04.12.10
Gemini version available ♊︎One Hand Shows “Open Source”, Another Hand Shows SaaS
Picture by SubSonica
Summary: A look at Microsoft’s fascinating strategy of embracing competition through deceptive maneuvers and playful use of words
IN our recent posts which hopefully show how Microsoft is hijacking "Open Source" we happen to have mentioned the Grameen Foundation [1, 2, 3], which uses the term “Open Source” to promote Microsoft. We are now finding something similar in Polaris. As pointed out in the comments, ““Open source entrepreneurship” on the Microsoft stack sounds funny. Tough sell. Definitely see far more Boston “entrepreneurial” developers on open source technologies.
“God bless Microsoft and all the events they’ve been holding at the NERD Center but their technology isn’t very compelling right now compared to Linux, Ruby, Javascript, HTML5, CSS3, Postgres, MongoDB, Redis, and on and on.”
“Microsoft calls it “open-source”, but in reality it’s just a shim that sells proprietary software and/or puts someone’s data on Microsoft’s servers.”Then we have the Windows/Microsoft companion known as CodePlex and Microsoft’s longtime “open-source” faker Aras [1, 2]. These are all examples where Microsoft claims to be part of “Open Source” even when it’s not. It’s usually self-serving hooks like this new one or even the loadable module for Linux [1, 2, 3]. Microsoft calls it “open-source”, but in reality it’s just a shim that sells proprietary software and/or puts someone’s data on Microsoft’s servers.
Microsoft’s latest lobby to enter into government (also here) relies upon its appearance as "open" even when it’s just SaaS that sucks up people's data and takes away their freedom. A “guest post” at the Microsoft-boosting blog only encourages Microsoft to take over medical records of citizens, probably as part of Microsoft’s ambitions of taking over the nation’s healthcare system/records [1, 2, 3].
Based on this new press release, a Microsoft executive is already entering the board of one medical company.
The Center for Medical Weight Loss (http://www.cmwl.com) a three year old business that is rapidly transforming the weight loss industry by empowering physicians to help patients fight obesity, today announced it has appointed Microsoft executive, Scott Howe, to its board of directors.
Here is some merciless lock-in disguised as “goodwill”. Microsoft is typically abusing those NGOs which fall for it, trapping them, then withdrawing support and charging a lot of money, as stories from the UK and Australia taught us in recent years. Microsoft is also trapping businesses through their data in Singapore while Microsoft’s PR marionette from CNET spins it with an article that’s almost ghostwritten by Microsoft. So to summarise, Microsoft is now disguising proprietary lock-in as “open source” and also creates lock-in by marketing so-called ‘clouds’. Those who know better will reject both. █
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