ON many occasions before (e.g. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]) we've warned that Microsoft's MVP Miguel de Icaza aspires to put Microsoft's API right inside Google's universe, which would have devastating effects because of control and because of software patents.
“If Novell manages to 'poison' its competitors' products some more, then it can market itself based on fear, not based on merit.”News has just arrived suggesting that Novell takes the next step by putting more than just Mono in phones. This is a bad idea particularly after Apple's lawsuit [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8], which we will return to in the next post. Novell's 'added value' when it comes to GNU/Linux are products like Mono and Moonlight because Novell has exclusive rights to them, not just assigned copyrights. If Novell manages to 'poison' its competitors' products some more, then it can market itself based on fear, not based on merit. Novell's executives have already made it abundantly clear that this is at least one of their strategies. Among the 'poisoned' products we already have Ubuntu, with new Mono dependencies in version 10.04 [1, 2, 3] and Ubuntu sites that carry on promoting Mono software (even this week).
We have become accustomed to seeing promotion of Mono, Microsoft and Novell from David Worthington, who had some personal encounters with this pair of companies [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. It seems like they gave him a scoop (his report was first) regarding a new Microsoft/Novell product/project, about which he published in the Technologizer (the Technologizer is a Microsoft boosting Web site to a great extent [1, 2] and it was Worthington who helped promote an article that lied about Microsoft's history last week). Anyway, here is his report that appeared first in the news (chronologically). He seems to have been informed about this in advance:
On Monday, Novell will demonstrate new technology that will allow Microsoft Xbox 360 games to be translated into iPhone apps. It also has the capability to be used to create Android games, potentially taking some Xbox games to the mobile masses.
Novell, a Microsoft frenemy, is making it possible for you to play Xbox games on other devices now, while Microsoft, which created the platform, will leave you waiting for Windows Phone 7 handsets, due late this year. For whatever reason, Microsoft has chosen to be less than aggressive in supporting two extremely popular smartphone platforms despite obvious consumer demand.
Novell is furthering its strategy of making it possible for .NET applications run on every mobile platform by introducing new tooling for the Android mobile operating system.
Interestingly enough, Microsoft is working with Novell hand-in-hand and seems to be giving it support where needed. It’s certainly not stopping Novell from moving forward with this project. Both companies have a history of working closely together.
GroupWise Gets “Exchanged”
Why Salem State Changed its Server and How it’s Affecting Everyone
Novell has demonstrated a new way to turn Xbox 360 games into iPhone apps, and there is a chance that Google’s Android will be able to join in on the action too.
Comments
Narrator
2010-03-17 21:39:10
Shortly after that I discovered this website. Ever since then things have started to look worse (through my eyes) for the OSS.
My brother was planning on buying a laptop for two months and he finally got it today. Two months ago I was seriously thinking of switching him to Kubuntu but now that I see how Canonical turned its back on GNU/Linux. I feel like I'd be telling my brother to remove one type of Windows and install another.
With companies like Novell and Canonical stabbing GNU/Linux in the back and the rest of the community just ignoring everything, I just don't see any hope for OSS.
What I fear most is Microsoft polluting GNU/Linux enough to live on disguised as one of us. We are slowly losing this war but I hope I'm wrong. I really do.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz
2010-03-17 21:53:12
Mandriva and Fedora have KDE and they haven't the same Mono problems. Another good one is PCLinuxOS, maybe Pardus too.
KDE is more or less the same across distributions.
Narrator
2010-03-17 22:13:37
The reason why I wanted (K)Ubuntu is because it's the most popular ditro out there and, in my opinion, the easiest for new users. But since KDE doesn't suffer from the same problems I think I might go with it.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz
2010-03-17 22:23:17
Bear in mind that Boycott Novell puts emphasis on problems or risks we have and reserves the good news to daily News Roundups.
Software patents are illegal in the vast majority of the world, so Microsoft's (and Apple's) attack on Linux with patents is a sign of grasping onto straws. They have almost ignored patents for 19 years of Linux and 27 years of GNU. They are losing the plot now (Android, Linux tablets/sub-notebooks, mainframes, HPC, etc.) so they turn aggressive. There's no reason to be discouraged by this.
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
--Sometimes attributed to Mahatma Gandhi