05.17.13
Microsoft’s Fake ‘Open Source’ Front is “Pushing Software Patents” (Updated)
Corporate AstroTurf versus grassroots FOSS
Summary: Microsoft’s front group which pretends to support Free/Open Source software (FOSS) is using a guest post to entertain the idea of software patents inside Free/Open Source software
WHENEVER we see Open Source and software patents in the same sentence, there is the possibility that there is Microsoft spin-doctoring going on.
There is Microsoft-coordinated AstroTurf (with Microsoft lobbyists like Association for Competitive Technology) which tries to portray Open Source and software patents as symbiotic. Microsoft tries to tear apart the GPLv3 and by calling its lobbyist Florian Müller “FOSS Patents” it contributes to this nonsense. Black Duck and Microsoft-funded events like OSBC (that gave them an opponent’s platform) generally remain part of this problem too, not to mention Microsoft’s surrogates for FOSS groups, where the Microsoft equivalents push Microsoft licences, Microsoft proprietary stacks, and of course software patents. It’s all just a cunning plan to disrupt the opponent.
“Don’t let Microsoft teach the world that software patents inside Free/Open Source software are legitimate.”There is a relative of Matt Asay in the pseudo “Open Source” group of Microsoft. The monopolist has been finding him handy as of late and here again he does a guest post for Microsoft, pushing it into circles that are perceived as FOSS-friendly, such as Slashdot. It is “pushing software patents,” writes iophk, “Clark Asay, isn’t he Matt’s brother?” No, but he is a close relative of his. There seems to be a real issue these days with people whom Microsoft is “schmoozing”. The other day we wrote about Ubuntu getting a top manager from Microsoft; Ubuntu is part of the company where Asay had served as COO. Jono Bacon already responded to my post, but Jono’s first comment did nothing to disprove that post of mine, instead stating that he practices loyalty to his boss who came from Microsoft and telling us that Microsoft has nice people (giving the fake ‘Open Source’ fronts as examples), despite many in the FOSS world knowing otherwise. Jono himself received at least one gift from Microsoft after the company had also tried to hire him (he was strong enough to decline, so I commend him).
See how Microsoft privately describes what it refers to as "schmoozing". It is very telling, it is part of an infiltration strategy which Microsoft specifies in dozens of pages. Don’t let Microsoft teach the world that software patents inside Free/Open Source software are legitimate. █
Update: The Microsoft FUD is already seeding some harmful coverage, such as “Is Patenting Open Source Software The New Normal?”
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Jack Harkness said,
May 17, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Im not sure Id commend Bacon.
They had the first MS Fake FOSS conference and every single speaker is from their Outside Curveball Foundation except the first name there, Mr Bacon which gives the event legitimacy.
And best of all, is if ANYONE makes comments like Mr Bacon used to make, he’d be the first out trying to ‘manage’ the situation. Its funny seeing people age and become their own dad’s rebuking kids for doing the same thing he used to.
No one told people to eff off like Jono did when he didnt like some company.
Now, were supposed to hold hands with Guttierez and sing Kumbaya… because… what…. things have changed so much?
Yes, yes, Ive heard the whitewash… the lawsuits, threats and all have nothing to do with this MS group, theyre ‘different’ than the bad MS people. These people are nice and we should trust them.
That’s like saying that yes, your boss is a mafioso-extortionist but you work in his restaurant and you have nothing to do with the leg breaking action.
Im sure Jono wouldnt dare use the words now but I think the Fake Foss foundation would have fallen in that wonderful segment he used to destroy bullshiters regularly called ‘Hype or Shite’.
Cant think of a better way to describe the nice face of MS-FOSS since the days of Bob Milf.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
May 17th, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Is that segment something from LUG Radio? When he launched Open Respect people said it was hypocritical because of LUG Radio.