Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft NuPack an Exercise in Open-Washing Proprietary Software

In the washing machine



Summary: Nu is not GNU; Microsoft is just openwashing (making something only appear more open), addressing perception issues around yet another part of its proprietary stack

Microsoft really tries to make itself appear "open"; the monopolist is by no means opening up or embracing freedom, it's only trying to change public perception, most recently by renaming [1, 2].



These desperate moves (NuPack being the latest) are not going to fool Free software supporters, but they sure managed to get some attention from news sites, especially those which are run by Microsoft boosters [1, 2, 3, 4] or sympathisers [1, 2], and a couple of exceptions [1, 2]. It is especially funny how the Microsoft boosters try to make it seem like Outercurve and Microsoft are separate. What a great example of lousy reporting. This is why Microsoft grooms particular people, who eventually become an extended family of the PR department. NuPack is just about selling .NET and Windows, i.e. proprietary, highly-restrictive software. Katherine Noyes has just published this article which explains "Why Windows Is Bad for Business" and to quote one fragment:

Microsoft is also very good at suggesting that Windows malware is an industry problem rather than one that's a direct result of its own lax security.

The fact is, there are few users in this world who choose Windows because it's irresistibly good. Rather, most use it because of inertia, pure and simple. For that inertia, however, everyone pays a price--especially organizations. Here's why Windows is undeniably bad for business.


Microsoft is busy trying to pretend that its proprietary stack is somehow open and thus equal/on par with GNU/Linux. It's a lie, it's openwashing.

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