12.28.08
Is Novell Attacking OpenOffice.org Again?
Reuse of old trash
Novell or its lackeys might be spreading old posts from months ago at this very moment. Why else would such old ‘news’ reach the front page of Slashdot and Digg despite being a repetition and a duplicate? The modified headline is “Michael Meeks Says OO.o Project is “Profoundly Sick”.” What a nice Christmas gift from Novell to the company which did much of the heavy lifting.
We mentioned this yesterday and we wrote about it at the time when it was first published. A couple of months later, wrote Anivar Aravind: “Novell was mainly promoting their fork of OpenOffice 3.0 (after they implemented notorious OOXML support & forked it after OOO3 moved to to LGPLv3)& SUSE in their stall. Most of the participants in the Conference were newbies and Novell is the only GNU/Linux distro widely promoted in the exhibition. Our protest is not targeted at Organizers or Novell. It was just a way to spread awareness on Novell’s evil trends through the posters to protect new users being misguided.”
One of our readers points out that “Meeks isn’t even an OOo developer. He’s be working on a hostile fork. The fork has been used to inject Microsoft technology and to attack Sun. It’s time to point out publicly again that Meeks is not an OOo developer.”
We’ll write some more about it later. Microsoft hopes to eliminate competition such as Java — via gradual weakening of Sun — because lacking competition means that they can set the rules. Internet Explorer and Netscape are good examples of such battles. It’s worth remembering that Novell promotes Microsoft technologies (it supports ActiveX, Windows Vista, Internet Explorer, .NET, and even XAML).
Novell seems to be spending an awful lot of time attacking Red Hat and Sun/OpenOffice.org rather than Windows and Microsoft Office, respectively. That’s the price to pay for allowing Novell to become a Microsoft ally. █
AlexH said,
December 28, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Perhaps it’s not reaching the front pages because the person submitting it is a “lackey” or somehow on the payroll. Perhaps people are genuinely concerned.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 28, 2008 at 6:34 pm
This is old ‘news’ and it may take gaming to push it into the front pages (Digg are Slashdot are train wrecks because admins told me yesterday that they get gamed by Microsoft and agencies it employs).
AlexH said,
December 28, 2008 at 6:40 pm
With absolutely no evidence that Novell or any of their “lackeys” are doing it, it seems a bit premature to me to be accusing them of it.
But then, I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to calling people names.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 28, 2008 at 6:46 pm
That’s why I wrote “might be”.
AlexH said,
December 28, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Prefacing an accusation, name call or insult with an uncertainty doesn’t make it ok. Generally people like to have at least inconclusive evidence.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 28, 2008 at 7:00 pm
A friend of mine is having a look at it.
AlexH said,
December 28, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Guilty until we’re unable to find any evidence?
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 28, 2008 at 7:09 pm
No, “might be” guilty.
AlexH said,
December 28, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Oh, that’s ok then! Might be guilty until proven innocent, much better
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 28, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Novell’s marketing history does not inspire much confidence.
G. Michaels said,
December 28, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Do you have proof of this? Which admins? Of which site?
Believe me, if you provide actual proof of this, my perception of your activities will certainly change, no question about it.
Until then though, you’re just playing the poor saps who read your website and are ready and willing to believe anything negative you say about Microsoft. Just a lot of arm-waiving, chest-thumping and hot air, as it were.
Or is this one of those emails you “can’t disclose” for mysterious reasons?
Note: writer of this comment adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against readers, as documented here.
Goblin said,
December 28, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Quote Mr Michaels “Until then though, you’re just playing the poor saps who read your website and are ready and willing to believe anything negative you say about Microsoft. Just a lot of arm-waiving, chest-thumping and hot air, as it were.”
I presume you are refering to me.
Funny you never made a comment on Roys post about the Microsoft Shill allegations.
For the record, My personal negativity about MS stems from the allegations of its online tactics, the binary slug of Vista and the muscling in and IMO bullying of anything it sees which supports healthy alternative idealogy.
Mr Michaels I do not agree with everything Roy says, for example our views on Joe Wilcox differ, thats ok though. Unlike you we can discuss our differences in a mature manner without resorting to petty statements and internet stalking.
Im sorry Roy, I know you say we shouldnt feed em, but I did want to make that clear to him.
Dan O'Brian said,
December 28, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Roy accuses people left and right of being Microsoft shills, but never has any sort of evidence to back it up.
Even Shane Coyle, the guy that started this site, has pointed out that Roy’s “Microsoft shill” accusations are baseless and because of the embarrassment that Roy’s posts are, has decided to abandon this site so as to avoid having his name associated with it (have you noticed he took down his image on the front page?)
G. Michaels said,
December 28, 2008 at 9:45 pm
@Goblin,
No, that wouldn’t be you. It’s clear that you’ve already made up your mind in this particular matter, and as long as that perception is based on solid, factual evidence and does not involve fantasies, then I certainly respect it.
The “poor saps” are the demographic to which this website pontificates with lies, fabrications, chicken little predictions of doom based on nothing more than personal agendas and attention-grabbing disingenuous headlines and personal attacks. Not to mention the clever lolcat creations.
Disliking or criticizing an entity like a corporation is each person’s prerogative. Making shit up about them however, and engaging in the same sort of tactics you accuse them of using against you are another matter altogether. That’s when you start doing more damage than good, I think.
Note: writer of this comment adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against readers, as documented here.
Goblin said,
December 28, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Quote Mr Michaels “Disliking or criticizing an entity like a corporation is each person’s prerogative. Making shit up about them however, and engaging in the same sort of tactics you accuse them of using against you are another matter altogether. That’s when you start doing more damage than good, I think”
and Id entirely agree with you. Roy doesnt do that though. As Ive said before I believe myself a decent judge of character, on IRC once I used the term Anti-MS and Roy challenged it (and rightfully so) I dont believe there is any other motive than an honest held belief on behalf on Roy.
I couldnt comment on why/if Shane left, I dont know and I hadnt noticed he had gone.
Mr Michaels, if youre able Id like you to go over to MSwatch and see examples of people who insult, belittle and bring into question my sexuality simply because I have a different viewpoint. Id like you to see the poster who appears homophobic, and the poster who claims Im sexist, merely because I want to put a freedom of choice message over.
Roy has knowledge of the inner workings of business way in advance of my own. I simply support the “freedom of choice” cause in my own little way by challenging inappropriate behaviour and downright false information.
G. Michaels said,
December 28, 2008 at 11:34 pm
That’s because it’s detrimental to his “SLOG”, but that’s what he is. Notice the name of this website, and then tell me that the weekly post about the MSFT stock price is not simply “anti-MS”. And a hundred other examples.
I don’t think you understand the significance of that. Shane registered the domain, he hosts the site on his dime, he invited Roy to post here. And then it was turned into a circus, because Roy can’t help himself.
I don’t doubt that. There are idiots on both sides of the fence. I saw that during the early .NET-Java wars in 2000-2003.
No, he doesn’t. Roy is a kid in his mid-20s who has never had a meaningful job in IT, anywhere. Now that’s not a requirement to being a FOSS advocate, but when you get into why companies are allegedly dumping Novell because of a deal with Microsoft, you’re just putting yourself between a rock and a hard place. That’s just one of his problems.
If that’s the case, again, based on reality and facts, then more power to you. It’s not like Microsoft is some angelical entity that has never done any wrong.
(OT, when Roy fires up WP to append his silly red text to this post, I’d like for him to read this post he made to Digg, which adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against people, on another website. Hypocrisy is fantastic!)
Note: writer of this comment adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against readers, as documented here.
Goblin said,
December 29, 2008 at 6:46 am
Quote Mr Michaels “…. the name of this website, and then tell me that the weekly post about the MSFT stock price is not simply “anti-MS”. ”
But thats hardly on the same par as some of the tactics MS is alleged to have used. Its not like he’s making up the stock price or anything. We can all find up to the minute news on MS price if we want to.
Quote Mr Michaels “No, he doesn’t. Roy is a kid in his mid-20s who has never had a meaningful job in IT, anywhere. Now that’s not a requirement to being a FOSS advocate, but when you get into why companies are allegedly dumping Novell because of a deal with Microsoft, you’re just putting yourself between a rock and a hard place. That’s just one of his problems.”
If that was true then wouldnt the Linux press in general distance themselves from him? Wouldnt he just be known as a “mainstream joke”? What I see is many other sites holding Roy in high regard.
I see other sites giving time to mention his work. When I met Roy on IRC, I didnt find him to be anything other than friendly and informed. I should not really be posting about him, as he is a modest individual, but it does get me cross when Roy is insulted merely for putting alot of work into something for which he has an honest held belief.
Regardless of peoples opinions (and we all differ) the Boycott Novell site is certainly “food for thought” and interesting. Ive certainly been enlightened on certain subjects and understood a little more in regards to the inner working of business and in particular the IT industry.
stevetheFLY said,
December 29, 2008 at 7:18 am
Roy ‘in high regard’? Nobody with a name in FOSS would touch him with a six-inch-pole!
He really is the craziest of all the tinfoil-hatters out there; that’s why not even his former associate wants Roy’s name next to his own anymore.
Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from an incarnation of a known (eet), pseudonymous, forever-nymshifting, abusive Internet troll that posts from open proxies and relays around the world.
stevetheFLY said,
December 29, 2008 at 7:20 am
BTW, search his archives a bit and you’ll find he accuses the GNOME project of following Microsoft’s directions and personally accused/abused high-ranking board-members of corruption! Now, that’s the kind of person you don’t want to be associated with FOSS!
Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from an incarnation of a known (eet), pseudonymous, forever-nymshifting, abusive Internet troll that posts from open proxies and relays around the world.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 29, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hey, “eet”. Are you somehow associated with Novell? You have been attacking Novell critics across the Web for a very long time, and not just in here.
Victor Soliz said,
December 29, 2008 at 11:59 am
Aw eet and dan, if those things you say were true, wouldn’t you quite be losing all your dignity with these posts that are so insistent to attack a guy that according to you has already no credibility? Why do you waste your life like this?
Goblin said,
December 29, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Good point Victor. The only people who believe the rubbish that users like stevethefly spout are themselves.
If as some say Roy is not respected, then this site would not get the hits it does nor would people feel the need to post and insult him. That in itself is a compliment and shows that the message Roy puts out has people worried and is hitting on some home truths.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 29, 2008 at 12:32 pm
The hecklers do their own embarrassment, but they can’t help it. They should know that the best way to fight information is to ignore it. SCO found this out the hard way when it began turning its back on Groklaw several years ago.
A reader mailed me this some minutes ago:
“I was amused to see G. Michaels’ post where he gloatingly points out a post you made to Digg which consists of a couple of URLs pointing back to BN. The subject is Rob Enderle and he thought he was making a point that you are stalking someone. I didn’t see how that link supports his argument. In fact, it’s an “own goal” in that it actually reinforces the point you make that there are shills out there. <sarcasm>Maybe you don’t need any supporters with “enemies” like that.</sarcasm>”
Message to “eet” et al: you’ll do yourself a favour by just leaving Web sites that you hate. The Internet is a big place, and it keeps growing.