09.18.07
EUX.TV on the European Ruling (Video)
If you have Flash or gnash, you should be able to watch the following video.
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Moonlight a Second-class Citizen in a WindowSilverLight Wide Web
A new article from Microsoft’s own press ought to remind us why Moonlight was a bad idea, just like Novell’s attempted support for OOXML.
Rather than step up and produce a Linux version of Silverlight, Microsoft is taking a halfway step. It will provide technical guidance — and even support — to Miguel de Icaza and the rest of the Novell-hosted Mono team as they work to create Silverlight on Unix….
But as smart as the developers on the Mono team are, and they are very bright, it’s hard to see how Silverlight on Linux will avoid the fate of COM on Unix-lagging behind the Windows version.
Yet again, Novell is giving Microsoft the pleasure of saying that their technologies (e.g. Silverlight, OOXML) are widely supported (never mind the disturbing notion of “licensed”) and include Linux, but:
- The implementations are poor
- The implementations depends on a single company
- The implementations can be obtained from a single company (Novell)
- The rules can change at any time (for example, elements can be added with a Draconian licence bound to them)
- The implementations give developers false expectations about compatibility (e.g. Windows-only DRM)
- The implementations assist a hijack of de facto standards, which can and will be extended
There are more issues to think about, but the take-home message is that when a burglar approaches the window, you don’t invite the burglar to enter the house. You don’t offer the burglar some tea and cookies, either.
Will Everybody Get Interoperability, Even Without Patents Deals?
What has Europe just achieved?
Red Hat, which is clearly very happy about the ruling in Europe, has unleashed the following press release on interoperability.
“Microsoft continues to deny open source providers access to and use of the interoperability information that now clearly must be provided. Red Hat strongly encourages the Commission to take the steps required to assure rapid implementation of a remedy that gives broad and equitable access to Microsoft interoperability information to all competitors, including open source providers. Red Hat firmly believes that competition, not questionable patent and trade secret claims, drives innovation and creates greater consumer value,” said Michael Cunningham, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Red Hat.
Align this together with an eye-catching article which was mentioned just hours ago. It says that “Microsoft must share code with Rivals.”
Microsoft lost its appeal of a European antitrust order Monday that obliges the technology giant to share communications code with rivals…
Does this mean that Microsoft will be forced to give everyone what Novell received only for uncomfortable admission of guilt it does not believe in (it “agrees to disagree” on the issue of patents)?
Never forget how we ended up in this sordid mess of incompatible software. As the Halloween Memo teach us, Microsoft deliberately sabotaged interoperability.
Microsoft’s answer to what the memo meant when it said that Microsoft could extend standard protocols so as to deny Linux “entry into the market”:
Q: The first document talked about extending standard protocols as a way to “deny OSS projects entry into the market.” What does this mean?
A: To better serve customers, Microsoft needs to innovate above standard protocols. By innovating above the base protocol, we are able to deliver advanced functionality to users. An example of this is adding transactional support for DTC over HTTP. This would be a value-add and would in no way break the standard or undermine the concept of standards, of which Microsoft is a significant supporter. Yet it would allow us to solve a class of problems in value chain integration for our Web-based customers that are not solved by any public standard today. Microsoft recognizes that customers are not served by implementations that are different without adding value; we therefore support standards as the foundation on which further innovation can be based.
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What’s Next for the Ruling in Europe? (Updated)
Europe has made its decision about Microsoft and the usual suspects have woken up and stood up to defend Microsoft. Such suspects include ACT and CompTIA, which are quite infamous (not famous) for their financial affairs with Microsoft and the blatant anti-Linux, anti-FSF, anti-Free software, and anti-EC biases (proven over the years). Actions that might follow this ruling in Japan and the United States will be particularly interesting, not to mention the effects on Windows Vista, which is known to have broken some of the rulings. As for Novell, there appears to be no exceptional impact, but Novell surely added to Microsoft’s legal arsenal (defenses). Microsoft apparently intends to appeal now, after early claims to the contrary have been dismissed.
Update: here is an article which is worth paying attention to.
Microsoft Must Share Code With Rivals
Microsoft lost its appeal of a European antitrust order Monday that obliges the technology giant to share communications code with rivals…
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