01.28.11
Microsoft Wants to Exploit Free/Open Source CMS for Userbase
Summary: Microsoft wishes to dine together with GPL-licensed content management systems so that they run on the Microsoft stack rather than GNU/Linux and Free/libre software; Likewise helps spread Microsoft APIs
The title is neither sensationalist nor news. It is an accurate description of what Microsoft has been trying to do to Free/Open Source software since this site was conceived. Having failed to compete with GNU/Linux on servers, Microsoft funded SCO. Having failed to catch up with the likes of Android, Microsoft attacks the platform from several directions. Having failed on the Web, Microsoft is trying new ways to push Windows Server by infiltrating those above the server OS layer, namely Apache, PHP (Zend), and whatever lies above these. We have been covering this matter since 2007, so we won’t delve into it today.
“Having failed on the Web, Microsoft is trying new ways to push Windows Server by infiltrating those above the server OS layer, namely Apache, PHP (Zend), and whatever lies above these.”What people ought to know is that Microsoft boosters like Kurt Mackie are boosting Microsoft’s embrace (and “extend”) of Drupal in 1105 Media, which is in Microsoft's pocket to an extent. Microsoft is doing this not for the first time, either. Adding Microsoft extensions to Joomla, for instance, is something we wrote about less than a year ago. There are prior examples where Microsoft used “plugins” to promote its online services inside Free/Open Source CMSs. Kathleen Richard from 1105 Media has this other puff piece in the unofficial ‘Microsoft press’. It’s a very shallow piece of coverage, titled: “Is Microsoft the New Web Platform for Open Source CMS?”
To be fair, some other sites/media companies (not in Microsoft’s pocket) have covered it, but they did so quite differently. It was not promotional. We assume readers of Techrights are smart enough to know Microsoft’s motivations here, but will other people know? This needs to be explained to more people. “I would love to see all open source innovation happen on top of Windows,” Steve Ballmer (Microsoft CEO) said a few years ago.
Meanwhile we also find this new press release from Likewise, which has former Microsoft staff in it. It actively promotes Microsoft APIs in UNIX and Linux and its press release says:
Likewise, an expert in helping businesses and educational institutions manage cross-platform IT environments, announced today that Johns Hopkins University will use Likewise Enterprise for Education to integrate its Linux and Mac computers using Microsoft Active Directory.
There is also this new bit from Likewise. Those who know too little about Likewise might be gullible enough to view this as a win for GNU/Linux and Apple. █
twitter said,
January 28, 2011 at 9:45 am
Microsoft incompetence wins again, how horrible.
They misspelled subjugate as integrate. Such a thing would probably require some kind of non free Trojan horse be installed on gnu/linux to make Active Directory sort of work and to put them under Microsoft central control, just like Windows. The press release confirms this for Mac:
Translation: the Windows monkeys at John Hopkins now have control over all Macs and will ruin them by forcing onto them patches, firewalls, anti-virus and other stupid stuff that Windows requires.
This kind of central control of Windows was viewed as a disaster when it happend at my university four years ago. Departments with a clue had their own IT staff that did a better job of managing things. All of their careful work was undone when they were forced to join the central “domain” which gave central IT complete control over their machines. The stated purpose was to solve the ongoing Windows insecurity network meltdowns. “Unpatched” systems were then kicked off the network unless they were hidden behind a “rogue” router. Only a Stalinist would think central control over computing is a good idea at a research institute.
Having this happen to Macs and GNU/Linux is an even bigger disaster, because those were the exits that people hit to avoid Windows stupidity like central control. The Microsoft idiots have used the costs of their own lack of cooperation to take control of systems run by people who know better. Microsoft is infamous for technical sabotage of their competitors, so we can expect Likewise software to immediately destabilize both gnu/linux and OSX systems. I feel terrible for people at Johns Hopkins, especially researchers who will suffer the most disruption. Microsoft will lay the blame GNU/Linux and Apple competitors and ultimately on their Likewise flunkies.
This news reminds me of the London Stock Exchange fiasco. Johns Hopkins is a medical powerhouse which had been using gnu/linux like everyone else. Landing them is a prestigious coup for Likewise/Microsoft advertising people that will inevitably blow up in their faces.
GrumpYoungNerd said,
February 3, 2011 at 2:13 am
I interviewed with likewise last March for a SysAdmin/Support position (and I have the emails to prove it), helping customers with Linux and Mac Likewise installs. During the interview with Jessie DeCarlos I started asking excited questions about deploying RedHat Directory Servers to replace ActiveDirectory which would push more Linux desktops into the enterprise, thinking this was Likewises goal. I was stopped cold by Jessie and told the hard facts of Likewise which were the opposite. According to Jessie, the goal of Likewise was to go into Mac/Linux enterprises and convert their directory servers into MS ActiveDirectory while allowing them to keep their Mac/Linux desktops. When I pressed further about Likewise being a open source company I was told that a.) its open core not open source b.) the goal is to push MS server software as the executive and sales team is all ex-MS and still very good friends with Redmond.
And to seal the deal of my disgust with these trolls, I was told the compensation package included lots of bonuses, for…….wait for it…….converting Mac/Linux directory servers over to MS ActiveDirectory. I feel violated just telling the story.
One last bit, I had installed Likewise before the interview (when I was naive and thought they were pushing open source not the opposite) on my Ubuntu test box and tried to get it working on a MS domain. Ehhhh, nope, didnt work. On top of that, I uninstalled and then found Likewise changes your local user password and wont let the local user change it by removing the permissions. Crap software being pimped as ‘open source’ and its a total shame.
keep up the great work techrights!!
GrumpYoungNerd
twitter Reply:
February 3rd, 2011 at 8:05 am
Thank you for sharing this.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
February 3rd, 2011 at 8:24 am
Thanks. It was important to tell more people.