Bonum Certa Men Certa

IDG on IDC+BSA Deception, OpenOffice.org Growth, and Thoughts on ODF

Summary: IDG makes an attempt at criticism of its very own output (poor attempt, obviously); OpenOffice.org grows regardless

AS we pointed out last month, there is clear evidence to suggest that Microsoft front groups such as the BSA promote the false perception that free is illegal. They try to discourage adoption of Free software like OpenOffice.org.



Here in ComputerWorld there is rare type of new article where deception from the BSA is actually debated in the sense that the other side of the story (the truth rather) is being told, in addition to the usual fabrication of big numbers and sob stories. It's the annual BSA/IDC propaganda, indirectly funded by the likes of Microsoft [1, 2]. It's analogous to propaganda which is manufactured by the MPAA/RIAA on behalf of the big studios.

The loopholes are always the same, but the mainstream press refuses to pay attention, so it parrots and deceives the public time after time. This type of obedience/compliance is what keeps it in business, by business, for business. From IDG:

But critics of the study say it fails to account for the possibility that pirated software could be replaced with Linux or other open-source options. If it were, the BSA's global loss figure of $53 billion would drop sharply, they maintain.


The imbalance in this article is stunning. Only a single sentence gets dedicated to this very important issue that may as well debunk the message as a whole. Then again, it is the job of IDG to propagate these words of big business; it's rarely about challenging them effectively. IDG happens to be one of those gigantic businesses*, not just an advertising partner [1, 2, 3, 4]. The conflict of interests here is obvious. From the same source we also gather some numbers which may or may not mean something. As the following new post states (with caveats):

InfoWorld runs an article titled Windows Pulse: The Real-World State of Windows, in which they report the results from a network of machines that voluntarily downloaded a reporting application. How the machines were chosen was not specified, and the sample size of 20,000 may not provide an accurate picture of global trends, but the data shows OpenOffice installed on 12% of those machines, which looks like great progress!


As further advice for the likes of OpenOffice.org, here is one bit of opinion on the subject: [the scrupulous Microsoft employee wrote (via Glyn Moody): "Interesting read, but do you know why thinkovation.com blocks access from Microsoft?"]

I happen to think that Microsoft’s OOXML shouldn’t be called an “open standard”. It’s not about “open” it’s about “closed” it’s not about the “future” it’s about the past. The development of OOXML must have been like driving a car using only the rear-view mirror to tell where you’re going. It’s a nasty kluge designed to serve the dual purposes of reinforcing Microsoft’s virtual monopoly and providing some backward (backward in every sense of the word) compatibility. I also object to the shenanigans associated with the OSI process – but I do feel obliged to note that the activity of filling committee rooms with your supporters wasn’t invented by Microsoft – many other vendors have “stuffed” meetings in the past in order to sway votes, and many more will in the future.


In interviews and analyses last year, no-one was able to find anything close to the corruption demonstrated by Microsoft. Yes, corruption. Not everyone is familiar with the pertinent stories, but the facts speak for themselves. Microsoft too is unable to defend itself.

Protest against OOXML



____ * IDC works with the BSA on those numbers and it's more or less a subsidiary of IDG.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Writing and Coding Isn't Always Enough
Last year we had to assume a role we didn't have before: litigants
 
Why We Publish Information About the SLAPPs (But Not About the Legal Process), an Abuse of Process by Americans Trying to Silence Critics of Their Employer, Microsoft
It doesn't take thousands of pages to explain something simple
Internet Relay Chat Didn't Fall Off a Cliff
IRC will turn 40 in less than 3 years from now
The UEFI 9/11 - Part V - This is Not a Drill (Disable "SecureBoot" Now)
A "9/11" Coming
There's No Obligation to Speak to Anybody
The very fact that "bkuhn" is till spending time in social control media says a lot about his poor judgment
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, September 01, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, September 01, 2025
The Register MS Says "AI Web Crawlers Are Destroying Websites", So Why Does The Register MS Help 'AI' Companies? (Spoiler: Money)
People need to call out The Register MS on its hypocrisy
Microsoft Trying to Force People to Resign (Amid Mass Layoffs) a Strategy That Takes Its Toll
Microsoft seems to be circling down the drain and the "final flush" will be the moment the "hey hi" (AI) bubble implodes completely
Google Simply Cannot Be Trusted
Only fools would trust GAFAM
Admission That a Third Party (or Parties) Funds the SLAPPs Against Techrights
This can end up costing them over a million dollars
Modifying and Writing One's Own Computer Programs is Not a Crime (or: Google Proves That Stallman Was Right)
We're generally gratified to see so many positive mentions of him
Why We Stopped Publishing Videos (for Now)
We'll probably get back to videos one day, but it's hard to say when or to what extent
What Animal Rights Activism Teaches Us About Sympathy and Focus
It's possible to believe that the planet is warming, that we must do something about it, and still eat eggs and butter
When You Turn Web Sites About Tech Into Political Sites
A lot of people fall into the trap of catering only for particular groups
Gemini Links 02/09/2025: ROOPHLOCH 2025 and Lagrange 1.19 Released
Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/09/2025: News Corp. WSJ and A Month With NixOS
Links for the day
Slopfarms Already Peaked, They Will Die When Slop Companies Run Out of Money to Borrow
slopfarms will lack an actual "engine"
“Sideloading” Never Killed Anybody
There are many online discussions this week about the misnomer "sideloading"
Slopwatch: Google News as FUD Vector Against Linux and Plagiarism Enhancer, Serial Slopper (SS) Uses LLMs to Googlebomb "Linux"
Slop destroys the Web not just by screwing with search engines and helping plagiarists. It's also responsible for de facto DDoS attacks...
Links 01/09/2025: "Attacks on Science" and China's "Soft Power" Grows
Links for the day
Links 01/09/2025: Fresh Backlash Against Slop and "Norway’s Electricity Crisis is About to Hit Britain"
Links for the day
Links 01/09/2025: Catching Up (Mostly via Deutsche Welle), "Windows TCO" Effect in UK
Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/09/2025: Linguistic Barriers and "Web 1.0 Hosting"
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, August 31, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, August 31, 2025
Autumn Has Come
Autumn should be exciting in all sorts of ways; it'll also mark our anniversary
The UEFI 9/11 - Part IV - External Interference
They all seem to be playing a role in crushing Software Freedom and self-determination for users
Links 31/08/2025: Baggage Claim Scams, an Insurrectionist’s War on Culture, and a Sudden Robotics Hype
Links for the day
Gemini Links 31/08/2025: Reviewing Netsurf and Slightly Less Historic Ada Design
Links for the day
IBM Has Taken Control of GNOME
Don't expect a successor to be found any time soon
Links 31/08/2025: Google Gmail Data Breach and LF Puff Pieces for Pay
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, August 30, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, August 30, 2025
This is What Google News Has Become
Moments ago