action along these lines tells me, however, that things are already beginning to change. Linux isn't going anywhere. If you haven't already noticed: we're still here. We haven't lost anything. Linux has been going from strength to strength in spite of everything. Microsoft can claim small victories such as the TomTom case you were alluding to, and by bullying Linux companies into signing mystery patent agreements. But the latest evidence I have seen is that Microsoft is rapidly losing ground in their battle to destroy Linux. I honestly believe it's only a matter of time before hardware vendors start properly supporting Linux, and before retailers are bold enough to stock Linux pre-installed. Many already do these things. As Linux usage grows, it will eventually become a stupid business decision to refuse to support Linux. Microsoft can't do anything about that. Not a damn thing.

[SuperSonic4]

Microsoft have been committed to destroying Linux for years. I don't believe things are any different now. The fact that Red Hat and chums are taking action along these lines tells me, however, that things are already beginning to change. Linux isn't going anywhere. If you haven't already noticed: we're still here. We haven't lost anything. Linux has been going from strength to strength in spite of everything. Microsoft can claim small victories such as the TomTom case you were alluding to, and by bullying Linux companies into signing mystery patent agreements. But the latest evidence I have seen is that Microsoft is rapidly losing ground in their battle to destroy Linux. I honestly believe it's only a matter of time before hardware vendors start properly supporting Linux, and before retailers are bold enough to stock Linux pre-installed. Many already do these things. As Linux usage grows, it will eventually become a stupid business decision to refuse to support Linux. Microsoft can't do anything about that. Not a damn thing.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the public. Few will want to change, especially in the workplace. It will require a generation at least to get linux fully mainstream

[piine]

RiceMonster:

Ok, whatever. You feel how you feel and I feel how I feel. Apparently, some of us don't realize that one situation can affect SEVERAL others. It is not just a business issue and I have been a linux user long enough to be declassified as a noob.
You have to look beyond things at face value. Any event that transpires in which MS screws any other OS affects us all, Mac, Linux, Unix, Solaris, etc. This does not just affect Red Hat. Canonical could have put up a bid, as well any other distro with good support, but how could they when they didn't even offer a bid.
The Swiss gov't operates in many ways as the US, and a project of that caliber is supposed to be bidded on. It is the fairness of it. This is only my opnion, but I would have to say that given the relationship of the Swiss and Microsoft, MS went in and manipulated the situation to not be bid on because they knew that they had a good chance to be outbid by any of the larger Open Source distros. No licences to buy or renew, lesser hardware requirements, which equates to lesser cost on hardware and so for. It is estimates that going with Red Hat would save their country ~600 million a year. So my argument is not premised on being a "noob' as you say, it is because I have a business and I am a tax payer and our (meaning the world's) economy is in turmoil, as well, I do love Linux, like I said, been an avid user for 4 yrs straight, I have played with Linux for 11yrs.
There are many, many, many reasons why I feel we should all take a stand in this matter, and each of them are logical, thoughtout reasons.

How about you stand over there in the crowd of people who can careless, and careless, and those of us you do care, and realize the discrimination of not only SEVERAL OSes, but the discrimination of businesses and the tax payers (even they are not from my country), we will do what we think is right and necessary.

Just a thought, if all people in the Linux communty thought like you, there would be no Linux community, linux would still JUST be a project and have no place in the world. Luckily, for the rest of us and you, when things do get to a point where it maybe potentially harmful us, we fight back. It's how we keep pushing, and that is not just for the Linux community, that's for life.

[piine]

Microsoft have been committed to destroying Linux for years. I don't believe things are any different now. The fact that Red Hat and chums are taking action along these lines tells me, however, that things are already beginning to change. Linux isn't going anywhere. If you haven't already noticed: we're still here. We haven't lost anything. Linux has been going from strength to strength in spite of everything. Microsoft can claim small victories such as the TomTom case you were alluding to, and by bullying Linux companies into signing mystery patent agreements. But the latest evidence I have seen is that Microsoft is rapidly losing ground in their battle to destroy Linux. I honestly believe it's only a matter of time before hardware vendors start properly supporting Linux, and before retailers are bold enough to stock Linux pre-installed. Many already do these things. As Linux usage grows, it will eventually become a stupid business decision to refuse to support Linux. Microsoft can't do anything about that. Not a damn thing.

The reason we are still here is because we stood up and fought. Stand still will do nothing. Luckily RedHat is big enough to make waves, not just ripples.

Remember, one voice may never be heard, but a million voices will move the Earth.