Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft Tries to Associate Itself with Open Source in Order to Spread Lock-in, Dump Proprietary Software on Clients



Summary: FOSS gets 'extended' by Microsoft to make it hook up with Microsoft's software that harms FOSS

AS PART of the assimilation strategy, Microsoft carries on blurring the difference between open source and proprietary software. In essence, every now and then it merely uses open source as a latch with which to impose proprietary software and dependence on a single vendor. Guess which vendor?

On many occasions in the past we warned about Microsoft's influence on Apache [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]. Now we find this:

The Apache Stonehenge project is evolving toward what Microsoft referred to as the first key milestone. Milestone 1 is synonymous with sample applications built with different languages, and designed for specific platforms, being deployed together in an effort to drive interoperability. Microsoft is a participant in the Apache Stonehenge project, a move from the company underscoring its commitment to making its proprietary technologies interoperable with open-source solutions, according to Kamaljit Bath, a principal program manager on the Interoperability Technical Strategy Team at Microsoft.


When Microsoft speaks about "open source", then it would rather speak about incorporating BSD code into its proprietary products. Also from the news:

Sidekick retains its own OS - the question is whether Microsoft will start to run WinMo or Windows CE on the product in order to get even better feedback on users' behaviour and acceptance. It may, however, be wanting intelligence in another area, open source operating systems. LX will run open source NetBSD OS, and Microsoft was recently advertising for people with NetBSD skills to help launch the new Sidekick, pointed out PCWorld. Perhaps a tiny step towards open source acceptance for the Windows giant?


Microsoft is fine with BSD because it turns it to proprietary code and even uses in it Windows.

Then there is Microsoft's relationship with Zend. Microsoft is now bringing the GNU/Linux- and Free software-hostile Silverlight via PHP.

PHP for Silverlight is a code sample and tutorial on Microsoft' codeplex site which explains and gives examples of how to integrate Silverlight controls in PHP.


In essence, what Microsoft does here is it uses FOSS to spread anti-FOSS software. And at the same time Microsoft is spreading its gratis (limited time) competitor to FOSS (libre). This is a press release about BizSpark/DreamSpark (Silverlight involved), but there is also some PR for Microsoft from the Seattle press. They use HSBC's name to make some more noise.

HSBC Commercial Banking (LON:HSBA) has today announced that it has joined the Microsoft BizSpark Programme as a Network Partner and becomes the first UK bank to become part of the network.


This makes HSBC somewhat of a 'drug dealer' in the sense that it makes people dependent on something that cannot (or can hardly) afford. Then again, it fits HSBC's model quite well because it also sells mortgages. We wrote about the *Spark programmes in:



Over it the Philippines there is something similar going on, but this time under the heading/banner of Live@edu (details already leaked).

Steve Haite, Live@edu, Information Worker Director, Microsoft Asia Pacific, said Microsoft Live@edu addresses common teaching and administrative problems that schools encounter in today’s digital age. He recently engaged in a roundtable discussion with a select group of journalists about the trend toward university use of hosted Web services, and how university learnings and experience translate for the business world of IT.


It all looks like a form of commercial in the press, masqueraded as an article (maybe ghostwritten). But anyway, what all reporters neglect to say or refuse to say is that the tobacco companies used similar techniques to deprive people, under the disguise of offering them something. Critique is absent.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Comparing U.E.F.I. to B.I.O.S. (Bloat and Insecurity to K.I.S.S.)
By Sami Tikkanen
New 'Slides' From Stallman Support (stallmansupport.org) Site
"In celebration of RMS's birthday, we've been playing a bit. We extracted some quotes from the various articles, comments, letters, writings, etc. and put them in the form of a slideshow in the home page."
Thailand: GNU/Linux Up to 6% of Desktops/Laptops, According to statCounter
Desktop Operating System Market Share Thailand
António Campinos is Still 'The Fucking President' (in His Own Words) After a Fake 'Election' in 2022 (He Bribed All the Voters to Keep His Seat)
António Campinos and the Administrative Council, whose delegates he clearly bribed with EPO budget in exchange for votes
Adrian von Bidder, homeworking & Debian unexplained deaths
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Sainsbury’s Epic Downtime Seems to be Microsoft's Fault and Might Even Constitute a Data Breach (Legal Liability)
one of Britain's largest groceries (and beyond) chains
 
People Don't Just Kill Themselves (Same for Other Animals)
And recent reports about Boeing whistleblower John Barnett
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, March 18, 2024
IRC logs for Monday, March 18, 2024
Suicide Cluster Cover-up tactics & Debian exposed
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Gemini Links 19/03/2024: A Society That Lost Focus and Abandoning Social Control Media
Links for the day
Matthias Kirschner, FSFE: Plagiarism & Child labour in YH4F
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Linux Foundation Boasting About Being Connected to Bill Gates
Examples of boasting about the association
Alexandre Oliva's Article on Monstering Cults
"I'm told an earlier draft version of this post got published elsewhere. Please consider this IMHO improved version instead."
[Meme] 'Russian' Elections in Munich (Bavaria, Germany)
fake elections
Sainsbury's to Techrights: Yes, Our Web Site Broke Down, But We Cannot Say Which Part or Why
Windows TCO?
Plagiarism: Axel Beckert (ETH Zurich) & Debian Developer list hacking
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 18/03/2024: Putin Cements Power
Links for the day
Flashback 2003: Debian has always had a toxic culture
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
[Meme] You Know You're Winning the Argument When...
EPO management starts cursing at everybody (which is what's happening)
Catspaw With Attitude
The posts "they" complain about merely point out the facts about this harassment and doxing
'Clown Computing' Businesses Are Waning and the Same Will Happen to 'G.A.I.' Businesses (the 'Hey Hi' Fame)
decrease in "HEY HI" (AI) hype
Free Software Needs Watchdogs, Too
Gentle lapdogs prevent self-regulation and transparency
Matthias Kirschner, FSFE analogous to identity fraud
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Gemini Links 18/03/2024: LLM Inference and Can We Survive Technology?
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, March 17, 2024
IRC logs for Sunday, March 17, 2024
Links 17/03/2024: Microsoft Windows Shoves Ads Into Third-Party Software, More Countries Explore TikTok Ban
Links for the day
Molly Russell suicide & Debian Frans Pop, Lucy Wayland, social media deaths
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Our Plans for Spring
Later this year we turn 18 and a few months from now our IRC community turns 16
Open Invention Network (OIN) Fails to Explain If Linux is Safe From Microsoft's Software Patent Royalties (Charges)
Keith Bergelt has not replied to queries on this very important matter
RedHat.com, Brought to You by Microsoft Staff
This is totally normal, right?
USPTO Corruption: People Who Don't Use Microsoft Will Be Penalised ~$400 for Each Patent Filing
Not joking!
The Hobbyists of Mozilla, Where the CEO is a Bigger Liability Than All Liabilities Combined
the hobbyist in chief earns much more than colleagues, to say the least; the number quadrupled in a matter of years
Jim Zemlin Says Linux Foundation Should Combat Fraud Together With the Gates Foundation. Maybe They Should Start With Jim's Wife.
There's a class action lawsuit for securities fraud
Not About Linux at All!
nobody bothers with the site anymore; it's marketing, and now even Linux
Links 17/03/2024: Abuses Against Human Rights, Tesla Settlement (and Crash)
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, March 16, 2024
IRC logs for Saturday, March 16, 2024
Under Taliban, GNU/Linux Share Nearly Doubled in Afghanistan, Windows Sank From About 90% to 68.5%
Suffice to say, we're not meaning to imply Taliban is "good"
Debian aggression: woman asked about her profession
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Gemini Links 17/03/2024: Winter Can't Hurt Us Anymore and Playstation Plus
Links for the day