Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft Targets GNU/Linux Advocates With Phony Charm Offensives and Fake 'Love'

If you can't get them fired, 'charm' them

Microsoft bullying



Summary: The ways Microsoft depresses GNU/Linux advocacy and discourages enthusiasm for Software Freedom is not hard to see; it's worth considering and understanding some of these tactics (mostly assimilation-centric and love-themed), which can otherwise go unnoticed

Microsoft loves [to attack] Linux (usually by proxy, in 'creative' new ways, as internal Microsoft documents admit and have already revealed). A lot of people aren't aware of it or in denial about it (especially those whose financial interests intersect with such a convenient denial).



This post explains three such strands of attacks, based on new articles which are only days old.

From Bought Seats to Misleading Media



"Congrats to Zemlin and the Golden Boys (money). They sell out to Microsoft so that you don't have to (and they profit from it!)."So Microsoft bought some more seats from the Jim Zemlin-led Linux Foundation (this was announced just yesterday). Congrats to Zemlin and the Golden Boys (money). They sell out to Microsoft so that you don't have to (and they profit from it!). As it turns out, handing over community-run projects to large corporations can be a very profitable activity. About $100,000,000 per year...

Who advocates such an activity? Over the years we've named some of the biggest culprits, including Mac Asay, who was turning his back on Open Source to promote proprietary software openwashing. When he worked as COO at Canonical he wasn't even using GNU/Linux! Just like Jono Bacon...

"Remember that Asay applied for a job at Microsoft and went for interviews there, by his own admission (in his personal blog)."One reader sent us a pointer to this latest article from Asay, asking us: "How did that guy worm his way into regular publication?"

"Adobe paid the publishers," I responded. "Follow the money."

At times his articles are published with disclosure, literally stating that they're sponsored by his employer (at the time), Adobe. He recently moved to AWS after he had repeatedly advocated their malicious exploitation of FOSS projects -- causing these projects to become proprietary. One might joke that the job offer from Amazon was a "reward" for what he did. "The US Department of Defense isn't turning its back on open source," he now says, "it's just getting smarter about it."

No, it's becoming more proprietary and this is nothing to be celebrated! Unless you work for AWS, in which case it's very much in tune with the whole 'cloud' (Clown Computing) business model. DoD is now outsourcing a lot of stuff to AWS, Asay's employer.

"Phipps is a tough nut for Microsoft to crack (or buy). We need more like him."Remember that Asay applied for a job at Microsoft and went for interviews there, by his own admission (in his personal blog). He later brought Microsoft to OSI (after he had gotten a seat there -- a seat he no longer has).

Influence from seats in key institutions is prerequisite/prelude to entryism, which is why we were glad to see Microsoft leaving the OSI's Board some time earlier this year. This relieving news may only be temporary; judging by what Simon Phipps tweeted the other day about Stallman, he still views Microsoft as a threat. Phipps has long been resisting entryism by Microsoft, viewing that as a "submarine"...

Phipps is a tough nut for Microsoft to crack (or buy). We need more like him.

From Hate to Fake 'Love'



If no proprietary software is tolerated by people, then openwashing with 'fake news' will be attempted. People who value Software Freedom will be singled out and painted as "extremists" and "zealots" (unless/until they sell out). Microsoft knows these tactics; it's not even novel as it's done a lot in politics. Or in religion, which is what Microsoft has become.

"If no proprietary software is tolerated by people, then openwashing with ‘fake news’ will be attempted."Don't get us started on Swapnil's site (not Linux.com but his personal site, which we prefer not to link to); it is a cesspool of marketing spam and lightly-edited press releases. Linux.com is now run by these types. Thanks, "Linux" Foundation... and thank you, Microsoft, for "loving" us.

We're not sure how many of our readers are aware of/familiar with Jason from Forbes. He's their only writer who covers GNU/Linux. He does a pretty good job. So now Microsoft targets him...

Yes, they contacted him. Who did? Not a "Linux advocate" as Jason puts it (in his headline) but someone who helps Microsoft, i.e. Windows, Azure etc.

"Microsoft knows these tactics; it's not even novel as it's done a lot in politics. Or in religion, which is what Microsoft has become."We've never heard his name before. He merely talks/tells a bunch of lies to Jason, e.g.: “At Microsoft, we have many statements like ‘Microsoft ❤️ Linux’ and ‘Microsoft ❤️ Open Source’, but the one that resonates with me most right now is ‘Microsoft runs on trust,’” Scott tells me."

Scott?

Not Guthrie?

I've been around for a very long time (reading GNU/Linux news all day long) and not even once did I stumble upon this name. Never. He's a faker. Like a person who climbed a mountain once and then claims to be a "mountain climber".

What does Scott promote through Jason at Forbes? Open Source? Nope. This is proprietary software. This is Microsoft. This is surveillance. The article -- to make matters even worse -- comes with a lie, manufactured by Microsoft, as a feature image. The lie is embedded in pixels that are passed around like that. "Microsoft loves Linux..."

"...the way Microsoft manipulates writers into it has been documented here for years. Sometimes these writers 'blow the whistle' -- so to speak -- instead of cooperating with Microsoft."Yeah, right!

Jason, this time you messed up! You let them manipulate you. The link (URL)? Here. In case someone wants a dose of nonsense.

Jason's example is one of many; the way Microsoft manipulates writers into it has been documented here for years. Sometimes these writers 'blow the whistle' -- so to speak -- instead of cooperating with Microsoft.

From Openwashing to Googlebombing



What would happen if people started to associate proprietary software with "Open"? Or Windows with "Linux"? What if the vocabulary we all use ceased to have a meaningful purpose and became so ambiguous and confusing that it's an hopeless exercise in (mis)communication? Someone has just called the above (from Jason) openwashing [1, 2]. The term "openwashing" is catching on; it helps describe what we're talking about. It's an attack on language itself, it's a lexical attack vector.

Here's an example; so there's this thing called WSL (or WSL2). Up until recently it was just Windows calling itself "Linux". We explained the motivation. It is a Microsoft Trojan horse strategy, using "Linux" as a Windows/Azure 'ramp'. Watch what was published two days ago about "Windows Subsystem for Linux 2" (it's part of the headline, which actually entered news feeds about Linux).

"Towards the end of this past week about a quarter of the search results for "Linux" were actually Microsoft something..."The day before we learned of "Cortana and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) improvements" (another headline) and last night "Windows 10 Preview Adds Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 on ARM64 Devices" (from Microsoft-connected media). Towards the end of this past week about a quarter of the search results for "Linux" were actually Microsoft something...

Sometimes it's as much as a half! Like one week earlier.

Microsoft fights us with googlebombing techniques. And it may be winning. It's working. Instead of seeing GNU/Linux wins (like the big news from Huawei) people see some Vista 10 'spam'. Microsoft has resorted to rather effective Trojan horse strategies. These are 'side perks'; it's at least partly intentional and they teach these things in marketing schools/colleges.

This is upsetting; "another spying app for Microsoft" is what my wife called this new thing (she covers Android at Tux Machines and is increasingly being presented with Microsoft proprietary surveillance stuff, which Microsoft 'googlebombs' Android with).

"Based on mails we've been receiving, there are reactionary movements in the making."She also complained about this "Microsoft PlayReady DRM server on Linux."

This is the type of stuff she finds when looking for "Linux" news. That's just leveraged to promote and spread Microsoft malice and lock-in (DRM).

Understanding the game Microsoft plays is essential if we intend to tackle it. We're merely explaining what we see. Based on mails we've been receiving, there are reactionary movements in the making.

Recent Techrights' Posts

GNU/Linux Measured at All-Time High in Sweden
Can 'influencers' have played a role
GNU/Linux Becoming More Universal
It seems likely the end of Vista 10 coinciding with a sharp rise in memory prices (and now energy prices) will benefit GNU/Linux and therefore give us more to write about
Can Economies Like the American One Hang On?
The coming weeks will be "interesting" unless wars end
 
SLAPP Censorship - Part 32 Out of 200: Garrett Made Spurious Requests (Later Withdrawn) the Same Week Someone He Later Spoke to by E-mail Sent Threats to Our Webhost
The "plot thickens" because there's a multi-party tag-team act, as confirmed by Garrett after he had sworn on the Bible
IBM is a Dying Company, Nowadays It Kills Red Hat With Slop
when your last day is a national holiday in IBM's country
"Independence Drives" and Community-Run Sites
Independence in reporting is a much-valued trait
When Charlatans Are Only Good at Losing Money and Storytelling (e.g. About Investment in Them)
Wait till a a barrel of oil costs $300
What Apple Fans Are Missing
Apple is a bad company
The "Pale Blue Dot" Moment Had Returned
To many people, the "bitter-sweet" observation of how small we are
Saudi Arabia Does Not Rely Much on Microsoft/Windows
Putting aside politics, this is good for Free software
Almost 12 Years of Exposing Corruption in Europe's Second-Largest Institution
The "unready" President is now an abandoned President
Easter Moon Mission and Its Reminder of IBM's Demise
A lot of NASA operations now rely on GNU/Linux
When Power is Scarce and GNU/Linux Has Power
In Cuba, GNU/Linux has long enjoyed high adoption rates
Don't Totally Dismiss the 'Survivalists'
'Survivalists' or similar terms are used to describe a particular mindset of people who prepare for some really awful scenarios
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, April 02, 2026
IRC logs for Thursday, April 02, 2026
A Much Better Use of Fuel Than Slop
Something positive for a change
Hoping for Peace
There are still many things to be enjoyed, including nature and kind people
Gemini Links 03/04/2026: "Slide Rule Triple Multiplication" and End of "Picture Pages"
Links for the day
Rumours of Microsoft Layoffs This Season
Just how much trouble is Microsoft in at this point?
SLAPP Censorship - Part 31 Out of 200: Speaking About 20+ Years of Alleged Harassment/Defamation and High-Profile 'Targets' of Garrett
attempts were made to settle (in effect end the case) by the person who started the case almost half a dozen times along the way
In Asia, Windows is in Its Teens (Below 20%)
On a global scale, Windows is down to about 26%
Low Morale at IBM and Perception of Destructive Management
IBM is going nowhere, fast
Gemini Links 02/04/2026: Super Mario Galaxy Movie and New Antenna Instance
Links for the day
It Seems Like Google News Cracked Down on (Omitted, Delisted) a Lot of Slopfarms
There's no justification/point in spending so much energy just to plagiarise things poorly
Steam Survey for Last Month Says 5.33% Use GNU/Linux
big leap for GNU/Linux
Links 02/04/2026: Science News, Energy Scarcity, Oil Sold in Yuan
Links for the day
Links 02/04/2026: Apple Turns 50, Efforts To Ban VPNs
Links for the day
Gemini Links 02/04/2026: Kubernetes With FreeBSD, OFFLFIRSOCH, and Great Circle Distance
Links for the day
Dr. Andy Farnell on Microsoft Silencing or Deplatforming Opposition in the UK and Elsewhere
Microsoft as a king or a kind of "religion" one cannot question
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, April 01, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, April 01, 2026
SLAPP Censorship - Part 30 Out of 200: The Time We Reported Abuse to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and It Was Escalated to Its Cybercrime Unit
he started trolling and harassing me for criticising his employers' monopolistic and users-hostile agenda
'Modern' Cars Not a Rosy Industry
The current "modern" cars already have a shelf life similar to that of many toothpastes
Wrongthink Detector and Filter in "Think About the Children" Clothing
It is not about "age verification", it's a Trojan horse for social control
IBM Facilities Now Deemed Legitimate (Military) Target, Along With GAFAM Bases
Does IBM have any defences in place to protect against "downtime by explosions"?
What Happens When Some Large News Sites Turn to Slop and Spew Out Nonsense
LLM slop makes such grotesque mistakes abundant
Hardly Seeing Slopfarms Today, Even in Google News
Google's adventures with slop increased its debt significantly
Links 01/04/2026: Quantum Hype (Turing and Google), "US Fuel Prices Surge Past $4 a Gallon"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/04/2026: "Sacred Week of Cycling" and Zenity for Scripts
Links for the day
Losing Debian: Sruthi Chandran election flop
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
French judgment: parasitisme by FSFE & Matthias Kirschner (CO23.002709)
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Microsoft Uses April Fools to 'Joke' About Inserting "Age Verification" (Surveillance) Into Linux
MinceR says the "lkml [message/page] one is April Fools or at least they're trying to pass it off as April Fools [however] the [GitHub] one was archived on the 8th and yesterday, so that probably isn't..."
IBM "Headcount Reductions" by Early Retirement and Death
The tragedy at IBM started 33 years ago on the first of April
Red Hat: Latin-1 character set under threat from Bishop Michael Martin, North Carolina
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 01/04/2026: Microsoft GitHub Now Pushing Ads Into People's Code/Commits, Earth Overshoot Day Draws Nearer
Links for the day
What IBM and EPO Workers Have in Common: European Media Not Covering Very Major News (Press Became Dysfunctional)
Are IBM operatives working to scuttle the process of investigative journalism?
Free Speech in the United Kingdom When "Chilling Effect" is Increasingly Prevalent
If politicians cannot even use a term like "parasitic behaviour", then where do we as a society end up?
Oracle Lays Off Because of Debt and Commercial Issues, Not Slop
Like Scam Altman, Larry Ellison hangs around Cheeto King because he could use some bailouts in the form of government contracts or phony money with an incredible name like "Stargate"
The Real Reason Many Sites and Forums Shun Microsoft Lunduke
When forums say that they banned Microsoft Lunduke or don't want him mentioned it's probably because they are familiar with the "stench" that follows him around
Gemini Links 01/04/2026: Hallucinations, Stitching, and Type Systems
Links for the day
Lots of Layoffs at IBM, "Media Blackout" About Mass Layoffs at IBM's HashiCorp and Confluent Last Month
IBM is a dying company circling down the drain while manipulating or paying the media to pretend everything is fine
Microsoft Under Investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for Abusive Tactics
What's noteworthy is that this is "set to begin in May"
Sounds Like Red Hat (IBM) Layoffs in Slop Clothing
This is an IBM policy. They try to justify staff cuts.
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, March 31, 2026