Microsoft Denies Sabotaging Mandriva Linux PC Deal

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has denied sabotaging Mandriva's deal with the Nigerian government to supply Classmate PCs from Intel along with a customized Mandriva Linux operating system. 'From Microsoft's perspective it's a matter of choice. In the statement sent to InternetNews.com, Microsoft said it believes individuals, governments and other organizations should be free to choose the software and other technologies that best meet their needs. "We are seeing strong market demand for Windows on low-cost devices to help governments in the areas of education, local innovation, and jobs and opportunity," the Microsoft spokesperson said in the statement.' The company's denial is in response to Mandriva's CEO Francois Bancilhon expression of disappointment with Microsoft."

You can have any OS you like as long as it's ours

[linuxci]

"Microsoft said it believes individuals, governments and other organizations should be free to choose the software and other technologies that best meet their needs"

That choice is Vista Basic, Vista Home Premium, Vista Business, Vista Ultimate. Microsoft will do anything to make sure that they get a stronghold in emerging markets, they don't care what's best for the user (of course sometimes windows is the best option, doesn't mean it is all the time)

Standard business in accordance with the law.

[malkavian]

Well, they can't afford for whole countries to escape the Windows hegemony.. It makes "business sense" for Microsoft to 'gift' or 'donate' whole slews of Windows licenses to a government to keep them in the fold. So then everyone else will need Microsoft to interoperate with them.
Their whole argument of "people should be free to choose the best software for the task" is a little tongue in cheek. After all, the initial procurement was probably far more lengthy and in depth than the quick 'jerk' reaction to taking MS on board afterwards. They did probably buy what was best for their requirements in the first place.
It would be interesting to see what laws on software dumping are present in Nigeria (not many, I'd estimate), so yes, they're obeying Nigerian law. Not necessarily the law as applies to the country that any given reader may be in.
So, they can happily state that while engaging in business practices that are illegal in countries other than the one they are making that transaction.

This kind of U turn (and added expenditure, if obeying the normal laws of the Western World) is not really possible without "greasing the wheels"..

Smoke and mirrors once again, Microsoft.

Maybe cynical - but history shows...

[dna_(c)(tm)(r)]

"Microsoft has a strong relationship with the government in Nigeria and will continue to partner with government and industry to help meet their needs,"

How about "Microsoft has a strong relationship with the government and people in Nigeria and will continue to help meet their needs" ?

I suppose by "their needs" they mean "Microsoft's needs". And the government has money and power, the people don't.

You call thaT A DENIAL?

[John Jamieson]

Cmon, for a PR persn,that is effectivly an admission of guilt, with a statement of "too bad, it is not illegal" tacked on.

Obvious LIES

[Skiron]

"Microsoft has denied sabotaging Mandriva's deal with the Nigerian government..."

Then why is the Nigerian Government still paying Mandriva for the contract they was happy with (and still appear to be happy with it)? This is so obviously MS bunging them money AFTER they lost the fight, and telling them "Here you are, here is a few million to get rid of that and install Windows - we will pay for the loss".

Business as usual...

[glug101]

I've been reading the comments here and the comments on the previous article, and I'm surprised to see something missing.

Show of hands:
1. Who knows that Nigeria is an oil producing nation?

2. Who knows the Nigerian people see barely a thin dime of the money?

The government of Nigeria has shown itself to be easily corrupted at the expense of the people. See wikipedia [wikipedia.org] and read the part about the government. It's not hard to imagine something crooked going on with this.

Any word on how M$ is going to avoid massive amounts of pirating of software by unleashing their steaming pile of OS on a 3rd world nation? Or do they just assume that everybody there will pirate the stuff anyway so they just want to "sell" a few licenses in the process?

Re:Standard business in accordance with the law.

[Anonymous Coward]

(My computer is not a toy, so a toy operating system doesn't fit the need in my case.)

My computer is not a toy either. Which is why it runs a serious operating system rather than a toy. One of the ways you can tell the OS is not a toy is by the fact that of the worlds top 500 super computers most of them also run Linux as I do.

The least popular OS on super computers comes from a company that tends to subsidize one or two super computers just so they can dictate that the machines run their toy OS.

Re:Maybe cynical - but history shows...

[Chemicalscum]

Actually senior government officials in Nigeria need large amounts of cash stuffed in large envelopes and handed to them in cafe's in Switzerland. Of course this practice is not unique to Nigeria at least one former prime minister here in Canada have been known to indulge in this.

It's just "good" business.

[vrmlguy]

I've seen cases like this before in the hardware business. Not very often, but it does happen occasionally. After a long hard sales cycle, Neal Nanotech decides to buy something from that hot new startup, Tyrell Corpration. The sales team from Cyberdyne Systems decides that they can't afford to lose NN as a customer, since they'll lose not only future sales and the income from the maintenance contract, but Tyrell will be able to use NN as a refernce in future ad campaigns. So, there's one last big push to a Senior VP, the President, or even the CEO. Typically, Cyberdyne offers a trade-in allowance for all of the Tyrell product at NN's full purchase price, while discounting Cyberdyne's prduct just enough to equal the trade-in. This way, NN isn't out any money (at least not initially) while Cyberdyne avoids violations of any anti-dumping laws. Cyberdyne then sends the brand-new Tyrell products straight to the recycling center. (Or maybe they resell it on eBay, with a good long offer period. "Look here, Mr. Potential Customer! How good can Tyrell's product be if people are dumping unopened boxes of it on eBay?")

As much brilliant as a choice between....

[DrYak]

Cocaine or Heroine.

Microsoft let you freely choose to what you'll become addicted.

Hope every MSFT customer demands the same deal

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

Well, if we generate enough publicity for this deal, may be all the customers of MSFT will start demanding equal treatment with Nigerian Govt. The would demand MSFT to sell its product at the same price Mandriva wold have sold their products. MSFT will tell small companies to just go fly a kite and will quietly cave in to big corporations. Mid level ones will get the deal or not depending on how tightly they are integrated with MSFT tools. But everyone will learn one cold hard fact. The only way to extract a good deal from MSFT is to be less dependent on its products.

How much Fear Uncertainty, Confusion, Extortion, and Doubt will be needed to maintain the revenue growth? (Someone please give me a good K-word to make a good acronym to upgrade FUD).

Re:I doubt they are selling licences

[Clueless Nick]

Wrong.

1. Union Carbide [wikipedia.org]

2. Monsanto [wikipedia.org]

3. British East India Company [wikipedia.org]. Well, not exactly modern, but known.

Point: microsoft cares

[basiles]

The interesting point is that Microsoft cared to reply to Mandriva. I thought that such a huge mastodonte as Microsoft don't care about small businesses like Mandriva. I find that the mere fact that Microsoft replied something is interesting.

Re:You can have any OS you like as long as it's ou

[Jugalator]

How many companies out there care for what's "best for the user" if it doesn't involve their products?

Re:I doubt they are selling licences

[Skiron]

Perhaps - but they done it and got caught, and now forever under the eye... and other companys see that and be clean... ...BUT MS do it all the time. The buying votes/rigging voting in the ooXML ISO fiasco, which now seems to have brought the whole ISO process to a halt. This latest Nigerian issue. The MS funded BBC DRM iPlayer. SCO case. the list goes on and on and on. Just look at the any of the past dealings MS are involved in and all have the element of unethical and immoral practices. All of them.

And they don't stop - and never will, as that is the only way MS can compete in the market.

I'd like to be there...

[TW Atwater]

...when they realize that those 1 GB Mandriva Classmate PCs will need a 2GB flash chip to run Microsoft crapware.

Pervasive psychopathic lack of ethics

[flyingfsck]

Microsoft doesn't have any sense of ethics. They have a pervasive psychopathic corporate culture and it starts right at the top. Balmer himself flew to Germany in an effort to sway the IBM/Munchen deal after it was signed with 'special offers', which to me is an attempt at bribery, but a psychopath won't see it that way.

Re:Mandriva still got paid right?

[fwarren]

So what's the big deal at the end of the day?

That Microsoft had to hold it's nose and actually respond to a Linux company.

This is akin to how US presidents don't meet with terrorists and nutty generals. Even heads of state that they greatly disapprove of. It lends legitimacy in the eyes of the world.

The fact that ANY Linux company could say something, and instead of ignoring it. Microsoft feels it actually has to defend itself. All in the name of choice and fair market.

They are so droll.

Re:Mandriva still got paid right?

[mackyrae]

Now the kids will be learning only how to use one platform and its ways of doing things, most likely. I mean, it is certainly possible to teach "how to use a computer" without emphasizing Windows or Linux or Mac terms and specifics and making more reference to logical use of UI, what input/output are, etc., but most computer teachers in elementary schools are just whichever teacher is best at figuring out email, so they don't really know how to teach. Instead, the kids will just learn how Windows works by memorizing series' of clicks which don't translate to other platforms.