Comments on: Europe to Increase Use of Free Software, Lobbyists Try to Force Software Patents Onto Europe http://techrights.org/2008/03/13/europe-for-foss-ms-for-dosh/ Free Software Sentry – watching and reporting maneuvers of those threatened by software freedom Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Roy Schestowitz http://techrights.org/2008/03/13/europe-for-foss-ms-for-dosh/comment-page-1/#comment-6691 Roy Schestowitz Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:02:39 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2008/03/13/europe-for-foss-ms-for-dosh/#comment-6691 Yes, this is tracked pretty well by Digital Majority, with whom I've been in touch recently (I still communicate with people whose writings intersect with ours). Re: "Throughout the world, we actively educate consumers about the benefits" I suppose you've heard about Microsoft giving young children IP education. They want to raise a generation of zombies whose future inclination is to legalise ownership of simple ideas. But that's a separate topic we needn't go into. I cover this elsewhere and add pointers to the link digests. :-) Yes, this is tracked pretty well by Digital Majority, with whom I’ve been in touch recently (I still communicate with people whose writings intersect with ours).

Re: “Throughout the world, we actively educate consumers about the benefits”

I suppose you’ve heard about Microsoft giving young children IP education. They want to raise a generation of zombies whose future inclination is to legalise ownership of simple ideas. But that’s a separate topic we needn’t go into. I cover this elsewhere and add pointers to the link digests. :-)

]]> By: SubSonica http://techrights.org/2008/03/13/europe-for-foss-ms-for-dosh/comment-page-1/#comment-6687 SubSonica Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:25:54 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2008/03/13/europe-for-foss-ms-for-dosh/#comment-6687 "When Steve Ballmer said just two weeks ago that Microsoft’s number one competitor is Linux, he probably meant it." Well, you are right. Have a look at the latest available 10Q SEC filing (Q1) from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/msft/SEC/default.mspx http://www.microsoft.com/msft/download/FY08/Q1-08_10Q.doc You can see 1A section Risk asessment : First is "alternatives to our business model" and ... GNU/Linux! (page 31) "A prominent example of open source software is the Linux operating system. Although we believe our products provide customers with significant advantages in security, productivity, and total cost of ownership, the popularization of the open source software model continues to pose a significant challenge to our business model, including continuing efforts by proponents of open source software to convince governments worldwide to mandate the use of open source software in their purchase and deployment of software products. To the extent open source software gains increasing market acceptance, sales of our products may decline, we may have to reduce the prices we charge for our products, and revenue and operating margins may consequently decline. " So here you have it: GNU/Linux is enemy Nº 1. And they are going to fight aginst govenrments adopting it. Guess what is the role of MSOOXML and the whole world corruption circus involving ISO around? (Pillar 1) They are as well concerned about patents not protecting them as much as they do in the US (they forget to mention "the other side of the coin" how dear patent lawsuits are costing them): ", the absence of harmonized patent laws makes it more difficult to ensure consistent respect for patent rights. Throughout the world, we actively educate consumers about the benefits of licensing genuine products and obtaining indemnification benefits for intellectual property risks, and we educate lawmakers about the advantages of a business climate where intellectual property rights are protected. However, continued educational and enforcement efforts may fail to enhance revenue. Reductions in the legal protection for software intellectual property rights or additional compliance burdens could both adversely affect revenue. " So expect them to push for worldwide software patentability. They try to corrupt the legislative systems by "educating lawmakers" in order to protect their revenue and profit margins (Pillar 2) “When Steve Ballmer said just two weeks ago that Microsoft’s number one competitor is Linux, he probably meant it.”

Well, you are right. Have a look at the latest available 10Q SEC filing (Q1) from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/msft/SEC/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/msft/download/FY08/Q1-08_10Q.doc

You can see 1A section Risk asessment : First is “alternatives to our business model” and … GNU/Linux! (page 31)

“A prominent example of open source software is the Linux operating system. Although we believe our products provide customers with significant advantages in security, productivity, and total cost of ownership, the popularization of the open source software model continues to pose a significant challenge to our business model, including continuing efforts by proponents of open source software to convince governments worldwide to mandate the use of open source software in their purchase and deployment of software products. To the extent open source software gains increasing market acceptance, sales of our products may decline, we may have to reduce the prices we charge for our products, and revenue and operating margins may consequently decline. ”

So here you have it: GNU/Linux is enemy Nº 1. And they are going to fight aginst govenrments adopting it. Guess what is the role of MSOOXML and the whole world corruption circus involving ISO around? (Pillar 1)

They are as well concerned about patents not protecting them as much as they do in the US (they forget to mention “the other side of the coin” how dear patent lawsuits are costing them):

“, the absence of harmonized patent laws makes it more difficult to ensure consistent respect for patent rights. Throughout the world, we actively educate consumers about the benefits of licensing genuine products and obtaining indemnification benefits for intellectual property risks, and we educate lawmakers about the advantages of a business climate where intellectual property rights are protected. However, continued educational and enforcement efforts may fail to enhance revenue. Reductions in the legal protection for software intellectual property rights or additional compliance burdens could both adversely affect revenue. ”

So expect them to push for worldwide software patentability. They try to corrupt the legislative systems by “educating lawmakers” in order to protect their revenue and profit margins (Pillar 2)

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