02.11.09

Bill Gates et al Lean on Other Companies to Derail GNU/Linux as “Main Stream Operating System”

Posted in Antitrust, Bill Gates, GNU/Linux, Hardware, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Steve Ballmer at 7:41 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Novell newspaper

THIS IS PART of an ongoing series of posts which explore Microsoft’s pressure on Intel. For background, c/f:

Today we dive into Exhibit px06825 (2000) [PDF], which appeared on a public site very briefly in 2007. This details the correspondence going under the subject line “Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture” and this comes from deep inside Microsoft.

Here is Microsoft’s Carl Stork pondering the application of pressure to partners who might support GNU/Linux.

—–Original Message—–
From: Carl Stork [mailto:carls@exchange.microsoft.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 9:43 AM
To: Flannigan, Steve
Subject: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture

Has Intel briefed you on the Open Source development venture they are planning? Does Compaq have any plans to participate in this?

At some stage in the near future we will expose the relationship between Microsoft and Compaq (now part of Hewlett-Packard). It is not an ordinary affair by any stretch of imagination. Anyway, in reply to the above, says Steve Flannigan from Compaq:

From: Flannigan, Steve [mailto:Steve.Flannigan@Compaq.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 11:45 PM
To: Carl Stork
Subject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture

Per Michael and Gary Campbell, we know what this is and have declined to participate. This is a push to make Linux a “mainstream” operating system, looks like IBM and HP are in the boat with Intel. Pool will be $500M according to rumor.

Half a billion dollars, eh? What does Microsoft’s board have to say about this? Bill Gates writes to Steve Ballmer:

From: Bill Gates
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 9:59 PM
To: Steve Ballmer
Subject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture ATTY-CLIENT PRIV

We need to decide how to deal with this on Monday.

Given the previous posts on the subject (see links at the top), we pretty much know how Microsoft handled this type of problem. “Is it legal, Microsoft leaning on other ‘independent’ companies to not use open source,” asked one reader last night. “[It] makes you wonder why the DOJ agreed on a do-not-bundle-IExplorer settlement,” he concludes. █

Appendix: Comes vs. Microsoft – exhibit px06825, as text

**********
From: Bill Gates
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 9:59 PM
To: Steve Ballmer
Subject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture ATTY-CLIENT PRIV

We need to decide how to deal with this on Monday.

—–Original Message—–
From: Carl Stork
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 7:33 AM
To: Brian Valentine; Bob Gomulkiewicz (LCA); David Heiner (LCA); Mike Porter; David W. Williams; Brian Schuster; Bill Veghte; Neil Calvin (LCA); Jim Ewel; Doug Miller; David Thompson (NT); Bill Gates; Steve Ballmer; Paul Maritz; Jim Allchin
Subject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture ATTY-CLIENT PRIV

Privileged

—–Original Message—–
From: Flannigan, Steve [mailto:Steve.Flannigan@Compaq.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 11:45 PM
To: Carl Stork
Subject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture

Per Michael and Gary Campbell, we know what this is and have declined to participate. This is a push to make Linux a “mainstream” operating system, looks like IBM and HP are in the boat with Intel. Pool will be $500M according to rumor.

—–Original Message—–
From: Flannigan, Steve
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 2:04 PM
To: Boak, Jim
Cc: Campbell, Gary; Seif, Naila; Becker, Rick
Subject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture

anyone know the answer?

—–Original Message—–
From: Carl Stork [mailto:carls@exchange.microsoft.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 9:43 AM
To: Flannigan, Steve
Subject: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture

Has Intel briefed you on the Open Source development venture they are planning? Does Compaq have any plans to participate in this?

Plaintiff’s Exhibit
6825
Comes V. Microsoft

MS-CC-MDL 000000396217
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL
**********