Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft Uses the Word “Linux” to Promote Privacy-Infringing Proprietary Software and Spread FUD

Promises to give malicious software to GNU/Linux are just a PR stunt and opportunism

Linux malware: is it so hard to get it right?
Reference: "Linux malware: is it so hard to get it right?" (article by Sam Varghese about typical and routine misinformation from Catalin Cimpanu, whom ZDNet hired to attack Linux in intellectually-dishonest ways)



Summary: The discussion about "Linux" is being saturated if not replaced by misinformation and marketing of Linux's competition -- owing largely to googlebombing tactics that the Linux Foundation participates in rather than tackle

THE word or the name "Linux" is losing its value; it gets associated with the very competition of Linux (what's inherently antithetical to it) and with lots of negative things, such as "ransom". This is all very much deliberate; internal Microsoft documents reveal this to be part of the company's strategy -- a fact that does not seem to bother the Linux Foundation, guardian of the trademark "Linux" (nowadays the brand is already being hijacked by a drag queen singer, but that's another issue and we don't want to add links*).



"Their writer whom they hired from Bleeping Computer (which was already a notorious site at the time because of intentional FUD) calls unrelated-to-Linux issues "Linux" and spreads such FUD regularly."There might be enforcement, but we're not seeing evidence of it.

Security FUD Every Day



On the issue of security (negative press) we wrote as recently as yesterday. ZDNet plays a considerable role in this; it's owned by CBS, which is paid by Microsoft. Their writer whom they hired from Bleeping Computer (which was already a notorious site at the time because of intentional FUD) calls unrelated-to-Linux issues "Linux" and spreads such FUD regularly. Unskilled writers copy that troll from ZDNet (last night we saw "New ransomware strain appears to target Linux web servers" -- the fourth such article that parrots ZDNet; here's another with "Linux" in the headline). There was a similar article about Exim a few days ago. This started at the anti-FOSS propaganda site ZDNet and our latest Daily Links include this. It "repeats the FUD headline from ZDNet's Bleeping Computer hire," as we noted last night, but "no server is known to have been compromised by this yet. They dramatise this."

"...ZDNet constantly bombards "Linux" with all this negative publicity and then spreads that elsewhere; even if Linux itself isn't at fault (sometimes it's down to weak passwords or some piece of software that can run on top of GNU/Linux, just like Photoshop can run on Windows)."Does the Foundation have no plan to rebut these things? First of all, Exim doesn't run on GNU/Linux or "Linux" per se; it runs on lots of environments and it is not part of "Linux" (or even GNU). But ZDNet constantly bombards "Linux" with all this negative publicity and then spreads that elsewhere; even if Linux itself isn't at fault (sometimes it's down to weak passwords or some piece of software that can run on top of GNU/Linux, just like Photoshop can run on Windows).

Linux is Microsoft



Yesterday afternoon we saw a Microsoft propaganda (PR) site Windows Central publishing this article: "It's official: Microsoft Teams is coming to Linux"

"Does the Foundation have no plan to rebut these things?"Well, "is coming to Linux" is not even "has come to Linux" (that will be another googlebombing opportunity, some time in the future).

As a side note, we saw almost identical reports back in summer. So it's not even news!

This is what currently dominates news feeds about "Linux" -- starting with a site called Windows Central about NSA surveillance and proprietary software from Microsoft. It's about mere intent. That's all. That's also just what GNU/Linux users get away from. It's a deterrent; it's off-putting.

Calling oneself "open" for porting proprietary software with Microsoft surveillance to another platform is laughable.

That's merely spreading non-open things, which makes them worse.

Phoronix wrote moments later: "Microsoft Teams Is Coming To Linux"

"Calling oneself "open" for porting proprietary software with Microsoft surveillance to another platform is laughable."As if this is what GNU/Linux users actually wanted or needed...

Then joined Softpedia News (Marius Nestor) and Microsoft (Mary Jo Foley) at ZDNet, Microsoft's longtime propaganda mill (there are payments involved) along with other Microsoft-connected sites.

Once again you search for "Linux" news and all you get is proprietary software with Microsoft surveillance in the results.

Linux Foundation Part of the Problem



"With Microsoft spamming about "Linux" maybe there is a matter of trademark dilution or similar risks," one person told us. Other people do notice.

"What is the Linux Foundation good for if it won't even bother with the most basic trademark protections?""You've pointed out something similar for Open Source," the person continued, "even though it is not a trademark. IIRC Bruce Perens tried but was denied, which can work to everyone's advantage when making bids for government contracts."

In the case of Open Source we call that "openwashing" and at times we've also spoken of "Linuxwashing" (falsely associating oneself with Linux).

"Back to Linux," the person concluded, "could/would/should Linus drop the LF [Linux Foundation] and take his code and his trademarks elsewhere? He wouldn't do it himself, but if someone at the top did the leg work, I expect he might consider it."

What is the Linux Foundation good for if it won't even bother with the most basic trademark protections? Additionally, look what it did to Linux.com (after firing all the staff back in April). It sometimes feels like it's more about Microsoft and proprietary software than about Linux. ____ * In recent months and as recently as days ago articles showed up in the news about a singer who goes by the name "Linux" (and promotes self by "Linux"). That has nothing at all to do with Linux, the kernel, and this likely merits trademark enforcement.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Twitter (X) is Dying, Now It's Just Like a Mafia-Type Operation of the Man Who Does Nazi Salutes in Public
a form of extortion
The Price of Exposing Corruption in Poland (and Elsewhere)
It's easier to participate in corruption than to merely do the right thing and oppose it
Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part IX: Minimum Wages For You (Experienced Scientist), Alicante/EU Paydays For Me (Unproductive, Corrupt Official)
Does UPRP maladministration extend to the false belief that qualified and experienced scientists can play the role of circus clowns?
"The Liberating Power of Simply Telling People the Truth."
'polite' bullying
Who Imitates Who? Plagiarist as Client (From Microsoft), 'Plagiarism' at the Law Firm?
let's revisit the subject
 
Links 13/06/2025: US Reduces Nonessential Staff at Baghdad Embassy Ahead of Strikes in Iran, Invasion of California Debated
Links for the day
X11 is Free Software
Whether you agree (e.g. on politics) with the person/s forking it doesn't matter
The More Time Passes, the Better Our Advice on Social Control Media Seems
At the end of the day, any platform you do not control yourself is working for someone else
UK High Court Blasts Brett Wilson LLP for Misusing "GDPR" After Failed Efforts to Censor Critics Using 'Libel' Claims
No wonder this firm is rapidly shrinking
Recent Blunders in Microsoft GitHub (e.g. Slop-Generated Bug Reports or GPL Violations 'as a Service') Taking Their Toll?
Put bluntly, if you still use Microsoft GitHub, then you're slave to Microsoft
American Imperialism and Microsoft Plagiarism
Techrights will therefore do what Microsoft does not want it to do: it'll write even more about Microsoft
When They Have Nothing Left to Help Advance Abusive Litigation for Microsoft People... Other Than Throwing ~500 Pages of Someone Else's Work Into a PDF
Microsoft is having a very tough year
Slopwatch and Yet More Holes in 'Secure Boot' (as Usual!), Promoted Inside Linux by the Man We Are Suing
Today's Slopwatch will be short
Gemini Links 13/06/2025: People You've Left Behind, Life Update and OS Changes
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, June 12, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, June 12, 2025
Links 12/06/2025: Portland Homeless Deaths Quadruple, COVID Cases Surge in Asia
Links for the day
EPO's Gareth Lord Asked About "Quality and Productivity" or, Put Another Way, Why the EPO Keeps Granting So Many Invalid/Illegal Patents
letter to Lord
EPO's Central Staff Committee (CSC) Scrutinises the Man Who Illegally Grants (and Forces Others to Illegally Participate in Granting) Software Patents in Europe
EPO compels examiners to break the law in the name of obeying illegal "rules" or "orders"
The Latest Rumour Says The Next (as Correctly Predicted Before) Wave of Layoffs at Microsoft is 3 Weeks Away, "Larger Than the First Wave"
Step 2
TV Licensing Used to SPAM Your Postbox, Now It Does the Same to E-mail
First they ask for your E-mail address; then they start nagging you via E-mail
The Toxic Playbook
Either you support Prince Mohammed bin Salman or you're a nazi
It's Possible That BetaNews Got Cracked, But Nobody Talks About It, The Site Contains an Outdated Old Image, No Activity
It's possible that they will never explain what happened to the site and users' accounts
Links 12/06/2025: Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson Dies
Links for the day
Gemini Links 12/06/2025: Video Game Diegesis and Steam Next Fest
Links for the day
Why the Militants Have Lost Every Battle Since 2022 (When Attacking My Wife and I in Various Ways, Even Attacking Our Employers)
This takes patience, sure, but at the end most evildoers face the consequences for their actions
Our Priority is Still Tackling Software Patents and Corruption in Patent Offices
Meanwhile we got compliments on our recent articles, which means that they are effective
Politics Will Impact Software Choices
Will those systems respect users' freedom?
EPO: Neglecting Children to Promote American Monopolies by Shielding Them From European Competition
Yesterday the Central Staff Committee at the EPO spoke about another "reform" at the Office
Slopwatch: Another Day, Another Slopfest, LLM Slop Scrapers Slow Down Our Site
We too have some slop issues; this past day this site and the sister site had to answer about 2.5 million requests (not counting Gemini Protocol) and it's slowing things down for everybody
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Links 11/06/2025: More Vulnerabilities Found in 'Smart' Phones, China Extends Reach in the Pacific
Links for the day
Gemini Links 11/06/2025: Grain and Steam Next Fest
Links for the day
Links 11/06/2025: "Quantum" Hype From IBM, US Closer to Martial Law, and “The Nation” Celebrates Milestone
Links for the day
IBM's CEO Roasted, Sizzled and Grilled for Dumb and Inconsistent Vapourware Promises
It looks like being a chronic liar is what it takes to lead the company once synonymous with computing
IBM's Goal Is Not (and Never Was) Computer Users' Freedom
More than 1.5 decades ago I found IBM to be an "ally of convenience" because of OpenDocument Format (ODF)
Wayland Shows the IBM/Red Hat Way of Doing Things
IBM is trying to 'kill' X
GitHub is Proprietary, Controlled by Microsoft, and GPL Violation Warehouse
"IRS tax filing software [will be] released to the people as free software" ... In general this is good news
Slopfarm Catastrophe
Seems like BetaNews (or BetaNoise) has just suffered a major data loss and restored the site from a week-old backup
Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part VIII: Illegal Working Conditions
How many people need to die for these people to get their massive salaries?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, June 10, 2025