On Fri, 1 May 1998, Bradley Kieser wrote:
> I would say that the worst thing that M$ could to to Linux is to start
> attaching the MS logo to the freeware products! MS Tex? MS Gnome? MS
> Perl? MS Apache? MS fvwm? or, worse of all MS Linux?
>
> MS might decide to publically "embrace" the freeware movement ... taking
> the technology and our efforts into it's products and MS-fying them.
>
> How many of us would continue to supply our talents into the GNU and
> Linux projects if it was going directly to MS for them to market and make
> money out of?
I would.
As someone else pointed out, MS supporting free software would be a good
thing, not a bad thing (although it will probably never happen). MS could
indeed make MS Perl (Camels in Redmond, oh my! :), but they would have to
release the source code (under the terms of the GPL). Microsoft would no
more own MS Perl than anyone else in the world. They could charge for the
CD, but they could not limit the distribution, so you could borrow it from
your buddy.
As for MS Linux, that would just create more Linux boxen. Again, that's
a good thing. Microsoft could charge for the CD, but they couldn't stop
you from lending your CD to your friends.
Alas, it's all academic. Microsoft is interested first and foremost in
retaining their monopoly, which flies in the face of free software.
(By the way, I say "free" software in the GNU sense. As Richard Stallman
said, "think freedom of speech, not free beer.")
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kirk Rafferty | Linux...Feel the power...Feed the Penguin.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] | Registered Linux User 73344 http://counter.li.org
http://www.rafferty.org | <eosig>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
PLEASE read the Red Hat FAQ, Tips, Errata and the MAILING LIST ARCHIVES!
http://www.redhat.com/RedHat-FAQ /RedHat-Errata /RedHat-Tips /mailing-lists
To unsubscribe: mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] with
"unsubscribe" as the Subject.
