08.31.11
OpenSUSE in 2011
Summary: Why OpenSUSE is not a project worth supporting and what it has been up to over the past week
AT THE beginning of the year OpenSUSE was made the property of Attachmate and at the end of last month it was made the vassal of Microsoft. The purpose of SUSE, which uses the “Open” as a recruitment tool for volunteers, is to spread Microsoft tax. That’s why Microsoft has seeded funds in the project almost every 2 years since 2006 (at least $100,000,000 at each time, serving the interests of Microsoft shareholders as it’s obliged to).
As a former SUSE fan I am saddened to see how the project was crushed. It was probably the best GNU/Linux desktop distribution at one point. Remember SLED 10? XGL?
In 2011 the news about OpenSUSE is very scarce, themes and HOWTOs aside. SUSE is often being mentioned in the context of Mono and preloads of SUSE, which we used to see in HP, are no more. At Wype, SUSE is still optional and as one source puts it (repeating the press release):
Wyse also introduces two new SUSE Linux-based thin clients and reveals integration with the Big Three hypervisors.
As we explained over the past week (e.g. in relation to Microsoft’s deal in China [1, 2, 3, 4]), Microsoft uses its virtualisation deal with Novell to basically add Windows to environments which were GNU/Linux only. Microsoft does the same thing in HPC. So the purpose of SUSE is really to make Windows and Microsoft tax (on GNU/Linux) more widespread. That’s why Microsoft is willing to give SUSE so much money.
Stay away from SUSE to defend software freedom. It’s not about provoking or avenging, it’s about doing the sensible thing, expelling Microsoft intrusion. █
Michael Glasser said,
August 31, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I responded to this post here: http://trw.gallopinginsanity.com/2011/08/31/opensuse
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 2:17 pm
If you must piggyback this site for attention, please bother not with mass-posting commenting that are just self-promoting of your antagonistic blog (8 so far today). The comments are not intended to be used for these purposes and they just clog up the system and drain down genuine comments.
Michael Glasser Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 2:39 pm
My comments are “genuine”… and you have no reasoned response, so you will opt to attack the messenger and not the message.
You have repeatedly and publicly called me names, accused me of dishonesty without showing any examples and even claimed I am part of a cult. What you have not done is actually show where I am wrong in my claims.
I look forward to having an open and direct discussion with you on your show again – and while I disagree with you on many things, let me repeat here how much I respect the fact you allow me on your show despite our differences.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 2:43 pm
If you have a response to a post, publish it inline, don’t use that to spam the site with 8 one-liner redirections per day. You’re already trolled our IRC channels, Now you’re rubbishing the blog.
Michael Glasser said,
August 31, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I will follow your wishes and respond inline. I have no problem with that.
As far as your accusations: you claim I “trolled” your IRC channels. Which channels? And can you quote any of this trolling?
And why attack me and not actually respond to my comments about your posts? Sadly you have no reasonable answers.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 3:32 pm
If you respond inline, that will be OK. I will gladly respond then.