Bonum Certa Men Certa

Malaysia Saves with Free Software and ODF, Europe Rises Against Microsoft

But Novell throws mud

LAST WEEK WE heard about the significant news from Vietnam, which plans to move to Free software within a couple of years. On one occasion in the past we wrote about tricks that Intel and Microsoft had been pulling in Vietnam in order to secure a case of digital colonialism and the subject also arose in the IRC channel (late last week [1, 2, 3]).

Yesterday we saw another nation adopting a similar, pro-Free software stance (mentioned here) and Malaysia had already begun large-scale migrations to OpenOffice.org across the nation, backed by an ODF-supportive policy. Here is the latest encouraging report from Malaysia:

Say it with me slowly, forty million big ones !

That's how much government agencies have saved by deploying open source software in favour of proprietary, and costly licensed technology in government ministries, departments and agencies.

A massive big up is due to the folks at MAMPU and the Open Source Competency Centre (OSCC) for this.


How might Microsoft respond to this*? Other than EDGI (which targeted StarOffice at the time [1, 2, 3]), Microsoft could probably resort to a favourite strategy which is infighting (civil wars). Technical evangelism presentation material from Microsoft specifically mentions this as a tactic, so "talking points" will continue to appear.

“One vector of FUD that's aligned against the OpenOffice.org brand at this moment is Microsoft's ally, Novell.”One vector of FUD that's aligned against the OpenOffice.org brand at this moment is Microsoft's ally, Novell. Microsoft rarely ridicules its rivals directly, but this new comment from Linux Today, titled "Talking Points for the Microsoft Trolls," asked whether "[T]his is the December talking points list for the Microsoft Trolls." The commenter refers to Michael Meeks. We wrote about this before [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] and ZDNet (where Microsoft connections do exist) is still kicking a dead horse by calling/labeling OpenOffice.org a "dying horse", thereby shedding doubt on its future prospects. These insults are coming through Novell**. Having poisoned the minds of some people, ZDNet Asia generalises:

OpenOffice.org is still not past its expiry date, but more needs to be done to drive community participation and ensure the open source software remains relevant, say industry watchers.


Dana Blankenhorn fuels this. He comments on it too. Guess where? ZDNet.

Meeks was explicit in his meaning at the blog, saying Sun is disengaging from the project, that its participation is not being replaced, and that improvements are grinding toward a halt.


A talking points treadmill, poisoned minds, exaggeration, or is it genuine concern? Probably a combination of all these factors is at play. Either way, let's press on.

Time may have passed since the OOXML corruptions, but activists from FFII have not given up. The real struggle for freedom is taking place right now when countries like Malaysia are choosing ODF. According to research from Andre at <No>OOXML, European SMEs were against OOXML, but their voices probably got hijacked by Microsoft henchmen like Jonathan Zuck and his handful of empty shells that masquerade as groups advocating for small business [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].

A real surprise to many observer of the Open XML debate was that most of the usual suspects of SME astroturf were not called to arms in the Open XML standard struggle. The new turf Voices for Innovation seriously lacked maturity and didn't take off. The attempt appeared rather foolish. Vendor capture was not restrained but frank, as if European standard setting was the natural domain of European sales departments and partners. Another indication of SME weakness in the process.

As now all relevant sides agree that the ISO fasttrack process needs reform, I am curious what proposals the standard technocrats in Europe will come up with to strengthen true SME representation in the standard setting process. New instruments of competition law are expected to be developed to overcome the misrepresentation problem for which OOXML became a paradigm. How to crack down on future standard voting cartells in Europe and foreign influence? I wonder what reform suggestions NORMAPME would make.


It may have been a while since we last wrote about Microsoft's OOXML mischiefs in Greece. Examples were included in:



The FFII in Greece has gotten some updates about its case against the government's deal with Microsoft.

On 1 February 2006, the Greek government and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership agreement (the "Agreement"). At least 6 questions by the parliament remained unanswered by the government. On 10 January 2008, the government created a law proposal that would make the Agreement have the power of law. The law was approved by the Parliament on 29 January 2008. The FFII and the Hellenic Linux Users Group filed a complaint to the European Commission, which is still (as of 28 December 2008) under investigation.


"FFII Greece spent 4700 Eur on lawyer fees but the association didn't make much buzz in other parts of Europe," based on what we were told. Quebec took similar steps against the government's illegitimate deals with Microsoft, as we last noted here. Many of these government deals are illegitimate at best and more likely just corrupt.

"The danger is that Microsoft is using strategic monopolistic pricing in the education market, with the government’s assistance, to turn our state university systems into private workforce training programs for Microsoft."

--Nathan Newman



Microsoft a  bad ride



___ * This is an exercise in 'reverse-engineering' reaction as means of analysis and prevention.

** Sun chooses not to confront publicly as that would make things worse.

Comments

Recent Techrights' Posts

LLM Slopfarms: LinuxSecurity.com and FUDZilla Doing 'Linux' (Fake Articles)
It's 2025. Everything on the Web is getting worse, except SPARTAN.
Red Hat's Bluewashing to be Further Completed This Year
Do not wait for some announcement from redhat.com - it's already covered by IBM
LLM Slop is Now Filling the Web With Pure Fiction/Fabrication/Misinformation About Linux
The timing of this lie/fiction is curious because Torvalds is being brigaded for defending C
FUDZilla Has Turned Into LLM Slop and Machine-Generated FUD (New York Times Has Also Just Admitted Moving in That Direction)
Failing news sites, instead of calling it quits with some remaining dignity, are handing control over to LLM slop (pretending to still be active)
By Buying Twitter, MElon and Cheeto Now Control EU Politicians, Even at the Highest Levels
"the top level politicians make the egregious mistake of trying to treat Xitter as if it were a communications medium"
How to 'Sell' Software Freedom to People
In my experience, it helps when one speaks about control, not freedom, including confidentiality
 
How Americans View 'Free Speech' in Practice
"No good deed goes unpunished"
Threats Against Techrights Always Come From Outside Britain
Over the coming days we shall write about an example of our own and we'll show how Americans have the audacity to bully people using a foreign (to them) court
Links 18/02/2025: More DeepSeek Bans and Supreme Court Patent Challenges
Links for the day
Links 18/02/2025: FAA Layoffs and EU Betrayed
Links for the day
On Technical Contracts of Employment and Why People Must Read Before Signing
The wave of layoffs under MElon will worsen prospects of finding alternate/better employment
Gemini Links 18/02/2025: Reading Books and Oneiric Monk
Links for the day
Swiss corruption, Greens, Liip & Debian human rights violations
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Swiss police TIGRIS unit, World Cat Day, Swiss-corruption.com & Debian
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 18/02/2025: “Hey Hi Video Surveillance” and YouTube at 20
Links for the day
The Washington Post (Jeff Bezos) Dies in Darkness
spread it on
Gemini Links 18/02/2025: Downloading Gemini Files with Emacs and Elpher, Gopher on Devuan
Links for the day
Richard Stallman Confirms His Next Talk, "Free/Libre Software and Freedom in the Digital Society" (Next Monday in Free University of Bozen-Bolzano)
He could already advertise this more than a week ago
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, February 17, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, February 17, 2025
IBM's Chronic Neglect Won't Save Anything and It Might Even Get IBM Sued
The problem is likely a lack of manpower, not deliberate shoddiness
Gemini Links 17/02/2025: Ideal OS, AuraRepo Alpha, and Simple Code
Links for the day
The "Cool Kids" Are Already Using GNU/Linux, Microsoft is Just Cheating
The future and the present are Linux
Links 17/02/2025: War on Dissent and Bloggers, Nationalism a Growing Theme
Links for the day
IBM Going International (and India)
It's Monday and a national holiday
GeekWire: Microsoft Bribes Us While We Cover Microsoft Affairs (Spin Doctoring), Hence We Are "Independent"
What good is a "journalist" sponsored by the very same company he or she writes about?
The Attacks on LinuxQuestions.org
Going to Clownflare only worsens the problem
The GNU Manifesto Turns 40 Next Month
The guardian of Free software (definition, licences, philosophy, hosting and so on) has managed to endure and persevere for 40 years. Very few others can say the same.
Microsoft Lunduke Belongs in 4Chan
Assuming Microsoft Lunduke is aware of the full context, he is now trolling not one but two decent organisations
In Europe and in India Richard Stallman Need Not Duck Anymore, People Trying to Cancel His Talk Have No Sway
the last time a talk by Dr. Stallman got canceled was about a year ago
Back From a Short Break
We can now resume and try to stick to the usual pace
Links 17/02/2025: LLMs Failing and Patreon Support Becoming a Burden to Bloggers
Links for the day
Links 17/02/2025: Blogroll Conundrum; Research, Scientists Under Siege
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, February 16, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, February 16, 2025
Links 16/02/2025: Nostalgia for Physical Media and the US Government Actively Promotes Pro-Kremlin Politicians in the EU
Links for the day
Gemini Links 16/02/2025:Life, Cynicism, and languages
Links for the day
Links 16/02/2025: Oligarchs "Collect Your Data and Control Your World", Global Temperatures Shoot Up
Links for the day
Promoting Microsoft Windows With LLM Slop
What is the policy at BetaNews regarding LLM slop?
Alex Oliva, the Potential 'Successor' of RMS, Has a New Web Site
More freedom for Alex Oliva
Links 16/02/2025: "Microsoft Is Laying Off Employees" and Internal Dissent Brewing at Facebook Over Regime Complicity
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, February 15, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, February 15, 2025