Comments

• twitter

  2009-01-08 17:19:06

  It's all about mindshare. See here:
  
  

  To control mental output you to have to control mental input. Take control of the channels by which developers receive information. Then they can only think about the things you tell them. Thus, you control mindshare

  
  
  Only the most popular version of Windows should have software ports and even that should be sparing. Porting free software to Windows makes Windows more comfortable when the effort could have made GNU/Linux better. Developing for Windows is even more painful than using it, so more time is wasted than you might imagine if you have never done it. The good done must be carefully balanced by the harm.
  
  What's good? It is good that all of the "killer aps" on Windows are free software, Firefox, Gimp, VLC and others. This makes a compelling argument for free software use and proves that freedom is the best development method. This good should only apply to the current popular version of Windows. Even then, you risk M$ breaking your work through some kind of "update."

• aeshna23

  2009-01-08 19:06:58

  "Let's make Free software work better on Windows and have developers overworked because of their Windows ports, which address yet non-existent operating systems."
  
  I would hope no developers allows himself to be overworked by simply waiting until there is an existing OS. In fact, I almost think it serves any developer right who wastes his time working on a pre-release version of Windows.

• Needs Sunlight

  2009-01-08 20:16:23

  I seriously doubt it has anything to do with *improving* the software, on or off a Windows host. MS has never worked like that. What this looks like is fishing for disrupters who can stall, delay or ruin a project or burn out staff.
  
  All articles about MS vaporware ought to have an obligatory link to Fedora, Ubuntu, or OS X.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-08 21:40:00

  OS X??

• Yfrwlf

  2009-01-08 23:54:08

  Yes, OS X, one of the "alternatives" to Windows, just not a very good one. They were trying to say that in place of MS software hype articles the other OSes should be listed and linked to. Apple IMO is more appalling than Microsoft though and of course not open.
  
  What I actually wanted to say though was this is great news in that it shows competition is growing. This competition will be good for everyone. The "unfair" and backstabbing tactics and such are definitely NOT cool, don't get me wrong, but the fact that it shows Free Software has created a good OS which is adding pressure to them is good.

• Dante

  2009-01-10 11:23:06

  I'd love to see Microsoft pull another "Linux is a toy" stunt, if they are attempting to subvert it from within, then surely it IS a threat to them?
  
  I agree with Twitter, developing software on Windows is far, far more painful. Shame my co-developer believes .NET to be the greatest thing since sliced bread :(

• Yfrwlf

  2009-01-11 20:49:11

  That sucks, but yes of course they will do everything they can to attract development to their platforms, even on their console. The response should be of course to make programming for Linux easier in every way possible, where there is room to do so. This is already being done in several ways but everyone should always be on the lookout for ways to improve things of course.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-11 20:51:01

  Preferably, it ought to start in education.

• Yfrwlf

  2009-01-12 17:09:25

  Very interested to see what the Obama cabinet will bring to education and everything else, but so far from what I've read, so far no one really knows or can guess. I'd like to think that sometimes governments can hold citizens first above the will of the industries, but I guess I'll find out.