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Microsoft Accused of “Sabotaging Desktop Virtualisation”

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Summary: Another bit of insight into anti-competitive behaviour from Microsoft and Apple

Microsoft's attempts to control virtualisation so as to suppress adoption of other platforms or cheapening of Windows were mentioned here a lot in the context of servers. It turns out that on desktops too Microsoft has been pulling similar tricks, which stifle IBM's attempt to put GNU/Linux on more desktops. Here is an explanation of this from IDG: [via Bob Sutor]



Why Microsoft is sabotaging desktop virtualization



Analysis: Microsoft’s licensing makes VDI unaffordable, to keep its stranglehold on desktop Windows licenses intact

[...]

There’s no other way to cut this: It’s simply way more expensive to license a Windows desktop OS for a VDI environment than it is to license one for a physical environment. Even if you upgrade to a new major OS revision during those three years by taking advantage of the Software Assurance plan included in VECD, you’re still paying more than you would if you did the same thing with a desktop client.


That is the text quoted by IBM's Vice President of Linux and Open Source. As we shall show in a moment, IBM is trouble for Free software, but for other reasons. Apple too is somewhat of a fiend, attacking Linux with deliberate lack of interoperability and with patents also. It is rather amusing to see CNN/Fortune's Apple-oriented blog casting Apple's behavioural problems as just a "PR issue". How arrogant a trivialisation.

To get a feel for how serious a PR problem this has become, check out the tone of New York Times columnist David Pogue's latest e-mail newsletter.


Apple's problems are conceit and greed. The only "PR problem" is that Apple is unable to hide an attitudinal issue, regardless of communication about this issue. Some people would argue that Boycott Novell takes a rather divisive approach, but the reality of the matter is that tyrannical entities (by their very nature) which use PR to conceal robbery of freedoms and rights are a long-term divisive issue which leaves people isolated and less capable of organising, demanding change, and restoring vital dignity. It is only ever realised when it's too late. This issue of morality will be explored in a later post about patents, which are part of a monopolistic system that protects the privileged from peers who are underdogs. That system too relies on an indoctrination system which sells itself to the public using buzzwords like "innovation" and practically bans competition.

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